Here are 10 tips from our personal & specialist Children’s Hairdresser! I wish I had known these tips before embarking on our first hairdressing trip with our youngest! He would scream and scream and SCREEEAM whenever he was having his haircut – we tried so many things, we even tried to cut it in the comfort of our own home but NOTHING helped…until we booked an appointment with Deanie at Deanies Kids Cuts – Deanie changed everything for my 2 year old in just one visit! I asked her to kindly share her tips for Mums who might not be able to visit her wonderful Sunshine Coast Salon.
- Organise your appointment time in the morning or after a nap. Most young children tend to be at their best when they are well rested. (and not hungry)
- Touch your child’s head often, a friendly ruffle of their hair giving it a brush or a gentle massage all familiarise your child with their head being touched. This will reduce the stress to your child and prevent them from reaching up with their hands during the haircut.
- Talk about what is going to happen a couple of days prior in a fun excited way!! (as if they are going to a theme park)Explain that the person doing their haircut will have very special little scissors and a comb,that the person will touch their head and maybe squirt their hair with some water. Try to keep yourself calm and happy, your child will definitely know if you are anxious and worried about the haircut.
- Ensure your stylist is experienced and qualified. Completing a successful haircut on a wriggling, squiggling child is a challenge and not a task for an apprentice or someone inexperienced this can be checked when making your appointment.
- Bring a spare top for your child to put on after the haircut. Lots of children are resistant to wear a cape for the haircut so end up with hair all over them and very itchy!
- Avoid using a haircut as a punishment for a behaviour. Or in any other negative way.
- Don’t take lollies or other food items to offer during the haircut. The food ends up getting hair on it which then goes in your child’s mouth which causes more distress.
- You should never be made to feel embarrassed by your child’s behaviourat a salon. A haircut is a very confronting experience for many children and most will grow out of it if treated with compassion by the stylist.
- Praise, encourage and distract your child during the haircut.
- If you have a specific style you would like your child’s hair cut into have a picture or a clear description of what you want before hand. For a child usually a quick haircut is a good one they don’t want to sit on the chair trying to be still for too long.
We hope these 10 tips help you – especially if your child is sensitive to having their hair cut! Please share any other tips you might have in the comments below OR if you want to ask Deanie a question you can message her via her facebook page here. Or you might like to visit her cool kids salon pictured below :).
I normally just try to make going to get hair cuts as normal as possible. I sometimes bring my kids with me when I get a haircut. This way they can see that it is a normal thing. I also try to talk with them about the haircut a couple of days before, like you suggest, and get them involved in picking a hair style. The more excited my kids are, the better the appointment goes.