hair cuts are a nightmare!

We get the boys' hair cut about every 6 weeks at a local children's salon. They have video monitors with kid's videos playing, toys, bubbles, nice ladies who cut your hair, etc., and the boys HATE it! They both scream bloody murder. We went this weekend and Coleman was worse than Sam. He sat on my lap and I ended up holding him still with all my might while he wailed. It was just awful.

I'm willing to sacrifice a decent haircut for my own attempts at home, but they will have none of that also. I bought a pair of decent scissors - waste of money. They won't let me get near one hair on their heads.

I don't know what to do. Am I traumatizing them by taking them to the salon? We've tried different salons (kids places) and they are the same no matter where we go, unfortunatley.

Advice please! Please tell me this is a stage they get over.

Michelle

 

Bribe them with lolly pops? Special treat only for hair cuts. Hard to scream while sucking on one of them.

 

I mostly do the hair cuts myself. My guys never screamed but they did not want to sit still. When they were younger, I strapped them in their booster seats that we use at meal times. I just put them on the floor. Then I gave them stuff that they rarely got to play with life certain safe utensils. They love gadgets and containers.

Jude got his first lolly pop at 18 months when I messed up his hair and took him to a professional to get it fixed. I was in shock that he knew what to do with it. He was good as gold and in no time the sucker was gone and his hair cut was finished.

I hope you figure out something that works. :hug99:

 

I recently gave up and outsourced the task to our fabulous babysitter. She said adult salons with lots of hairdryers, music and smiling women are often easier for toddlers to deal with than child salons with other kids crying, etc. It looks like she was right! :icon_biggrin:

She took them on separate days (duh, why didn't I think of that) to a salon owned by a family friend. Knowing they'd be with people I trust saved me a lot of guilt and trauma of seeing them so upset when I tried it.

Miguel came back happy as a clam to be the center of attention. Alejo was upset and immune to lollipops (it figures), so they just buzzed him really fast. Much less time than I would have needed! We'll let their hair grow out over the summer and get the babysitter to do the next times.

Although it's shorter than I expected, I was surprised at how much I love it! Normally their hair is so different (blonde & straight, brown & curly) that people constantly stop us and ask if they're brothers or "just friends". Now it's more obvious they're related so we get fewer questions and stares from strangers.

I wish I had done this sooner!

 

We're going for our 3rd haircut today. We've had plenty of tears but find that if they do clippers #6 around the bottom a quick scissor-job on the top goes a lot faster (and looks a lot better) than trying to scissor--cut a wriggling, screaming boy.

 

I buzz cut at home. The good thing about trimmers is that they really can't cut a squirming child with a guard on. Nathan goes through periods where I have to hold him down and just hope I get all of his hair. It isn't that he is afraid of getting it cut as much as I am making him stop what he is doing to get it cut. Takes me all of 5 minutes max on each of their hair. DD didn't like getting her's cut until she was 5ish. The good thing about a girl is I only cut her hair once a year at the beginning of summer (just under her ears) and let it grow. She let her daddy cut her bangs as needed.

 

Kayla never minded having her hair cut, but the boys are an entirely different story. I used to take them into a salon but they SCREAMED!!! Let me tell you, nothing echos quite like that. I'm sure people on the other end of the mall could hear them. I've started using clippers with guards on them at home. As a pp said, I strap them into their boosters that we use for meal times, take them out onto the deck (less hairy mess), and buzz away. They still scream but most of the neighbors are at work so we're not bothering as many people now.

 

I have found that taking them separately and giving them a lolly pop (Dum Dum) works like a charm. We had some nightmare trips taking them both in the beginning...

 

Isn't it fun?? I second taking them to an adult salon. That's what I do. I managed to get Archer's hair cut on Friday, he was starting to look like he had a mullet! And he complained quite a bit, but we managed. Phoebe was a flat out NO. I gave up on her. When Archer is due again in 6-8 weeks I will try it again. She has such a short bob that it still looks good right now!!

 

I think our kids are unusual and they actually like getting their hair cut and get really excited about going. We also take them to a kiddy salon that has animal chairs, tvs and toys for them to play with. They get a treat afterwards if they are good.

 

My Sam just recently started going to the salon for a haircut (turned 3 in April). We just couldn't take him before - same problems - screaming, crying, having a huge fit. I did as some of the others & bought a set of childrens clippers. I sat him on my lap in the bathroom & my DH would buzz his hair about every 6 weeks.

Now, when Carly had her hair cut at the salon a couple of months ago, Sam suddenly asked if he could get his hair cut too. We didn't have an appointment for him, but our hairdresser was excited that he was going to allow her to cut it, so she did & now it's been a piece of cake. It just had to be his idea - not our idea & it couldn't be forced on him. Maybe it'll be the same with your guys.

Now, Princess Carly...she'd spend all day in a salon as long as everyone told her how pretty she is...

 

Ah yes .... sounds all too familiar. The screaming ... the flailing ... the terror in their eyes. We gave up going to a salon. This is what we do.

Put them in their high chairs in front of the TV. Put on their favourite show/video. Have DH stand beside with their favourite snack. Take your time and snip here and there. With the distraction of the TV and the snacks, I usually get a not too bad job done. No, it isn't perfect, but it gets done.

Another thing I do is a couple of days before their next haircut, I start playing with their hair. Running my fingers through it, using both one and two hands. At first they are annoyed but then they get used to it. By the time I am ready to cut their hair, they are not freaking as much.

HTH,

Holly

 

Bodie was the same way but I bought the conair toddler clippers and use the #6 guard on bottom and #9 on top he loves me using these because they make no noise & there is no cord ,plus I got him a Fisher Price shaver like DH's