Hairy Teenage Son

[jyl]

This summer my son turned 18, spent a month on the East Coast in a dance intensive, met a girl dancer he really likes, spent another month working maintenance and lifeguarding at a camp in the Sierras, and is now back home starting his senior year of high school.

All well and good, except . . . he has grown his hair long, and also came home with a mustache and the start of a beard grown at camp.

I think, with some reason, that a young dancer is better off cleancut, not shaggy. How many hirsute ballet dancers do you see? And maybe it's just my inner Archie Bunker coming out.

Nevertheless, I've decided to say nothing. He has a lot of dance mentorship and role models, from his teachers and choreographers to fellow students. If looking like the Lion King is the artistic handicap I think it is, he'll find out. And I feel I should ignore my personal prejudices a la Archie.

Opinions? What would you do?

[KFC911]

A good friend's son is a VERY gifted guitar player (now around 26)....ten years ago, at 16, he had dreadlocks almost down to his azz. Got accepted into the Berklee School of Music....went to Boston and returned with no dreads.

Stifle it Archie ....he's still a kid and will find his way imo....

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Originally Posted by jyl

This summer my son turned 18...

His life.

[WPOZZZ]

Let him be. My high school had a rule regarding facial hair. We couldn't have any.

[wdfifteen]

I would stay out of it. Hair is cheap and easily removed and replaced. Now if he came home with$$$ worth of tats I'd have a talk with him.

[URY914]

Hello Archie.

[WPOZZZ]

By Halloween, he may have the Aquaman look down.

[Chocaholic]

Everyone has a costume, many ^ are ridiculous (walk through an airport some time)...let him have his.

[fastfredracing]

He is young wild and free. This will probably be the only time period in his life that he can let his freak flag fly .

[Taz's Master]

There are things that really matter, battle it out over that stuff. He's 18, not nearly as smart as you, and you want him to rely on you for sound advice rather than resist what he might feel is an effort to control him as he becomes an adult.

[67R69S]

Keep doing what you're doing, he seems like a hardworking dedicated young man. My goodness though, the number of times we have to bite our tongues and let them experience life for themselves. It's tough sometimes.

[dad911]

If that's your biggest issue with an 18yo son, count your blessings.

He's an adult, sounds like you did a great job the 1st 18 years, let him spread his wings.....

[Sooner or later]

I had hair down to my butt and I turned out ok. Well, almost ok.

Each time you voice displeasure he will grow it out another foot.

[masraum]

STFU. He's a kid, this is the time to do that sort of thing. He could be doing much, much worse things than growing stupid hair.

[Rick Lee]

I'm 46 and am going on two years without a haircut. If my new job doesn't out, I plan to become a rock star.

[craigster59]

I remember when I was 17 y.o., long hair, earring, "expressing myself".

Went to visit my grandparents and the the first thing out of my Grandfather's mouth "What are you trying to do, grow enough to knit a sweater?". Second thing "You know, when I was your age it would have taken 3 grown men to hold me down to pierce my ear".

Didn't faze me a bit. One year later, joined the Army and that shyte went out the door.

[cashflyer]

I remember my father having a lot of rules about appearance.
And I remembering wishing he would hurry up and die so I could quit hearing his ****.

YMMV.

[jhynesrockmtn]

I had a few moments when my son was 18 where I knew I was done. If he asked for my opinion, I'd give it but otherwise, I watch and support. He turned 25 this year, he's fine, sounds like yours will be too. As someone else said, if this is your biggest issue with your 18 year old kid, count your blessings.

[Gogar]

You think he looks stupid with that stupid hair

The same way your dad thought you looked stupid and

The same way your grandpa thought your dad looked stupid.

Everything's fine!

[Gogar]

But FWIW these kids look like complete morons lately.