The Hair Battle

I've blogged in the past about my bad hair cuts as a child (my mom insisted my sister and I have short hair). I try not to traumatize my daughters when it comes to hair. Typically they get a haircut just before school starts (either shoulder or chin length) and then again in January or February. Usually they're all fairly excited about their haircuts. Unfortunately, M is starting to try to take control of her hair.
When the beginning of the previous school year rolled around, she asked if she could skip her haircut. Since her hair was between her chin and shoulders and not really in need of a cut, I agreed. Then mid-year she begged to skip the cut again. We talked and I told her she could forgo a cut if she worked on growing her hair out for Locks of Love. I explained to her what the organization does and she was really excited at the prospect of helping another child. 
But now? Now her hair is reaching an unmanageable stage. It's tangled every morning. I have to actually, gasp, style her hair every day or it ends up in her face. Oh, and did I mention that she no longer wants to cut it off when it reaches the acceptable donation length for Locks of Love? It's not that she is no longer interested in helping, it's just that she wants hair down to her bum!
That, my friends, is not going to happen... at least not until she is old enough to take full control of her hair (washing, combing every day, styling, etc). We're still discussing her options. My goal is for her to cut her hair to her shoulders when school starts. She's slowly coming around to the idea, mainly because she's tired of me having to comb out all the tangles!