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Original poster

2.5 year old DS WILL NOT have hair cut

52 replies

CanINapNow · 16/12/2025 11:50

My 2.5 year old DS will not have his hair cut! I’ve tried two different places (second one was recommended by nursery), doing it myself, doing it when he’s asleep (I managed to cut it then but it looked AWFUL!). I had YouTube ready, chocolate, dummy to hand. No good. He just goes bananas, full meltdown and won’t stay still. I tried holding him in the chair and my dad did too, no good. His hair is so long now, in his eyes, nearly a bob and very thick. Anyone else had this? Any suggestions?

Do I embrace the man bun (baby boy bun?)?

OP posts:
Ritaskitchen · 16/12/2025 11:54

Pineapple- hair in a bunch at the forehead?

ParCarking101 · 16/12/2025 11:56

I'd just leave it 🤷‍♀️ presumably if he were a she you wouldn't be worried about it being "almost a bob" - which isn't actually that long - and in any case loads of guys have longer hair these days.

My ds was the same and asked for a haircut by himself eventually!

IAmKerplunk · 16/12/2025 12:02

My dc3 was exactly like this. I got him in a barbers chair once and he cried so much. I told the barber not to continue as it just wasn’t a big deal - it’s only just. Think he was nearly 4 (maybe a little younger) when he was happy to have it cut. It’s just hair. Put a cap on him or a clip/hair band to keep it out of his eyes but if he won’t tolerate that he will just brush the hair out of his eyes when he needs to. 2 1/2yr olds can be hard - I would let this issue go.

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2 year olds Beauty Behaviour & development
YorkshireIndie · 16/12/2025 12:09

Go to your hairdressers and hold him standing up whilst your hairdresser trims what they can. Do not make a big deal out of it. Graduate to him sitting on your lap. Will he watch something? My 2yr old sat on my lap for the first time at the weekend and the hairdresser could do a proper cut. Before that it was me holding her in my arms whilst the hairdresser cut/trimmed what she could

BestZebbie · 16/12/2025 12:14

He needs his hair to be clean and tidy, and out of his face for activities, but if he really strongly objects to a cut then let him have it long. He will either change his mind when he realises that long hair must be brushed out every day or he will have what he prefers.

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 16/12/2025 12:16

DS wouldn’t have his hair cut.

It’s still long now at 22 years old. Although at least now he’ll sit still for a trim.

Blueuggboots · 16/12/2025 13:09

I bought a pair of clippers and clippers my son’s in the bath and showered him immediately after.

APatternGrammar · 16/12/2025 13:11

Our hairdresser suggested we take our son to look in the window of the dog groomers as often as possible. It worked.
(I know there won’t be one with a nice big window that are happy with you looking in everywhere, but perhaps there is something near you.)

GoldDuster · 16/12/2025 13:15

I was in the barbers with DS the other day watching an 11 year old who was clearly very uncomfortable having his hair cut. I was sitting next to his dad who turned to me and proudly explained he used to scream blue murder when he was little so they used to have two of them holding him down, and he still hates it now. No shit.

It's just hair, he's not going to set on fire if it gets long. Do him a deal that it needs to be washed and conditioned when he has a bath, brushed every day and tied out of his eyes when necessary. If he can keep his end of the deal up, then he can keep his hair, and not have it cut.

One of my DC was also a haircut refuser, I didn't make a big deal of it and he's now in the barbers every three weeks, so it won't last forever. Let him be little, he doesn't need a short back and sides.

IAmKerplunk · 16/12/2025 13:25

@GoldDuster my previous hair cut refuser is now 15 and at the barbers every 4 weeks at £18 a time 😱

someonethatyoulovetoomuch · 16/12/2025 13:28

My 3 year old DS had his first hair cut yesterday, prior to that he had a full head of glorious blonde ringlets, now all gone at his request. My 6 year old DS has almost waist length hair because he has declined to have it cut since he was 2. Let them make the choice, it’s only hair.

Sidebeforeself · 16/12/2025 13:31

It’s okay to leave it if you are happy with putting it up etc but not all parents want that faff. It’s just the same for girls. My mum insisted I have my hair cut short because I wouldn’t sit still, would pull out my bunches etc . Fair play to her as she was the one who had to do my hair on a morning!

MarvellousMonsters · 16/12/2025 13:33

So don’t cut it. Nothing wrong with long hair on boys.

SouthLondonMum22 · 16/12/2025 13:33

I'd just make sure it's out of his eyes and tie it back for nursery. Pick your battles.

FairKoala · 16/12/2025 13:45

DS still has long hair. He didn’t want it cut so I didn’t.

My own mother had my hair cut off at age 4. I was devastated. My hair was my confidence. Then she took me back every 6 weeks for a trim
She gave up when I was 11.Apparently I was supposed to thank her when I was older as I would have such thick hair.

