How to Make Your Kid's Haircut a Happy One

For adults, a trip to the salon can be a relaxing and rejuvenating experience. But for a child it is often something completely different. Many small children are either afraid of having their hair cut or find it difficult to sit still in the stylist’s chair. Here are a few tips for making your kid's haircut a happy experience.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Small snacks such as crackers
• Favorite book or toy to help distract the child and make them feel safe

1. Take your child’s schedule into consideration. Don’t put off or skip nap time for small children in order to get their hair cut. Instead try and book an appointment for a time when they will be well rested, fed, comfortable and more likely to cooperate.

2. If this is your child’s first time at the salon or they tend to be afraid of having their hair cut, try giving them a day or two advance notice. Let them be a part of choosing their new hairstyle or allow them to bring a favorite stuffed animal for comfort.

3. For very young children, bring a distraction of some sort. A small, easy to eat snack such crackers or a favorite book to read to them can help take their mind off what the stylist is doing.

4. Decide on what type of haircut you’d like before the appointment. Even if you want the stylist’s input on your child’s hairstyle, you should at least have a basic idea of what you want and don’t want. The quicker the haircut can begin, the less likely your child will be to get restless.

5. Be realistic in the type of hairstyle you want. If your child is very young or doesn’t tend to sit still for haircuts, an intricate and precise haircut might not be your best option. Instead, opt for a simpler hairstyle that the stylist can create even if your little one’s head moves during the cut.

6. If your child has long hair, give it a good brushing and detangling before heading to the salon. Your child will be less likely to enjoy their haircut if the first ten minutes is spent trying to brush out knots and tangles.

7. Try to arrive for your appointment on time or a few minutes early. Showing up too early will mean your child will have to sit and wait and possibly use up all their patience before the cut even begins, too late and they will be rushed and stressed.

8. Once it is your child’s turn, keep your attitude positive and bring any snacks or distractions with you to the stylist’s chair. If your child seems frightened, quietly let the stylist know about your child’s fears so the stylist can help you in making the haircut seem fun.

9. Explain what type of hairstyle you want for your child and ask any questions you may have before it begins. Again, be realistic with what your child will be able to handle. If he or she is restless or fearful, opt for a simple trim or cut that can be performed quickly.

10. If your child is frightened or squirming, stay with your child during the haircut. Distract them by reading or singing songs or even talking to them about something unrelated to their haircut.

11. Sometimes a young child just isn’t ready for the stylist’s chair. If they are unwilling to sit still or seem very frightened and can’t be coaxed into cooperating, ask your stylist if your child can have a little time out of the chair to calm down. Forcing a child to sit when they’re terrified won’t create fond memories of trips to the hairdresser and may deepen their fear of haircuts.

12. Ask if your child can watch someone else have his hair cut to see that it’s nothing to fear. If that doesn’t work, ask your stylist if your child can sit on your lap during the cut. Many times a stylist can work around you and perform the cut while you sit with and comfort your small child.

13. If you still can’t manage to get your child to cooperate using any of these techniques, know when to throw in the towel and try again later. As much as you may want your child’s hair cut, a stylist can only do so much with a crying and squirming child. Remember, your child will have sharp scissors very close to their head and, as careful as a hairstylist can be, a wrong move at the wrong time (especially when cutting around the ears for short hairstyles) can be dangerous. Not to mention it's much harder to get an even haircut on a moving target.

14. If you and your stylist do manage to get through the haircut, remember again to be realistic. If there was a lot of squirming during the haircut, don’t spend the next five minutes picking apart the haircut and demanding that every stray hair be fixed. You can expect a reasonably even and nice looking cut, but don’t expect perfection. You’ll only be drawing out the process and likely trying the little patience that your child has for staying in the chair.

15. Learn from your previous experiences. If your child’s salon visit was less than successful, try altering the time of his or her next appointment. Or, if your child is able to tell you, ask them how you can make it better for them. Experiment to see what will help your child enjoy their visits to the salon.

16. If you liked the stylist who performed the haircut, try to make future appointments with that stylist. Your child will get to know and trust the same person, which may help alleviate their fears. The stylist will also get to know your child and will be able to help future haircuts go more smoothly.

17. If your child is extremely resistant to the idea of haircuts, try finding a salon that specifically caters to children. Some children’s salons have fun chairs to sit in and TVs that play cartoons to distract children. These stylists will also be more experienced in dealing with young children and may have extra tricks and props to help turn a fearful or uncooperative little client into a happy one.

Easy Kid’s Haircuts for Boys

18. If your little man doesn’t tend to sit well for his haircuts, a quick and easy style will get him in and out of the chair with (hopefully) minimal fuss.

19. Try the buzz cut. This super-short style is not only trendy but also extremely easy to execute. The entire head is sheared short with hair clippers. The length can vary from 3/4 inch long all the way down to 1/8 inch in length. Most parents opt for the 3⁄4 or 1⁄2 inch version, which still leaves some hair on the head but is super easy to maintain (no combing!)

20. For those who don’t want their kid’s haircut that short, try the classic boy’s hairstyle. The hair is layered short on the top and tapered down on the sides and back of the head. The hair is cut around the ears and trimmed neatly into the nape (back) of the neck. This style is still fairly easy to execute and easy to style. Remember - if your little guy tends to move around or fight his haircut a lot, it may not be possible to get the perfect hairstyle. With this hairstyle, close counts and the goal for squirmy children should be to neaten it up as much as possible and have an overall tidy appearance.

Easy Kid’s Haircuts for Girls

21. Even the sweetest little lady may not be ready to enjoy the time in the stylist’s chair (that’ll come later). For those parents who want their little girl to have a great kid’s haircut, minus the drama, opt for something quick and easy.

22. Try a trim. Many little girls wear their hair long. Having a quick trim on the bangs and ends is a fast way to keep your little one looking great even if she does have trouble sitting still. It may be necessary to help hold the child’s head still while the bangs are being cut but an experienced stylist should be able to trim those bangs quickly with your help. The ends can be trimmed a 1⁄4 or 1⁄2 inch to keep them healthy, which is very forgiving if your child wiggles in the seat.

23. For those little girls who don’t have long hair, try aiming for a short bob hairstyle. As long as she can sit relatively still for a short period of time a good stylist should be able to pull off this style. You can have a child’s bob with or without bangs, and the one length style means your stylist will only have to concentrate on trimming the bottom of your child’s hair.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid "page-boy" type hairstyles that require precision in the lines all around the head. Instead opt for a less structured style that is more forgiving should your child not sit still.

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