When do I start topping my little plants?

This is my 2nd grow. The first was with "johnny appleseed" seeds (a handful from a friend, and all different....none very good); this time I purchased them online and they are GOOD seeds, and not very many so I want to make sure I do it right.
I didn't top the first year, so only had VERY tall plants (outdoors, and it rained a LOT in May, making one plant grow 9'). I want to get the most out of these, so I want to top them. I searched topping, and found it and Fiming, and a lot of the photos were gone on a lot of those old threads, so I thought I'd start fresh.
My plants are about 6" tall, and have about 5-6 sets of leaves. I read to top off down to the first 2 "nodes" (leaves?)...ouch! That would only leave a very small amount left, and I worry that all my sweet ladies would just be GONE! I don't want to kill them.
SO, I need help!
Please advise.
thanks!

Butt will put you right

I prefer to FIM on the 2nd lateral

good luck

depends on personal taste. I top super early. they grow 2 nodes (not counting the seed leaves) then top. let them go one node than top again and one more and do my last top. this gives me 10 tops very early then I grow them in a manifold pulling off any side branches as they form. this gives me 10 big tops and nothing else.

I prefer topping super young as well. Two nodes and cotyldons and they're good to top Imo. I'm indoor with that said and height is an issue.

Thanks all. I think I just might try both & see what happens. I'm going to be BOLD . Wish me luck. I need it .

Okay, I wasn't bold.... I FIM'ed them all. I hadn't been out there in three days, and they were all about 9" tall now. I just couldn't cut them down to two sets of leaves, so, all FIM'ed. Since these are the first GOOD seeds I've had, I've never seen them start to flower so small. Some of them had little feathers coming out. I had to cut off a couple, but I know that will be all right.
We tried two grows before the "first" one (1st successful). The first time, they were in the ground, and were chewed at the ground when they were about a foot tall. Then, the 2nd time, the same thing happened when they were about 6 months along, barely budding, and 2' tall, but in pots (outside).... Found TERMITES inside the pots the 2nd time, and discovered Dominion 2L. We spray the area a couple of weeks before we put the containers out. So, 2 years ago was the first successful grow. Even though the plants weren't all that good (6 plants), it's lasted me, and will, until this harvest. I use it medically for nausea and sleep, so even though it wasn't good, it did what I needed for the nausea, and helped with the sleep.
I got AK 47 (5) and Afghan (4- 1 died right after it came up). Got them for medicinal purposes, and realllly hoping everything comes out all right.