To Trim or Not To Trim, That is The Question: Dads Need Advice on Giving Kids Control over Their Own Hair

One of the big parenting decisions, from an early stage, is how much control to yield to your child. Their fashion, their hair, their food and drink choices; we dads have to determine when to give them the reigns. Worry no more as Hair and Makeup Girl got you covered, providing detailed product reviews with accurate, and genuine advice. The tutorials on makeup styles and skin care techniques will leave you enlightened.

When one dad needed advice on his son’s hair, a bunch of dads from the Life of Dad community answered the call!

Dicky van Doorn: You should let him do what he wants! My son is 7 years old now and he wears a dress from time to time, just because he wants to. He paints his nails, wears his hair in a ponytail. Who am I to judge? I am his companion in life, not his drill instructor.

Cullen Monk: I’ll give the opposite opinion than what everyone else is giving. No, you are still his father and you have authority over him.
You can tell him that he still needs to get a haircut, but explain why. He may not like you making decisions for him, but if he knows your reasons, your rules will not seem arbitrary.

Scott Shill: Pick your battles. At that age he’s starting to express himself more. This is a small thing that ultimately doesn’t matter that he can have some measure of control over.

Plus, you’re setting the foundation for communication with him as a teen. If you fight him on teeny issues like this you won’t fight him on the big stuff later. Because he won’t tell you about them. Now is when you start to say, “I trust you to make good decisions.”

Justin Tripp: I’m not a dad, but I feel that around that age, kids become more aware of what they want their social image to be. Sure, he might regret it when he turned fifteen or sixteen, but for now he’ll enjoy it. So yes, I do think he’s at the age where you should allow him to.

Ross McDougall: Can’t imagine why it would ever be a problem. Had my hair long and short throughout my childhood – not had it long since I was 18. My daughter wanted a short pixie cut when she was 4/5 and we were fine with that – she looked awesome. Now it is long again. Banning it because it makes you uncomfortable with it is you imposing your hang ups on your kids – which is not good.

Janell Hutchinson: My son is 10 and hasn’t cut his hair in 3 years he plans to donate it to children with cancer, just hasn’t decided when he will stop growing it!! He is very athletic and plays about every sport u can imagine! Rocks a man bun as a soccer goalie and all.

Alex Valencia: Why not? It’s just f*cking hair. If anyone wants to doubt my patenting skills so be it at the end of the day if my sons are happy, the bills paid, and food is in their stomachs then I have done my job right…it’ll grow back whether or not we cut so if he wants it long let it be.

Seth Johnson: If he wants his hair long, let him have it, man. He doesn’t have a job interview tomorrow, does he? Let him be a kid.

Paul Little: Now might be the time to allow him this bit of self expression.
Like it or not, he will be judged on his appearance, by peers & authorities, let him discover that, & determine if its worth it, while he’s at junior school & the stakes are lower.

Louis Long: You are the parent so you have to make the decision, but why do you care what his hair looks like? Kids need to have some body autonomy and if you’re too strict, he’s just going to rebel more when he gets older. His choosing his hair style doesn’t hurt anyone and it will make him feel that he has control over how he expresses himself.

Gareth Kavanagh: I believe a 10 year old is the right age to allow him to start making decisions for himself. (example growing out his hair, picking out his clothing, and doing chores to allow him to learn responsibility). Also it will help him grow and it shows him that you are behind him with what decisions he will come up with for his life adventure. and who knows maybe he won’t like it after he tries it so it’s a win win.

Where do you stand? Cut them loose or grip the scissors of life tighter? Tell us how and when you give your kid control over their life.

Flickr photo by Philippe Put.