Sarah Michelle Gellar DEFINITELY has her daughter’s best interest at heart — and at forehead!

When you’re a parent, it’s your duty to protect your child from the dangers of the world… You know — violence, exploitation, bullying — and in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum’s case: BANGS!

The 45-year-old took to Instagram on Tuesday to post a couple pics from her iconic TV role. But not to celebrate! No, this was a sterling warning! See, these are both stills from one particular episode — Season 3’s Amends. In that one episode, and in that ep only, she had wispy, short bangs. The reason for the careful selection of pics? Her 13-year-old daughter, Charlotte Grace Prinze. The momma of two wisely captioned the post:

“Every time my daughter asks for bangs, I show her this picture of me. When she keeps asking, I show her the second. #themoreyouknow”

See the photos in question (below):

HA!

We’ve likely all been there at least once — whether it came from a botched salon visit, or from our own overconfidence in our hair cutting abilities — but a bad haircut is TRAUMATIC, and SMG knows that better than most. It may have only been one episode, but it’s totally canon. There’s no erasing it. LOLz!

Related: SMG Thinks Zendaya Should Be The New Buffy In A Reboot!

Friends quickly jumped in the comments with varying takes on the 90s hairstyle, with WWE’s Lexi Cabrera hilariously writing:

“Haha I love this — ‘man My bangs were so awesome!’ .. said no one ever … I have similar pics like this I’ll have to show my future daughter”

Sarah’s longtime friend and Cruel Intentions kissing partner Selma Blair also chimed in, but actually complimented the ‘do: 

“Holy fire !! I think cute on you. Actually. In a North Dakota kind of rustic cute way?”

Alright, that’s damning with faint praise if ever we saw it! Ha!

The vampire slayer’s onscreen little sis, Michelle Trachtenberg, even wrote in a reference to the show, jokingly recalling:

“So you saved me from the hellmouth AND bangs! @sarahmgellar”

All in a day’s work for the proud momma! What do you think, Perezcious readers? Should she let little Charlotte get bangs? Will the pics stop her? Or is this a touching-a-hot-stove type situation where she just has to learn for herself??

(Might we suggest a compromise of curtain bangs? They’re totally in!)

Let us know your thoughts on Buffy’s heroic sacrifice to save her daughter in the comments down below!

[Images via 20th Television/YouTube & MEGA/WENN]