In the last week or two hair salons have been inundated with children. They are in the reception room, looking bored or giving each other a hard time. They are sitting on the floor under stylists’ feet waiting for siblings. They are spinning in vacant styling chairs and playing with curling irons and blow dryers. Yes, it's back to school and it’s the time of year to get back into a regular routine of hair care for even the pre-schooler.


All ages of children seem to have trouble sitting still, but it is most distressful for the younger ones.

If you’ve been through screaming sessions at the hairdresser when it was time for your child’s hair to be cut, it is certain that you are not looking forward to the next trip. A visit to the salon can be a scary experience for little ones. It is a place full of strangers, huge capes and chairs. Everyone is saying, “Sit still!” when there is hair tickling his nose and scissors awfully close to his ear. This all results in an upset child, stressed parents and a stressed hairdresser. When Junior is wiggly and won’t sit still, the haircut will most likely end unsatisfactorily. The hairdresser is apt to make a wrong cut and will always be fearful of cutting the child. Many techniques have been tried, ranging from pleading to threats to a strong hand immobilizing Junior’s head.

It is sometimes more effective to have the child to watch while a parent gets a haircut first and then to sit on a parent’s lap while receiving his own. The promise of a sucker or a treat afterwards is also very helpful.

You can give yourself a little more time between haircuts by trimming bangs yourself. Comb them down naturally (not tight) and just cut a small amount at a time. At first, don’t cut any farther than the outside ends of the eyebrows. Be very careful if you intend to go any farther toward the hairline. Angle downward slightly for a natural look and proceed slowly. Bangs cut too wide give a very amateur appearance.

For the more adventurous parent there is always the choice of the do-it-yourself haircut at home. Boy’s cuts can be done with clippers if you are going for the crew cut. Don’t forget to use a guard for the particular length you want. There is also the Flowbee or the Robo Cut Vacuum Haircutters. The vacuum pulls the hair into the recessed blades to be cut off. All the trimmings are disposed of into the vacuum. The best I can say of these instruments is that they create an evenly trimmed cut. But they leave a lot to be desired in the style area. Today even the kindergarten set want to be in-style. They want their hair to be like their best friend or even a television character. The boys that used to be seen only in ball caps are now having their hair bleached and highlighted.

Relief from stress and professional care has come in the form of a new trend in specialized children’s cutting salon. Now a trip for a haircut can rival a trip to Disney Land. These child-friendly salons are equipped with child-sized styling chairs in the form of cars, planes, horses and motorcycles. Children follow animal footprints to various areas in the salon. Everything in is geared toward the child’s fantasy. There are wall murals of children’s stories and often televisions at each station playing children’s videos. Reception areas are equipped with playhouses, toys and video games to make waiting easier.
Look for salons with names like “Toy Box Hair Salon”, “Cookie Cutters”, and “Kid’s Cuts”. These salons are staffed with hairdressers with a special love, a gift for working with children and immense amount of patience, all making the haircut experience enjoyable for the child as well as the parent.