Your Child and the Hairdresser

A little boy and the hairdresser — Photo: Africa Studio/Shutterstock

Some parents experience a lot of drama, and the stylist has to prove his expertise while requiring a lot of patience at the same time. It is a fact that most young children simply cannot sit still for about half an hour while their hair is being cut. They do not yet have the patience; they need action and want to move and look around.

But still, the hair of your child needs to be cut occasionally to shape it into a nice style and to keep it healthy. The hair of toddlers suffers a lot from coming into contact with almost anything. Children play in the sandbox; sometimes they just roll on the floor. Their dirty little hands start twirling little strands of hair when they are getting tired. Damage is done while they sleep, often turning and tossing about in their beds for many hours.

The first hair a baby has after birth will eventually fall out. This hair is very thin and shows hardly any structure yet. After about one year, we start to see real hair growth, in which the structure and hair color become more apparent. Most commonly, your child will already be one year old when it gets its first real haircut, giving it a distinct direction towards a model.

This first haircut will likely consist of nothing more than a few trims to shorten the bangs and the hair at the nape of the neck, while shaping it into a certain hairstyle. There is not much volume in the hair yet, as it is still in a stage of development

The visit to the hairdresser can be very exciting for a young child. Most of the time, it will not take place in the secure environment of their own home and will be executed by an unknown person, in whom they understandably have no trust yet. It is a stranger holding sharp scissors in his hands, and with clippers that vibrate and make noise, who will take away a part of the child's hair. If this isn't enough, the child will be hidden under a cape, making it impossible for them to see themselves while not being allowed to move at the same time.

A hairdresser who specializes in children will be able to calm the child down and convince them to sit still, or use specific means to achieve this goal, while their skilled hands move quickly over the hair, no matter if the child's head moves around a little bit. A skilled children's hairdresser is patient and expresses calmness. The first time a child has a haircut, they will likely sit on their mother's lap, which will add to a more relaxed feeling. If all goes well, the next time a haircut takes place, efforts will be made to try allowing the child to sit in a special children's chair, making it easier for the hairdresser to work.

Young girl at the hairdresser — Photo: Pixelshot/Canva

Even if the hairdresser works as fast as is humanly possible, it might not be fast enough. That is why some salons meet the needs of children by adding elements to their interior that make them feel comfortable and distracted. Some hair salons even design a part of the shop entirely for the children's needs, for instance with a TV with a VCR or DVD player, a chalkboard, toys, and specially designed furniture. They also have things on the walls and floor to which the hairdresser can draw the kid's attention when a certain position of the head is required. Some hair salons have specially designed chairs to help distract the child while getting a haircut. Parents can get a nice cup of coffee, and the children can get lemonade and sometimes candy.

Not all hairdressers, even the most experienced ones, have the ability to work with children. At salons with multiple hairdressers, usually one or two are specifically assigned to taking care of children's haircuts and making the child's (and their parents') visit a pleasant experience. Upon arrival, the child will be welcomed and escorted to the toys to ensure that they will enjoy the visit and be more relaxed.

Many cities nowadays have salons that specialize in working with children. The hairdressers that work there are specialized in dealing with any fears and anxieties children may have about getting their hair cut, and they are often even better equipped to deal with "persistent refusers". In some of these salons, the child may choose a movie to watch while they are getting their hair cut.

The child can sit in a chair of their choice, which can look like a racecar, a motorbike, a horse or other animal, a throne for a little princess, and if they want to, they can watch the hairdresser working by holding a princess's mirror in their hands. They can even choose which cape they are going to wear. This cape can have interesting prints for children.

Also, the colors of the interior are often adapted to children. All of this will be very stimulating for a child, with much more chance of a pleasant experience. When there is a positive connection between your toddler and the hairdresser, the child may not complain the next time a haircut is required, but instead be pleased to be able to visit this playground again. However, despite this, your child's attitude may be completely different next time.

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