Still waiting.for that day. (Really thin hair)

I have been to the hairdressers once in the intervening 1/2 century and that was to get my hair dyed which I am now allergic to.

So when DS said no to a hair cut I didnt go against his wishes

FairKoala · 16/12/2025 13:49

GoldDuster · 16/12/2025 13:15

I was in the barbers with DS the other day watching an 11 year old who was clearly very uncomfortable having his hair cut. I was sitting next to his dad who turned to me and proudly explained he used to scream blue murder when he was little so they used to have two of them holding him down, and he still hates it now. No shit.

It's just hair, he's not going to set on fire if it gets long. Do him a deal that it needs to be washed and conditioned when he has a bath, brushed every day and tied out of his eyes when necessary. If he can keep his end of the deal up, then he can keep his hair, and not have it cut.

One of my DC was also a haircut refuser, I didn't make a big deal of it and he's now in the barbers every three weeks, so it won't last forever. Let him be little, he doesn't need a short back and sides.

This was me having a haircut. When it was up to me to choose to go to the hairdressers or not I never went back.

This guy might think he has won the battle but ultimately he will lose the war. Would love to see his reaction when his son comes home from Uni with hair down his back and there isn’t a damn thing he can do about it.

Frogs88 · 16/12/2025 13:51

My son is the same. I just ask occasionally if
he’d like to have it cut. He mostly says no. Very rarely he surprises me and says yes and then I’ll cut it immediately before he changes his mind. I remember being forced to have my hair cut as a child and as an adult I still refuse to go to the hairdressers.

FairKoala · 16/12/2025 13:53

Not too sure why everyone is talking about tying his hair back at nursery and keeping it out of his eyes. Do nursery insist on ties back hair (never did at dc’s nursery)

Myself, DS and dd have long hair, we have never had a problem with hair going in our eyes.

BarnacleBeasley · 16/12/2025 13:55

Mine had a big mop of beautiful curls when he was 2. I used to just persuade him to let me trim the fringe to get it out of his eyes. Around 2 and a half he started getting very upset because it would get stuck in his car seat straps and pull, and also he was terrible at getting it washed, so I bribed him to let me cut it in the back garden with a packet of veggie straws and an episode of In the Night Garden on the ipad. It took a couple of years of 6-monthly mum haircuts before we persuaded him into an actual barber's shop, but now he has had a few haircuts and is fine with it as long as I read him a story during the cut and then buy him an ice cream afterwards.

Isthisforevernow · 16/12/2025 13:56

Leave him be. If he is happy to have it washed then that’s enough. Clean is fine.
DS has always hated having his hair cut. So in the end we said fine, as long as it’s clean and restrained as required for sports etc, crack on.
Age 12 he has the most beautiful ringlets down his back. His sister is beyond envious! He just combs it through when wet and occasionally lets me trim the ends so it’s tidy, and that’s that.

Sidebeforeself · 16/12/2025 13:57

FairKoala · 16/12/2025 13:53

Not too sure why everyone is talking about tying his hair back at nursery and keeping it out of his eyes. Do nursery insist on ties back hair (never did at dc’s nursery)

Myself, DS and dd have long hair, we have never had a problem with hair going in our eyes.

Surely it’s dependent on your hairs natural growth direction. If it grows over your eyes you’ll probably have difficulty seeing

Original poster
CanINapNow · 16/12/2025 15:23

Ritaskitchen · 16/12/2025 11:54

Pineapple- hair in a bunch at the forehead?

This could be very cute to be fair and he is slightly obsessed with pineapples at the moment 😂

OP posts:
Original poster
CanINapNow · 16/12/2025 15:27

ParCarking101 · 16/12/2025 11:56

I'd just leave it 🤷‍♀️ presumably if he were a she you wouldn't be worried about it being "almost a bob" - which isn't actually that long - and in any case loads of guys have longer hair these days.

My ds was the same and asked for a haircut by himself eventually!

Yeah will just leave it, you’re quite right. He will eventually ask when he’s older to get it cut…hopefully he’ll let me brush it as it gets longer at least!

OP posts:
Original poster
CanINapNow · 16/12/2025 15:30

YorkshireIndie · 16/12/2025 12:09

Go to your hairdressers and hold him standing up whilst your hairdresser trims what they can. Do not make a big deal out of it. Graduate to him sitting on your lap. Will he watch something? My 2yr old sat on my lap for the first time at the weekend and the hairdresser could do a proper cut. Before that it was me holding her in my arms whilst the hairdresser cut/trimmed what she could

We tried holding him and watching a video…didn’t try standing up but I’m not sure I’m strong enough to be honest! He’s very heavy and strong.

OP posts:
Original poster
CanINapNow · 16/12/2025 15:31

Blueuggboots · 16/12/2025 13:09

I bought a pair of clippers and clippers my son’s in the bath and showered him immediately after.

May try this!

OP posts: