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View Full Version : What do you think of children growing long hair?



Dark40
August 10th, 2016, 09:59 AM
Hi all,

I have seen this 7 year old little girl with hair to her ankles. Or, almost to her feet on www.youtube.com. What do you think of a child or a little girl growing hair that long?

Asha
August 10th, 2016, 10:02 AM
I think the parents are pretty nice for helping to care for and maintain all that hair. I hope that it is the child's choice to keep it that long and not on the parents demand.

lithostoic
August 10th, 2016, 10:40 AM
Why not? Much easier to care for when the kid is little.

Obsidian
August 10th, 2016, 10:43 AM
Not a issue as long as its the childs choice. I knew a family who wouldn't let their girls cut their hair and one of them hated it, she had thick coarse hair and had no idea how to care for it properly. It looked and felt horrible and it was hot too.

missrandie
August 10th, 2016, 10:48 AM
If the kid wants it, let them have it! Especially if parents are willing to help in the care, or the child knows how to properly care for their hair.

While mine was never that long, it was at least hip-TBL for most of my younger years. And it was always up, because the stupid chairs in elementary school had rivets that pulled hair!

Anje
August 10th, 2016, 10:54 AM
If the kid enjoys it and the hair gets cared for, why not? It might be a bit hazardous if they're the sort who runs and plays and generally acts like a crazy thing, but buns fix that easily enough.

Dark40
August 10th, 2016, 02:19 PM
Thank you all for your replies! I totally agree with you all. missrandie, you are soooo lucky to be allowed to have hair as a kid Hip Length to TBL!!!! Me during my childhood the longest my mom ever let me have is Mid-Back Length. Because, she was the one taking proper care of it, and I would often ask her if my hair could grow to a little pass my butt like to the top of my thighs, and she would say, "No, it's not in your genes." But I didn't take hair after her. Especially, the texture and everything. The only thing I have of hers is her eyes. But other than that I've always felt or known in the back of my mind that I can grow hair to the top of my thighs ever since childhood.

Decoy24601
August 10th, 2016, 02:23 PM
Why not as long as it's their choice and isn't a matted mess all the time?

I had my hair down to TBL at least for much of my childhood. I never got any weird looks from it, but for some odd reason being a redhead seems to make everyone think that I should have long hair, rather than it being odd, so I guess I can get away with it better than others. I think people in my area and where I grew up just don't care as much too.

Lol, how would she know it's not in your genes if you haven't tried growing it that long before? There's no way to know for sure until then. Grow it as long as you like until you can't anymore :).

lapushka
August 10th, 2016, 02:25 PM
When I was age 5/6 I wanted long hair, and I *meant* it. My mom at first thought I wasn't serious, you know... a kid, right? But then I grew very adamant about trims when visiting our regular stylist. And so I was allowed to grow it out. When I was 10/11 I reached classic length. My mom took great care of it, but detangling was *rough*. I hated it, and it was a struggle. Wish the TT was invented back then. :lol:

sanguinebread
August 10th, 2016, 03:21 PM
I had TBL, badly cared for hair as a child, which was definitely my choice (I threw a fit and refused to have it cut "ever again" when I was eight, which lasted three years.) I would never advocate cutting a child's hair against their will, but in general I do think the parents need to *actually* be willing to help care for the hair once they agree to it, or at least teach the child how to do it. Mine was a matted mess and I used to lose small objects in it (like barbie shoes) and have very big tangles come out whenever it was washed or brushed.

Up until I was around six or seven my mother had kept my WL hair braided at all times. That's probably a better plan for small children with long hair.

spidermom
August 10th, 2016, 08:14 PM
If the child wants it and the parent is willing to help, yes - I'm all for it. I remember wanting to get my hair cut when I was a child because every time I hung upside down from the monkey bars at school, my hair was all over my face and I hated it. My mother resisted but not for long.

calmyogi
August 10th, 2016, 08:35 PM
Like others have said, if the child wants it why not? I just trimmed four inches off my daughters hair though, Because it was just getting too damaged from wear and tear. I wasn't able to be home in the mornings to help her put it up properly before school last year, and her dad wasn't cooperative enough to try and practice braiding. Now I'm able to wake her up before I leave for work so I can do her hair. I think growing it back out will be easier this time.

I honestly wouldn't be sad if she agreed to getting a cute little bob. but, she likes it long.

BlueWren
August 11th, 2016, 12:53 AM
Hi
We have a work colleague who regularly brings her little girl into the office in the afternoons. She has TBL+ when her mother puts her hair up in a high pony plait, so I'd imagine she has reached classic length. By the afternoons it's wind swept, but it's beautiful, healthy, and thick. She told me once that she loves her hair and would never cut it off :)

JustPam
August 11th, 2016, 04:11 AM
Me and my little sister both had long hair as kids, our mum took good care of it. We were always well groomed and tidy in french braids and mum trimmed it herself. We both chopped to above shoulder in our early teens (not at the same time, we are 6 years apart) and now both have waist length hair again haha.

embee
August 11th, 2016, 05:31 AM
I wanted long hair but was a tom-boy, so I had a little bob with bangs that was totally wash&wear. I hated it but now (as a mom) understand exactly what was going on. Before the bob, it drove me nuts to sit still while my mom tried to comb, curl, and fix my hair, I loved length (swish swish) but hated and would not help with the care.

So it depends. If the kid is willing to help or at least cooperate, and parent has time and interest, then long is fine. If not, then bob it.

AZDesertRose
August 11th, 2016, 06:13 AM
As with a lot of other people, it depends on the child and the adults involved. I always wanted long hair but was not allowed to grow it much past shoulder length until I was past about age twelve, because my mom had never had her hair much longer than shoulder length (still hasn't) and had no idea what to do with longer hair.

When my own daughter was little, I let her grow her hair as long as she wanted it (it was around waist length when she was in third grade--age eight), even though she needed some help at that age washing and caring for that much hair, because mostly she let me help her. (She's got the world's most tender scalp and detangling could be a bit of an...adventure, no matter how careful and gentle I tried to be.) Somewhere around middle school, she decided to cut back to shoulder length, and because it's hair and it will grow back, it was no big deal. Just before finishing high school, she cut it quite short, which I advised against because our face shapes are quite similar and very short hair looks ridiculous on me, so I didn't think it would flatter her and I didn't think she'd like it. In her senior photos, her hair is not much longer than a pixie. (She maintained that style for about six months and then grew it out, because it was a pain to maintain and she didn't like it. Funny how that works. :lol: ) Now (she's almost 24), hers is a little longer than mine and varying shades of blue at the moment, LOL. (She says the blue is her last hurrah. She's a nursing student, and in fairly short order, she's going to have to do her clinical practice in a hospital system that is quite conservative and will not allow hair colors that do not naturally occur, so she's having fun with color while she still can. A friend of mine, who also has kids that age, gave an epic eye-roll about her blue hair, and I said that if coloring her hair blue is the wildest thing she does in her twenties [knowing good and well I did FAR worse], I will thank my lucky stars!)

GrowingOut
August 11th, 2016, 06:35 AM
I know my mom and I made a pact when I was 10 and started growing that I could have it as long as I wanted as I followed a few simple rules.

1) Keep it clean and neat
2) I was entirely responsible for my hair, mom didn't want to deal with it
3) I had to be able to physically handle it myself.

Beyond that my length was my choice. :)

truepeacenik
August 11th, 2016, 08:52 AM
I was the adopted girl after two biological boys.
My mom was at home during my youngest years (one brother was profoundly mentally retarded-the DX term of the day-from hydrocephalus and needed infant level care and attention all of his life).
That's a recipe for a mom indulging the girly dreams in her heart.
So I had long hair, bouncing from mid back to hip, until age seven when a possible sleep away camp, lice and mom getting a job collided, and she had no time for nit combing long hair. And I had little skill for it.
Thus the pixie. A few years later it was a "Dutch Boy" and a Toni home perm.
Yeaaaah. Did I mention I was going by a derivative of my middle name? And that is Ann? The red is real. And the Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow.

Teen years were kind of scruffy rocker, with layers hacked in hoping for a built of height. Longest was natural waist, but only a three inch range.

Our big fight as a kid was bangs. They seemed the default. And keeping them out of my eyes was the war. I didn't care. Mom did.

Chromis
August 11th, 2016, 10:13 AM
I so very wanted long hair as a child. Even in junior high and highschool I kept being forced to have it cut and by that age I could certainly take care of it myself just like I had been already when younger.

Ugh, and I always had bangs as a kid. Hated them. Absolutely hated them. Always in my eyes and my face since I couldn't just tie them back in a ponytail and they looked just awful. I swear my mother had me get such ugly haircuts on purpose.

littlestarface
August 11th, 2016, 10:22 AM
For our family and culture if your a girl your hair is kept long, never cut after shes born. So I like long hair on kids, I think it's beautiful and that's the time when a person actually has the most beautifullest hair. My hair is same from when I was young, nothing has changed, same waves, same thickness and i'm still the same height ha! Tho my mom would get so pissed off when I was young cuz I never wore my hair up outside to play, so I always got burrs in it or sticks and mud and she would threaten to chop it off all the time, ooh especially if we got lice lol. I still wince if I see her coming near me with a comb.

Tassledown
August 11th, 2016, 01:27 PM
I really would've loved to have long hair as a kid and definitely agree that a kid should have any hairstyle that they and their parents have a system in place to maintain. Unfortunately my mother has type one hair and thus had no idea how (and, as I'm the youngest of four, no time) to take care of my hair. It never made it past BSL until I got into hair care seriously myself and learned stuff like the Curly Girl Method and all, because before then I'd run out of ideas of what to do with it and it was a frizzy puffy mess besides.

I think a lot more parent support groups should include resources for stuff like this, given that hair can be so very different within the same family. Parents who understand their kids hair and needs are probably the best way to broaden what hairstyles their kids can maintain all on its own.

ladonna
August 11th, 2016, 02:44 PM
My dd8 has hair about an inch past classic when wet. She insists that it stays braided, usually an French braid. So her hair is oiled and braided all the time.
My dd12 use to have tbl length hair, but her hair became very curly and she didn't like the look of very thick and curly roots and thin straight ends. So we cut her hair to bsl, she's back at waist when wet. She also went through a phase of hair abuse, but has changed her ways lol.

DizzyGinger
August 12th, 2016, 08:48 AM
I completely agree with what everyone else said. It's just hair and I think, even at a young age, children should be able to decide. Why not? I never had that issue with my parents (hip length till I was 10-11) but my half-sister was completely restricted by my stepdad. She wanted to cut her hair in a bob for years and he refused until a year or so again, when she was 12. :/

I have a friend whose daughter really wanted a pixie cut at 4 years old. And she said, why not? And that little girl looks SO cute with it (I think she's 6 now) and constantly gets compliments.

Dark40
August 12th, 2016, 12:20 PM
You are very right Decoy24601! She told me that she had already tried growing out my hair to my butt, and she felt that it could never grow there. I'm just gonna take your advice. Grow it out as long as I can until it can't grow anymore.

Dark40
August 12th, 2016, 12:29 PM
Hi BlueWren
You are sooooo lucky to have work colleague that has a little girl that has TBL+ hair!!! I bet it is beautiful!!! If you would like to see this child's long hair. You can see it on www.youtube.com. Her name is Rubi I think. The title is under, "6 year old with the longest hair in the world." I think it's called.

irodaryne
August 12th, 2016, 01:00 PM
So when my mom was a kid, her mother would never let her grow her hair out. My mom was forced to get this bowl cut that she absolutely hated. I think somewhere in either middle or high school she was allowed to grow her own hair out. As a result, though, she would always tell me that I could grow my hair however I wanted.

My grandma would always try to convince me to cut it short, she'd tell me it would look nicer and be easier to care for, so I grew my hair long out of stubbornness.

Long story short, I think there should be a balance. I think kids should be allowed to grow their hair out, but they should also be taught how to properly care for it (especially if a parent doesn't exactly want to be stuck with constantly caring for the kids hair, teaching the child how to do it and then supervising can go a long way).

draysmir
August 12th, 2016, 03:29 PM
I think everyone's replies seem reasonable to me, a child should be able to grow their hair out if either the child or the parent is willing to care for it. When I was pretty young I had hair probably around hip length that my Nana loved! Between myself and my immediate family, it was cared for well enough and it looked nice. That was, until I got it cut to shoulder length when I get lice in the first grade haha, I still remember crying so much when I got it all chopped off! I ended up liking shoulder length hair though, so I think the child should be able to choose to grow their hair out, but if no one can care for it then keep it short and I'm sure they'll get over it until they are capable of caring for it themselves. :)

trolleypup
August 12th, 2016, 06:03 PM
My teenage rebellion was growing my hair out. Mom hated it, Dad quietly cheered me on (he had a professorial fringe by his late 30s-he WAS a professor in a science field, that that was fine!)

Once it got longer I realized I liked long hair, and never really went back.

EdG
August 12th, 2016, 07:09 PM
My parents were of the generation in which men simply didn't have long hair. I couldn't grow my hair until I reached my twenties.

Parents should always let their kids wear their hair the way they want. If not, later in life, the kids might end up as members of some long-haired cult. :wink:
Ed

lapushka
August 13th, 2016, 03:54 AM
I grew from a page boy cut (in style then) at age 5/6 to classic at age 10/11. At age 10/11 (the year I turned 11 was after the schoolyear so I was a year "early" - graduated at 17 going on eighteen), anyway... I had it cut back to a page boy hairstyle, and from then on I started to care for it myself. It was easy to comb out. Gosh, I hated detangling that long long hair.

It was a good choice towards independence (and one *I* made), but I still regretted losing my hair the *next* day. :lol: The next year the school took us on a 2-week ski-trip, so we needed to be able to care for ourselves!

Hairkay
August 13th, 2016, 04:38 AM
My mother has really thick hair but it would break off at around collar length and she didn't know about hair conditioning treatments or LOC. She decided that the thickness would be too much to deal with when having children so she planned to give us a twa and maintain it at that. It seemed she changed her mind because she found she could manage our hair. We got to have it longer though we still had to deal with the ends breaking off at BSL/MBL. Because some others had hair that broke off far shorter than us they'd tell us not to cut our hair shorter. At school there was always one or two boys who had long hair. Many boy toddlers in the Caribbean didn't get first hair cuts until they became school aged and by then there would always be the few mothers who decided that they wouldn't let go of that hair and their sons were happy as they were.

lapushka
August 13th, 2016, 04:49 AM
My mother has really thick hair but it would break off at around collar length and she didn't know about hair conditioning treatments or LOC. She decided that the thickness would be too much to deal with when having children so she planned to give us a twa and maintain it at that. It seemed she changed her mind because she found she could manage our hair. We got to have it longer though we still had to deal with the ends breaking off at BSL/MBL. Because some others had hair that broke off far shorter than us they'd tell us not to cut our hair shorter. At school there was always one or two boys who had long hair. Many boy toddlers in the Caribbean didn't get first hair cuts until they became school aged and by then there would always be the few mothers who decided that they wouldn't let go of that hair and their sons were happy as they were.

That's amazing though, that your mom decided to leave your hair longer because she could deal with it. :)

PixieP
August 13th, 2016, 05:06 AM
When I was 5-6 years long, my hair was about hip. My mother thought it was so pretty. I hated it. She only ever used shampoo, never conditioner, and she never put my hair up ("its so slippery, hairties fall right out, no use trying to put it up"). It was always chock full of tangles, and she'd wash it every evening with only shampoo, and then brush it afterwards (often while it as still damp). I cried my way through every brushing session. I had a very sensitive scalp when I was a child, and that combined with hellish tangles...! My dad took me to a hairdresser when I was 7, while on vacation with him, and got it cut to shoulder length. I was so happy! But my mother was furious *rolls eyes*

AZDesertRose
August 13th, 2016, 06:36 AM
Ugh, PixieP, I'm so sorry you had to go through that (your mom's behavior, I mean).

My opinion basically comes down to this, with regards to children's hairstyles (and a lot of other elements of parenting): You as a parent have to strike a balance between acknowledging and respecting that the child is a person into and of him/herself and not in fact an extension of you (the parent) while also keeping an appropriate level of authority (this varies by the child's age; you have to loosen your grip gradually as they get older or else they'll graduate school and go out into the world as adults who have no idea how to behave without someone telling them what to do) and also keeping practicality in mind.

Nobody said it was easy. :lol: No wonder a lot of people opt for the child-free path! :D

ravenheather
August 13th, 2016, 06:52 AM
My girls have long hair at 6 and 8. Luckily for me they want it. However my oldest usually only wants to wear it down. I wish she would braid it more. Their choice how they wear their hair. But they do know that if they give me trouble about brushing or taking care of it then we will cut it shorter. All I have to do is mention haircut and they suddenly cooperate.

truepeacenik
August 13th, 2016, 08:36 AM
My teenage rebellion was growing my hair out. Mom hated it, Dad quietly cheered me on (he had a professorial fringe by his late 30s-he WAS a professor in a science field, that that was fine!)

Once it got longer I realized I liked long hair, and never really went back.


My parents were of the generation in which men simply didn't have long hair. I couldn't grow my hair until I reached my twenties.

Parents should always let their kids wear their hair the way they want. If not, later in life, the kids might end up as members of some long-haired cult. :wink:
Ed


My kid, AMAB, and presenting male until a few months ago, was raised by hippies.
Kiddo's rebellion? Cut hair from mid back to a "Phishhead Bob"' a longish mid neck to shoulder cut usually on males following the band Phish. It was fairly common, straight, curly or dreaded.

Found short hair was more of a hassle, tried a choppy spiky style for a job requiring short hair.
Made first leave it in all day bun with hair slide (made by our own Leslieissocool) and first back of head photo last night. Sent photo evidence.

gustavonut
August 13th, 2016, 11:33 AM
I think it's absolutely wonderful IF the parent actually teaches her/him how to care for it and not put them through scalp abuse like what I had to go through when I was younger, lol. Not rip through it like hell. That's actually one of the reasons I want to have a girl is because I can teach her haircare and actually care for it and such.

littlestarface
August 13th, 2016, 11:43 AM
I think it's absolutely wonderful IF the parent actually teaches her/him how to care for it and not put them through scalp abuse like what I had to go through when I was younger, lol. Not rip through it like hell. That's actually one of the reasons I want to have a girl is because I can teach her haircare and actually care for it and such.

