Toddler haircuts; 5 tips to make your trip to the hairdressers stress free
Published on 17th January '19The first few haircuts of a toddler's life can be a dramatic experience for most involved. Many children can find it scary to walk into a strange place full of people they've never met. We have seen so many young kids come through the door and instantly grab mum or dad's leg. Even screaming they don't want a haircut in the street before they come in. You've probably even been putting it off for fear of dealing with the potential situation. To help we have put together some tips to make your trip to the barbers as easy as possible.
Why do toddlers find getting their haircut stressful?
If you’re lucky your child's first visit to the hairdressers or barber will be a stress free occasion, but for many parents it will be far from it! So why is this?
As adults we walk into these everyday situations with ease, and we forget what it might have been like for the first time. I mean wouldn’t you feel a bit concerned if a man/lady who you didn’t know, started cutting your hair away with a pair of sharp utensils?
For young kids, going to a hairdresser is a new experience, their guard is up and their naturally a bit on edge. Add to the equation the noise of hairdryers & razors, the feeling of scissors or a razor close to your head, the strangeness of the hairdresser, and the worry that hairs that were once attached to you are now falling all around you or are itching at your neck.
We know that your biggest fear is that your child will scream the house down or not sit still for long enough; but don’t worry we have seen it all and this is why we’ve put together these 5 tips to help make the occasion stress free.
Toddler haircuts; 5 tips to make your trip to the barbers stress free
Tip #1 Make a prior visit to the barber:
It can be quite unsettling for a little boy to meet a strange person for the very first time and then have that person work on their head. Kids have their own world which doesn’t involve someone at the barber shop, whom they have never met. This is why we suggest taking the toddler to the shop even when they don’t need a haircut. By introducing them to the barber a day or two before the cut is due or whenever you are in the passing, the barber shop becomes a norm in the child’s life and something to be a little less afraid of.
Tip #2 Bring them to have their hair combed
Most barbers would happily comb a child’s hair for no cost. This can be a great step towards a stress free first haircut. By combing the hair, a level of trust will emerge between the barber and the toddler. Combing hair without cutting it on the first occasion can lay all the groundwork for a stress free and higher quality haircut. If a child is happy to have his hair combed by the barber and sit still the barber can produce a far higher standard of work. Don’t forget the barber uses many sharp and very precise tools. When it comes to a child that is moving around a lot they will try their best but may not be able to produce their most detailed work for safety reasons.
Tip #3 Bring a favourite Toy:
Due to the short attention span most toddler’s have, a distraction can be very beneficial. So if they have a favourite toy that they can play with while they have their hair cut, they are far more likely to leave a much smarter boy. The barber may need to spend a few minutes doing the intricate work around the back of the neck and ears, during this time the standard of the cut is greatly increased if the child is mesmerized by a toy, book or maybe something like their favourite character on a smartphone, for instance Peppa Pig on Youtube.
Tip #4 One person should take charge
Quite often a toddler is accompanied by more than one family member, but it’s crucial that only one person is left to stand with the child (if that is necessary at all). If Mum is on one side and Dad is on the other side it is hard for the barber to move effectively around the chair. Kids will also take the opportunity to look at their mum, then their dad, then their mum, then their dad and so on causing the barber to do a funny dance chasing the boys head around. Before coming along it is good to decide who is going to be responsible for settling the child if needed and stick to it.
Tip #5 Book in for a haircut:
If a child is apprehensive about getting a haircut, it can be daunting for them to have to sit and wait for upto an hour watching other people have machines go around their head, knowing that may happen to them soon. Booking an appointment in advance is a great way to remove the long wait and often costs nothing extra. Many shops prefer this as they want you to have a stress free visit and like to know the children have left happy.
To find out more about booking in for an appointment, follow the chop link to our article on booking an appointment at the barber shop or go to www.chop.me.uk for Chop!_ appointments in Aberdeen or Montrose.
Conclusion:
It is very rare to have a toddler come in for a haircut and sit completely still from start to finish. The barber expects to be working on a moving target and this is completely normal.
If you follow the above tips we are sure barbershop visits will be seamless for you. After visiting the barbershop it is always good to reward the child in some way so they associate a haircut with rewards.
You should give yourself a pat on the back for all your hard work as a parent and for getting them through a barbershop visit, but the hard work isn’t over. Before they forget who the barber is and decide they no longer want a haircut, book them back in and make haircuts part of their routine.
We hope you’ve found this article useful, for other articles on hair, including styling tips, appointments, hair loss head over to our articles page at: www.chop.me.uk/articles