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Unless your son's school has an official policy about hair length, then it's absolutely none of their business. And, I agree, as long as your son keeps his hair clean, then I don't think you should worry about it, either. Let him express his individuality as much as possible.
My 21-year-old son has had the same haircut for 12+ years, and it's AWFUL! But he likes it, so I don't make a fuss about it. I assume he'll change it one of these days (especially if a girlfriend tells him he'd look SO much better with a different style ).
Let him grow his hair. My brother wore his hair in all kinds of bizarre styles and colors when he was in HS (grunge was popular then) and even into college, but halfway through his junior year he got the short gelled "business pro" cut because he realized that he'd need a grown-up hairdo to get a grown-up job. His philosophy was that he would enjoy his hair A.) while he was young and B.) while he still had it. He turned out fine!
But then I think she saw the other side and agreed it didn't have to BE a battle.
Unless it's in the dress code, the school does not get a vote on hair style for an individual child.
I can only speak for my experience, but my 7 year old is fully capable of handling a decision on cutting his hair or not. Not that I leave everything up to him, that's for sure... but hair length? I guess I just choose to make important things and issue...
I too was wondering what the "battle" was. I can see a battle over grades, the wrong friends, staying out late, drugs, cigarettes, alcohol, being disrespectful, bad attitude, etc., but HAIR??? Unless you want your kids to think you're just some old "hard azz", I wouldn't pick a fight with the kids over their hair, for crying out loud! You do want your kids to at least like you a little bit, right?
Besides, I went back and looked at the OP's pics of her children and I really didn't see anything wrong with either of her boys' hair. They looked fine to me. The little guy didn't look "out there".
my youngest has a thing about his hair too. he has that thick curly hair.
some times he does not want to get it cut.
i recall specifically for his 8th grad photo, his hair was pretty long and he "picked" it out into an afro. a few days later, he got it cut ... kept it short for years ... but every now and then, he wants to let it go.
once, only once, i gave in and let him get a mow-hawk ... something he pushed really hard for ... he was about 10 at the time. He has it for a few days, then he wanted it cut.
I have found by letting him express himself with his hair .... it has helped him grow into the fine young man he is today. HE keeps his hair nice and cleanly cut now ... but over the past 10 yrs, he has really gone thru phases .... but it helped him grow to who he is today.
I think he looks cute, a little tousle head.
I'm not a parent, so what do I know? But I would leave it alone. Eventually if it gets really long, his peers will tease him, and that will likely be enough to convince him to want to get it cute.
I don't think the hair is that long. Unless the school has some sort of dress code regarding hair, I think he should be allowed to grow it out. I don't think you need yo worry about what he's going to do at some later age. You can deal with that when it happens. As several have said, if the peers tease him or otherwise show disapproval of the hair, he'll cut it.
Thank you for everyone's comments. The title of my post is incorrect-it is missing a word. I meant to write "am I right to NOT pick this battle". I personally didn't find anything wrong with his hair and didn't think it was something I had to enforce (maybe battle was too strong of a word), however other people were just telling it was about time, and to enforce it.
The school's comments, I should have clarified more. I am a teacher at the school he goes to...so all of the teachers who have made comments and the vice principal...it was all 'joshing'...they weren't demanding anything. You know..."cut that mop Z, it's too long...tell your mother to take you to the haircut place"...those kind of comments.
Belive me, ask anyone who knows me...I am TOO controlling. Over everything. I know that for me, I have to learn to let things go. Pick and choose what's really important. His hair length, I have decided is one thing that isn't really important...it's trival in the scheme of life and priorities. I just wanted to see if how many people agreed with me...and if no one did...then perhaps I should cut his hair. But no, it isn't distracting him from anything...but it looks bushy
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Unless you want your kids to think you're just some old "hard azz", I wouldn't pick a fight with the kids over their hair, for crying out loud! You do want your kids to at least like you a little bit, right?