Hopefully you have a kid who cares enough to listen lol.

EdG
August 13th, 2016, 11:49 AM
Found short hair was more of a hassle, tried a choppy spiky style for a job requiring short hair.
Made first leave it in all day bun with hair slide (made by our own Leslieissocool) and first back of head photo last night. Sent photo evidence.That's very cool. :cool:
Ed

gustavonut
August 13th, 2016, 11:51 AM
Hopefully you have a kid who cares enough to listen lol.

Persistence is key. :p

luvlonghair75
August 13th, 2016, 07:31 PM
I totally encourage it! My daughter had waist length hair for the longest time. Then she grew and now it's almost back at waist length again. She loves long hair and can't wait for her's to grow longer.

Dark40
August 14th, 2016, 06:26 PM
littlestarface, Oh I bet in your culture you do keep the hair long. I think it's more beautiful at 6 years of age and up too. BTW, your long hair is gorgeous!!! And I love the, "Black color," itself!!! Is that your natural hair color? Or, are you dyeing it?

Dark40
August 14th, 2016, 06:32 PM
luvlonghair75, I totally encourage it too! I had wished as a kid that my mother had encouraged it. Instead of trimming my hair off an inch every 6 to 8 weeks!!! The longest my was a kid was MBL, and every time I would get my hair relaxed or straightened because I have curly hair she would trim off an inch every 6 to 8 weeks, and that really pissed me off. It was like, "She wasn't giving me the permission to grow my hair out long," and she would always often tell me, "Your hair can't grow any longer than MBL." But I've got an aunt, and I had a cousin that used to be able to grow hair as long as a little bit passed their butts.

littlestarface
August 14th, 2016, 09:58 PM
littlestarface, Oh I bet in your culture you do keep the hair long. I think it's more beautiful at 6 years of age and up too. BTW, your long hair is gorgeous!!! And I love the, "Black color," itself!!! Is that your natural hair color? Or, are you dyeing it?

Yea even as adults every girl has long hair in our family. Thanks ^_^ yes it's naturally black.

althara
August 15th, 2016, 02:38 PM
My daugther, who is 9, wants long hair but refuses to take care of it. After months of struggling with getting her to brush it and wash it well last year I took her in for a long pixie cut. She was unhappy about that, and still doesn't brush it as often as is necessary or wash it well. Her hair has enough body and grip that it tangles really easily, so it ends up looking like a tangly matted mess if she doesn't brush it once a day, even at shoulder length.

lapushka
August 15th, 2016, 03:07 PM
My daugther, who is 9, wants long hair but refuses to take care of it. After months of struggling with getting her to brush it and wash it well last year I took her in for a long pixie cut. She was unhappy about that, and still doesn't brush it as often as is necessary or wash it well. Her hair has enough body and grip that it tangles really easily, so it ends up looking like a tangly matted mess if she doesn't brush it once a day, even at shoulder length.

Maybe she still needs a little help; her not taking care of it the way she should is a sure sign of that. My mom took care of my hair until I was 10/11 and myself showed signs that I could cope and wanted to do it myself.

althara
August 15th, 2016, 03:20 PM
Maybe she still needs a little help; her not taking care of it the way she should is a sure sign of that. My mom took care of my hair until I was 10/11 and myself showed signs that I could cope and wanted to do it myself.

She refuses any help at this point. Her scalp is super sensitive. I strongly sympathise with that because I was the same as a kid. So I try to be very gentle, but it's still too much for her to handle when I brush or comb it.

matentur
August 15th, 2016, 03:24 PM
I'd have no problem with it, but based on my experience with my sister when we were kids and other posts on here it seems like its a balance between what the kid wants and how much time/energy a parent has to help until they can deal with it themselves. My sister has super thick black hair that was kept shoulder length or a bit longer until she got old enough to deal with it herself. I think would have been too much for my mom to deal with everyday if she had it to her waist when she was 7/8 year old.

lapushka
August 15th, 2016, 03:54 PM
She refuses any help at this point. Her scalp is super sensitive. I strongly sympathise with that because I was the same as a kid. So I try to be very gentle, but it's still too much for her to handle when I brush or comb it.

I was sensitive to brushing but I had classic length and my mom insisted it be brushed daily, it was the key to keeping my hair long. She said it would have to be cut otherwise, so I let her do it. Some things just need to happen. ;)

Maybe try getting her a Tangle Teezer - if I'd only had that when I was that age!!!

ravenheather
August 15th, 2016, 05:02 PM
Without a tangle teezer my girls would not be able to cope with long hair maintenance.

