When your kid askes to colour their hair, what do you do?

What do you say to your 8 yr old when they ask to color their hair?

I would just like to take a time out from our regularly scheduled programming to talk about older kids  and what to do when they ask to color their hair.

Just to start out i would like to say that before i became a stay at home I trained to be a hair stylist. So i have a general working idea of how it works when you color your hair. I also know that the store bought color mostly just stains your hair with colour. That being said i have used both, and would recommend you go to a real hair stylist and get them to "Color" your hair. Any on to my story.

My 8 yr old has friend a best friend, that has some pink in her hair already. As kids do they want to do what everyone else is doing. So my daughter came home from school, and showed me a picture of her and her best friend. I quickly saw that she had some pink in her hair, and seconds after my daughter says "mom can we put some BLUE in my hair?" Dumb founded I had to stop and think before i spoke again. Choosing my words carefully I said, "I will think about it." I didn't want to dash her hopes so fast that she started to cry, but at the same time i have alarm bells ringing. "OMG it has started already!" I knew this day would come, but I didn't think it would be in Grade 3! In my mind I though maybe around grade 6-8 it might happen. Nope it happened in Grade 3.  My daughter has naturally blonde hair not dark blonde, blonde! So any color that i put in her hair temporary or other wise will be very bright. 

What the heck does one say to this as a parent?  Say yes and be the cool mom, or the mom of the girl with blue in her hair? How would this change peoples perception  of her? What would they think of me? I am still thinking about all the things that could happen if i do put some blue in her hair. What would the teachers think? Would anyone's behaviour change toward her? Then I think who cares I am her mom and I know her best, if she wants to rock it with some blue in her hair why not? Changing ones hair doesn't change your personality, I like to think it shows your personality. Being different isn't bad, but to someone it can be threatening. My hair is always coloured and will probably always be coloured. When your kids want to colour their hair what do you say? What do you do? There is no clear answer but to simply say, go with your gut feeling. As of right now my gut is still undecided.