to cut or not to cut? - Page 2

[TulsiLeaf]

i figure this. it's hair it grows. now where i draw the line is traumatizing a kid when it is really really long and forcing them to get it cut really really short. I have been cutting my daughters hair since she was around 18 months. It was longer in the back and finer on the top. So we always kept the back neat and trimmed. As she has gotten older and it has thickened up, we have kept her fine, curly hair in a chin length bob. she wants to grow it out, but when she realizes that her curls go away, she ends back up with her bob. My MIL hates that I cut it. But honestly, she won't keep clips in her hair, yet hates her hair in her face. So why torture her. Honestly, I think that this whole hair thing is more about the parents feelings toward their kids hair than the kids.

[Alyantavid]

Originally Posted by TulsiLeaf

Honestly, I think that this whole hair thing is more about the parents feelings toward their kids hair than the kids.

It isn't. At least in my case. It's about not making a choice for someone else. My son having long hair didn't really effect me in any way. I washed it and combed it and put it in a ponytail when he asked. I'd do that if it was long or short. It wasn't traumatic for him in any way. Hair is not something I put a lot of worry into. If he doesn't want it cut, I'm certainly not going to force it. If he does, we cut it.

But then again, I leave alot of choices up to my kids that alot of people don't agree with.

[ann_of_loxley]

Whilst I do think that my sons hair is part of his body and his choice (after all, he decided a few years ago that he hated having his hair cut and didn't want it cut so he now has beautiful long blond hair! hehe) ....I don't think babies really care!

My son was 11 months old when he had his first cut. Really more for the fact that he didn't care - so doing it wouldn't have been a problem...added to the fact I just didn't like it as it was as it was all different lengths depending on which part of his head you looked at and it was very thing and wispy. Cutting it certainly helped it grow in more thick and proper ...if that makes any sense.

Id be surprsied if this baby is a baldy. DS was born with so much hair as was DH and I. I have yet to see a bald baby in either of our families. So this baby will also probably get at least one first hair cut in the first year of their life - just to even things out and promote thick/proper growth. As soon as they show a dislike to their hair being cut though - we stop.

[Pumpkin_Pie]

I cut my son's hair on Christmas morning into a cute little bowl cut. I wasn't going to cut it, but this summer it was getting in his eyes, so I gave him bangs. Then I kept cutting them, and it started to look like a mullet. I eventually bit the bullet and bought hair clips to keep his bangs out of his eyes so they could grow out. He now has the little head flip to swing his bangs out of his eyes, which makes me a little nutty to watch, but is actually pretty cute.

Anyway, his best friend got a little bowl cut by his mama, and I realized that I as going to have to cut the back to catch it up with his bangs eventually, so I cut it off and am going to grow it all out the same length from here on out. I will have to trip up the back again probably one more time to get it all the same length, but I definitely subscribe to the "it is his body, and he can cut it if he wants to", so once it is all the same length, I am just going to let it go until he wants to cut it off.

I will admit that I love his little bowl cut though.

[gcgirl]

I don't care about bodily integrity when it comes to hair. It's exactly the same to me as cutting fingernails. (This fingernails thing just became extremely important to me as I am still recovering from a deep corneal scratch after DS poked me in the eye two days ago).

Hair is not "body" alteration, IMO. It's temporary, painless, and sometimes a comfort issue as the OP mentioned. So you see what side I'm on, I guess!