Jadestorm
August 21st, 2016, 07:46 AM
Yes and no. I think it really depends on many individual factors.

It can be very beautiful and if both child and parent(s) are behind the idea: great. But, I don't think it's always that simple when it comes to growing it VERY long.

Let me clarify that.

For example: If you have a child who cries and screams at every attempt to gently comb out tangles... then it's probably not a very nice experience for either the child or the parent(s), no matter how much they want the long hair. Because it would just be a huge crying drama twice a day. No fun for anyone!

There's also a matter of safety and hygiene. Though I think most possible safety problems (when they're upside down on monkey bars etc) could be kept under control when tucking the hair into a bun for example. If you have a child that loves getting dirty, you'd have to take that into consideration too. As in if it's really doable for the parent(s) and the kid to constantly have to wash and dry it.

It could also become a problem when the child for example goes to sleepovers, school camps etcetera. Especially if they get dirty and get into situations where the hair needs to be washed or brushed by someone other than the parent and the child is not old or capable enough yet to do a decent job herself. You can't expect anyone else to do all that work.

Then again you can have a calm child that just lets you care for it and there really isn't any problem. Then it's all good of course :)


Let me just say that I know what I was like as a child and how I hated not being allowed to grow it longer. But looking back at how I was and how painful the detangling was back then, I can't say I really blame them :p. Though you can always try and see how it goes. :)

Dark40
September 16th, 2016, 08:12 PM
littlestarface, you're welcome.

animetor7
September 16th, 2016, 08:40 PM
I think as long as it's the child's idea and it's reasonable for the parent to take care of, it's no problem. Especially now that we have wonderful tools like the tangle teezer for detangling, it's much easier to care for a child's hair. And we also have wonderful forums like the LHC for non-hair savvy parents to learn about how to care for long hair if their child really wants it.

I was in dance for all of my childhood, so except for my toddler years I always had long hair, we just kept it up somehow most of the time. I probably would have had fairly long hair as a toddler as well, except my mother doesn't know how to care for long hair and when I was two my best friend cut it all off when we were playing, I can't remember why. :)

Michelle Ravel
September 16th, 2016, 09:13 PM
My mother kept my and my sister's hair at about waistlength until we were 12 or so, and french braided both every morning. Honestly, I liked it.

coco mane
September 16th, 2016, 10:27 PM
I think it's great especially braided on a young child which keeps it out of their way for playing.

RebekahE
September 17th, 2016, 07:49 AM
I had classic length hair all through childhood until I was about ten. My Mom took care of it, I remember we always used Suave conditioner and my hair would always be tangly and then one day my best friend's mom gave us a bottle or TREsemme (cones) and my hair was so much easier to detangle after that. My Mom almost always did double french braids and leave them in for days. Occasionally she'd do a single french braid but most of the time it was two. After my hair was cut to APL at about 10 (my Mom says I begged and begged for it, I honestly don't remember) I grew it back out and it was always in a single english braid, I grew it back out to classic and then cut it to BSL. I have been growing it ever since, with with frequent trims and sometimes bigger trims. When I was 15 I started doing my own hair and have been doing it myself ever since.

I love seeing long hair on little girls, it makes them look like a princess. My niece who is 3 almost 4 has waist length hair that has never been cut, it is slightly fairy-tailed, normally I'm not a big fan of fairy-tailed ends but I think it looks pretty on her. her hair is not very thick yet, but both of her parents have thick hair so I'm pretty sure it'll thicken up a lot as she gets older. Her mom didn't know how to french braid or even braid very well but she learned and she takes pretty good care of it.

Knifegill
September 19th, 2016, 03:40 PM
Little kids with dreadlocks are the cutest thing on this planet. That is all.

butter52
September 19th, 2016, 03:48 PM
Depends on my will and time to take care of it.

Sarahlabyrinth
September 19th, 2016, 04:42 PM
As long as parent and child are both happy, then it's great.

Toffeemonster
September 20th, 2016, 05:24 AM
My dd is 7 and has hair that's between classic and mid calf length and in really great condition.

