The time has finally arrived. You've waited for your childs hair to grow in, but now
it's starting to look shaggy. What do you do? Where do you go? There are several steps that you can take in order to handle
this situation, because after all it could be a great experience or it could be a disaster. You definitely want to opt for
the former.
First of all, where you take your son or daughter is a critical decision. Indeed, the remedy
for this first concern is to look for a child friendly hair stylist or barber. If the salon or barber shop
is not set up for children then make sure the haircutter is someone who likes working with kids. There are actually quite
a few stylists and barbers who do not like working with kids so don't let them fool you for a quick buck. Make sure they have
a reputation for working with the little ones.
Secondly, before the haircut appointment. Talk to your child. Help
them understand that getting their haircut is a positive experience. It's also important to provide them with an incentive
for getting the haircut, either while the haircut is taking place like giving them a lollipop, cookies etc. or a fun event
that would occur afterwards, like going to the toy store. In the service that I provide, I find that doing bubbles when
they first arrive puts them at ease, before the haircutting process. This is especially true with children who are at the
salon for the first time. Also, using a gentle approach when cutting the hair is very important. It's best if the
child barely knows that their hair is being cut.
Distractions are key in this process. In fact, I use a t.v. for
the childs viewing and distraction pleasure. It keeps them focused straight ahead so that the job can get done. Most
of all you want the overall experience to be fun. If the child does get upset during the process, taking a short
break may help the situation. If it doesn't, it is best to get the job done quickly, and not fuss too much with perfection. What matters the most though is getting the childs hair cut on a consistent basis. In this way they are
able to get better and better at the task each time.
