Were you given "hair freedom" as a child?

[May]

This is a post spin-off to previous posts about parents controlling their children's hairstyle and length. I empathize with those of you who were controlled when it came to your hair but I don't really relate because I was given total control and freedom when it came to my hair, my clothes and most everything when I was growing up. I guess I was pretty lucky and I think my parents did an amzing job at nurturing my creativity and self-esteem.

I was even allowed to cut my own bangs and despite warnings from my Mom telling me I wouldn't like them...I didn't lol but at least I was given the opportunity to make my own mistakes and look silly in my school pictures that year. I'm glad she let me when I look back now.

When I was a teen I was allowed to dye my hair whatever colour I wanted...well I learned my lesson there too lol. I dyed my hair so much it felt like straw and then I was forced to cut it. A disaster but a lesson learned and I had lots of fun in the meantime

I think I've done everything under the sun to my hair and I don't regret any of it. I've permed, bleached, did the black dye thing, gone long and very short and I was just wondering if there are any of you who have had the opportunity growing up to just get out there and explore everything you wanted to (hair related or not) with parents who guided rather than dictated? That being asked, do you ever wish you had had parents who were a little more controlling?

[jane53]

My parents (may they both rest in peace) were great advocates of kid freedom in all things: hair, clothing, activities, you name it.

I was very lucky!

[eyesofsummer]

Nope. My mom made my hair appointments and decided my hair length until I was at least 12. She would blow dry it straight...it had no idea I had curly hair until I was around that age, either. I just thought that my hair was 'poofy' and 'frizzy' and hated it.
Never dyed it fun colors, although I never wanted to. I know I wouldn't have been allowed to if I had asked for them, though.
Even now (I'm almost 21, and live across the country at school for most of the year) she bugs me to get my hair cut every time I come home. She's funny like that, but she's always been that way, so I'm used to it

[Quixii]

My parents were also accepting of whatever I wanted to do with my hair. I vaguely remember my mom encouraging me to grow out my hair, but that's what I wanted to do anyway so... At this time I have dyed various parts of my hair red, orange, green, blue, purple, and pink. My dad even dyed part of his moustache purple one time.
My parents told me that if I wanted to cut my hair they'd let me, but everyone knows I really like my long hair so I think they'd be very surprised if I wanted to cut it. I kind of hope they won't let me cut it if I suddenly change my mind, because I don't think I'll ever really want short hair.

[boomtownrat]

I had only a little hair freedom for most of my childhood, but then I wasn't that interested in my hair until I was about 11 or 12. The only thing I ever really cared about with regard to my hair when I was a kid was the obvious cowlick at my hairline on the right side. My mom would try to put barrettes and things in my hair but it was slippery and very fine, so everything would slide right out. As a result I was always made to wear a bob just longer than chin length with bangs straight across, so the cowlick was always terribly noticeable. When I was about five I tried to cut it off and you can imagine how that looked.

[Speckla]

Birth to 8 my mother took care of my hair, 8-10 I was given freedom and that's when my grandmother took it upon herself to take me to get my first haircut. 10-14 it was kept very very short but after I was 14 I was allowed to do what I wanted with my hair. I bleached, blowdried, fried, and colored to my hearts content.

[hoolahooper]

I always had long hair, but i remember hair dressers always telling me I had build-up. And my mom telling me to put my hair up in the hot weather

[punkcatknitter]

My mom hates change so she'd put up a fuss... but she eventually let me do most stuff I wanted. "Unnatural" hair colors were confined to the wash out kind (I had dozens of those stupid mascara tubes of fake color!) And although I tended to want to try drastic things (chop off my waist length hair into a bob, dye my blonde hair black) I did have to ease into these things for her sake.

I'm glad she did things the way she did. I never had to sob after an impulsive haircut or dye job, but I did eventually get to try super short hair and yes, dyed it black at one point (which I loved... just got sick of the upkeep and blonde roots make you look like you're going bald!).

[Stagecoach]

My Mom had complete control over my clothing and hair till I was 12-13. My parents believed in training their children, not letting kids learn everything in the school of hard knocks!

So, she didn't let me grow my hair past mid-shoulder length till I was 11, and she cut it back from BSL to mid shoulder when I was 12 because I wasn't taking good care of it. She also let me grow out the bangs she gave me when I was 13, and I've no intentions of ever growing them again!

[Sherwood]

My hair was allowed to grow unchecked (well, the occasional end trimming) until I was 16. I never wanted it cut, and neither did my mother. What I did want, and wasn't allowed, was for my bangs to grow out. My mother said that that would take too long, to reach the length of the rest, and would be unsightly. I wasn't able to get rid of the bangs till after my first haircut - to shoulder blade length - at 16.