At first we just left her hair untouched and then at around 4, after seeing a tv show aimed at encouraging kids to get their hair cut, she took a scissors to it herself, no idea how she got the scissors! At that point I insisted that we cut the rest of the hair to match the chunks she'd cut out...I took off about 6 inches, well you can bet she was not happy about that. Ever since she's been adamant she's never getting her hair cut and I don't really have issue with it at all. It used to be a pain brushing her hair but the same was true of all of her friends at that age. I got a tangle teezer and overnight brushing was easy breezy, no more tears. After that I'd often get asked HOW I could brush her hair so well, given parents with kids with much shorter hair had a head of knots and a crying child to deal with. So yeah, with tangle teezer in hand, it's easy. I wash her hair once a week with baby shampoo, takes less than 5 mins to brush and put up in a braid of some sort, that stops it from knotting during the day or getting in the way. So far it's been fine, although recently she keeps asking to wear her hair down to school or takes it down in school and lets her friends play with it, and her hair is a mess after, it's still not that knotty though so a quick brush through and it's sorted, just doesn't look very nice by the end of the school day imo.

I also had long hair as a child because my mother wouldn't let us cut it, just trims. I grew to appreciate that, I don't really have a problem with it, but I still wouldn't be pushed to tell a child what they should do with their hair. As long as the care routine is manageable it's not a big deal.

lapushka
September 20th, 2016, 07:46 AM
My dd is 7 and has hair that's between classic and mid calf length and in really great condition.

At first we just left her hair untouched and then at around 4, after seeing a tv show aimed at encouraging kids to get their hair cut, she took a scissors to it herself, no idea how she got the scissors! At that point I insisted that we cut the rest of the hair to match the chunks she'd cut out...I took off about 6 inches, well you can bet she was not happy about that. Ever since she's been adamant she's never getting her hair cut and I don't really have issue with it at all. It used to be a pain brushing her hair but the same was true of all of her friends at that age. I got a tangle teezer and overnight brushing was easy breezy, no more tears. After that I'd often get asked HOW I could brush her hair so well, given parents with kids with much shorter hair had a head of knots and a crying child to deal with. So yeah, with tangle teezer in hand, it's easy. I wash her hair once a week with baby shampoo, takes less than 5 mins to brush and put up in a braid of some sort, that stops it from knotting during the day or getting in the way. So far it's been fine, although recently she keeps asking to wear her hair down to school or takes it down in school and lets her friends play with it, and her hair is a mess after, it's still not that knotty though so a quick brush through and it's sorted, just doesn't look very nice by the end of the school day imo.

I also had long hair as a child because my mother wouldn't let us cut it, just trims. I grew to appreciate that, I don't really have a problem with it, but I still wouldn't be pushed to tell a child what they should do with their hair. As long as the care routine is manageable it's not a big deal.

Maybe let her agree on, keep it contained or we'll have to cut a bit off if you insist on messing your hair up. Might as well. If she doesn't respect it, those are the consequences. I would be firm. My mom was with me, and I never took my hair out (it was rock solid in there as well) :lol: - at some point you have to be firm about it or they'll mess up their hair at one point and it's so bad with knots all over that you have no choice but to cut it anyway. :(

The Ubiquitous
September 20th, 2016, 11:10 AM
I wasn't allowed to cut my hair, in fact I wasn't allowed to do anything with it. I hated it, it hurt when it was brushed and it was a frizzy mess that got me teased. Not helped by the fact that my mum wouldn't buy conditioner. The funny thing was, I was never allowed to wear it down because it looked such a mess. So I really don't see the point over all the tears it caused.
With my daughter, i dont want to cause her to cry and get anxious over such a silly thing as hair. my attitude is that it's her hair, her choice and she has had very clear ideas of how she wants it since she was very young! I'm happy to help her take care of it until she can do it herself. The only proviso is that she needs to help/cooperate.

Toffeemonster
September 21st, 2016, 12:04 PM
Ooops, double post!

Toffeemonster
September 21st, 2016, 12:06 PM
Maybe let her agree on, keep it contained or we'll have to cut a bit off if you insist on messing your hair up. Might as well. If she doesn't respect it, those are the consequences. I would be firm. My mom was with me, and I never took my hair out (it was rock solid in there as well) :lol: - at some point you have to be firm about it or they'll mess up their hair at one point and it's so bad with knots all over that you have no choice but to cut it anyway. :(

It's only happened a few times so I'm not too worried about it yet. But it's something I'm realizing might be an issue in future, and I will probably be ...semi stern about it. Like if it's in terrible knots, she won't be allowed to have it down, simple as. Luckily her hair is quite sleek and doesn't seem to knot easily. :)

lapushka
September 21st, 2016, 12:12 PM
It's only happened a few times so I'm not too worried about it yet. But it's something I'm realizing might be an issue in future, and I will probably be ...semi stern about it. Like if it's in terrible knots, she won't be allowed to have it down, simple as. Luckily her hair is quite sleek and doesn't seem to knot easily. :)

Well thank goodness it is fairly easy to take care of then! :)

Dark40
September 23rd, 2016, 05:13 PM
Oh yeah, and the 7 year old girl that I saw on youtube with ankle length hair in her videos she always wears it hanging down. She never wears it in any protective updos or styles.

Flipgirl24
September 24th, 2016, 07:36 AM
As long as both the child and parents are okay with the upkeep and detangling. And if the child wants it. I love long hair on girls and boys (not too long) but the waist is probably the most kids can take in terms of detangling. When they play and the wind gets hold of it detangling it is crazy.

Kajzh
September 24th, 2016, 10:35 AM
I think it depends on the kid's hair texture and the parent's involvement. Some textures are way easier to maintain than others at long lengths. So if the parent isn't willing to put the effort in to properly care for it, then just chop it.

Dark40
September 25th, 2016, 02:59 PM
I think it depends on the kid's hair texture and the parent's involvement. Some textures are way easier to maintain than others at long lengths. So if the parent isn't willing to put the effort in to properly care for it, then just chop it.

I totally agree with you on that note. This child is Hispanic, and I think that type and texture of hair is better to deal with in taking good care of it rather than thick, coarse, and kinky hair.

Kajzh
September 25th, 2016, 03:04 PM
My mom destroyed my hair in an attempt to keep it long and "manageable" when I was a kid. Wrecked-up long hair is NOT more admirable than healthy short hair!

Dwemeri
September 25th, 2016, 03:38 PM
I was actually one of those children, I've always had a very easy going personality so I just went with it as it made my parents happy. The older I got as a teenager though the more I wanted it gone until I was able to get it cut to hip length, then waist length, then eventually all the way to my shoulder blades which I have now, at 21. I don't miss the length, it was rarely special or neat to me since I always had it growing up and the older I got the more I just wanted easy hair that made me fit in with everyone else and that I could style easily and not deal with extra feet of hair that I didn't want. I honestly don't see myself ever growing it out past waist length again but you never know, I'm still young and stubborn and that may change with age. :p

I don't think there's anything wrong with letting your children grow very long hair, you just have to be willing to put in the hours of detangling, washing, and braiding. And when you have an active child that loves playing outside you will be spending many, many hours detangling it. If you can spare the time and your kid likes it great, go for it by all means. There's nothing wrong with it if everyone's happy. But please DO help them find ways to style it, a plain braid is great for keeping it in shape but not so great in the looks department, and as your kid gets older that will become more important to them.

Shiranshoku
September 25th, 2016, 03:55 PM
My mom used to be very controlling about our hair, and I hated it. Once, after I tried to cut my bangs at age 5 she gave me a buzzcut as punishment. She also used to brush out my hair not nearly often enough, so it tangled up horribly. Oh, and she forgot that I had ears when brushing. Owtch!

Also, when both me and my sister starting doing stuff with our hair she used to give disparaging remarks all the time. Needless to say, she's a special one. Me growing my hair out and taking care of it properly, and feeling pride in it is definitely part of the healing process.

For my daughter, I'm hoping she'll like it long. She likes me playing with it, is good with detangling and gets the cutest look of resolve on her face when I tell her we're going to rinse. She hates that, but she knows her head gets itchy otherwise :-). So far so good!

lulikrueger
September 25th, 2016, 11:47 PM
If the child likes it long and the parents help care for the hair, I'm all for it. I personally had classic length+ hair when I was a kid and loved it.

MlleMC
September 27th, 2016, 04:53 PM
I recently went camping with friends, and as I was combing my hair and braiding it before going to bed, their 9-year-old daughter came in the bathroom and started asking me questions about it, saying that she wanted to grow her hair like Rapunzel's (it's currently around hip). I explained to her why I keep it braided or bunned most of the time. She told me that she likes to wear hers down mostly, because that's how Rapunzel wore hers IIRC. At that point, the girl's mother had come over to see what her was doing, and she commented that she should take example on me, as her hair would always get tangled from playing and it was getting hard to care for.

So from what I gathered, for now the mother agrees to take care of her daughter's long hair, but she finds it quite a lot of work considering the girl's lack of efforts. And the daughter isn't ready to take care of it all by herself. One could argue that maybe the parents should get her a shorter haircut.

I'm also thinking that maybe I could show the little girl some nice updos, and maybe even get her a hairstick.

astrid92
September 27th, 2016, 09:54 PM
I think that children should be able to grow their hair long as long as they want to. I think it is unfair for the child to have no say in what hairstyle/ length they have. As a child I always had hair no longer then my collarbone. I always wanted my hair to be longer but my mom would always take me to get it cut before it could get any longer, though I did manage to convince her to let me grow out my fringe. It really wasn't until my late teens that my mom let me have full control over my hair.