About toddler in the hairdressers?

[IfIHadAHeart]

I love coming to the hairdressers. It’s a treat, a bit of a pamper session and time to myself. Today’s appointment has been completely spoiled but I’m not sure if IABU!!

When I arrived, the customer next to me was half way through a full head of foils with a restless toddler on her knee. The little girl has screamed, shouted, run around the salon, had a tantrum, climbed on a cabinet and knocked a display over and is currently sharpening pencils leaving the shavings all over the floor. Mum has made very limited efforts to entertain her, and the poor hairdresser looks ever so flustered.

It has not been a pleasant experience. I keep telling myself to think kind thoughts and perhaps it’s Mum’s only chance for a bit of pampering herself, but I can’t control my face sometimes and the mirrored walls mean she has probably seen me glaring 😂

IABU to think you don’t bring toddlers to a three hour hair appointment?!

[LadyDanburysHat]

YANBU. I used to take my toddlers to the hairdressers with me years ago, but they were strapped into a pushchair and had toys to amuse them, while I had only a trim. I had no childcare as my DH worked 6 days a week and no decent home hairdressers around. As soon as they were nursery age I went when they at nursery.

[DameHelena]

YANBU. It's unprofessional and irresponsible of the salon – lots of health and safety issues for a child running about essentially unsupervised. I'd not be surprised if it was against their insurance policy's terms.
I'd tell the salon that a) you had H&C concerns and b) it turned a usually nice experience into an ordeal and if it was going to happen again you'd be going elsewhere instead.

[Jaaxe]

Wouldn’t dream of taking my toddlers it would be a nightmare and you can’t watch them properly when your glued to a chair. Totally understand the not being able to get childcare because we have next to nobody to ask (we struggle to get people to have them so we can work never mind for luxuries) but that’s why I haven’t been to the hair dressers in about 4 years

[mathanxiety]

YANBU to criticise the mother for bringing her toddler to a three hour appointment.

I hope the salon owner puts some sort of notice up stating that children under five apart from babies under 6 months cannot be allowed inside for safety reasons.

It's distracting and dangerous to have a small child running around in a salon (same as a restaurant).

[Phos]

YANBU

Sorry to the "she may have no other choice" brigade but a hairdo is not an essential appointment. Especially not highlights. I wouldn't dream of taking my daughter to a long appointment. She occasionally comes when I have my nails done but that's to a lady who works from home and she can be trusted to sit with her tablet or colouring or play with the cat. The mother and child are causing a nuisance to other customers, to people trying to work and possibly causing damage if she's knocked over a cabinet. Bet the mum would be the first to blame the salon if the kid got hurt.

[Phos]

@TrashPandas

If only haircuts were optional...

They're hardly essential. Anyway this was foils. DEFINITELY optional.

[DuggeeHugPlease]

Not a good idea. I took my baby with me when she was about 9 months or so as my childcare had fallen through at the last minute. But I did phone and ask if it would be ok or if I should reschedule and she happily sat in her pushchair watching everyone and genuinely didn't cry once. I was prepared to walk her about outside - foils and all!
Now she's 18 months and not a chance I'd take her as I know she wouldn't happily sit still for that long any more.

[MsFizz]

Oh OP I had to giggle a little bit. I could just imagine you trying to control your facial expressions but failing miserably- I do the same!

Personally in the circumstances it doesn't sound appropriate. A well behaved toddler, possibly - but you may as well take a unicorn! It might be that the woman didn't have any other option but I don't think it's really on unless it's a last resort.

[TrashPandas]

@PipinwasAuntieMabelsdog

Depends on the place I think. Swishy adults only, high end services place, not OK. If it's a 'Will cut any hair for a £20, but don't expect a brew' type place. Not an issue.

Of course it's an issue. Cheap salons aren't any safer or suitable for children than expensive ones.

Phos I'll use a sarcasm tag next time, just for you!

[underneaththeash]

I would have said that I'd come back when it was a bit quieter and walked out.

[BlankTimes]

When DD was small, I used to have a home hairdresser who also worked in a salon in town, so was up to date with the latest styles etc. not the stereotype home hairdresser who just does old ladies' hair.

Maybe that's something the woman could consider for the future.

[AnneElliott]

Not ok. A quick fringe trim yes. A full on head of highlights no. Not fair on the kid, the hairdresser or the other customers!!!

[pinkyredrose]

Why didn't anyone ask the mother to keep the kid quiet?

[mistermagpie]

@underneaththeash

I would have said that I'd come back when it was a bit quieter and walked out.

This. I have taken my 7 year old to the hairdressers (for a cut, not colour which takes over two hours!) because I know he will sit and play his switch for a bit and not say boo to a goose. I know my hairdresser well but I still wouldn't take my 2 year old to an appointment!!

[CourtneeLuv]

@ChessieFL

I agree that this would be annoying for you, and ideally no you wouldn’t take a toddler to a three hour hair appointment, but maybe she didn’t have much choice and while she’s having things done to her chair there’s not a lot she can do to stop a toddler running around.

That didn't take long. If this is the case then she needs to rebook.

[IfIHadAHeart]

Well she ended up leaving with wet hair. The screaming reached its peak when the hairdryer came out and mum was trying to get her to sit in her buggy rather than run around.

you could hear the sigh of relief from everyone else when they left, and my hairdresser apologised profusely. Hopefully next time it will be peaceful again!

[grey12]

You should have mentioned something OP. Reassure the hairdresser that this isn't normal and that they shouldn't have allowed it. Like I mentioned before there are plenty of scissors and all kinds of dangers around, it's definitely not a place for a small child to be running around

[sumosaussage]

@ChessieFL

I agree that this would be annoying for you, and ideally no you wouldn’t take a toddler to a three hour hair appointment, but maybe she didn’t have much choice and while she’s having things done to her chair there’s not a lot she can do to stop a toddler running around.

What do you mean she might not have much choice?

She could choose not to go to the appt if she couldn't not bring her toddler

That's what any decent human being would do

There is always a choice

[ChessieFL]

Well she might have been let down by childcare at the very last minute, and at short notice she might have still been charged for the appointment if she cancelled. I’m probably not coming at this from the same place as everyone else though as I’ve always gone to a hairdresser whose selling point is that children are always welcome to ensure that parents are able to go and get their hair cut without worrying.

[sumosaussage]

@ChessieFL

Well she might have been let down by childcare at the very last minute, and at short notice she might have still been charged for the appointment if she cancelled. I’m probably not coming at this from the same place as everyone else though as I’ve always gone to a hairdresser whose selling point is that children are always welcome to ensure that parents are able to go and get their hair cut without worrying.

She still had a choice

Most would take the financial hit over be an absolute twat

[ThisUserNameIsAvailableOk]

"Well she might have been let down by childcare at the very last minute, and at short notice she might have still been charged for the appointment if she cancelled. I’m probably not coming at this from the same place as everyone else though as I’ve always gone to a hairdresser whose selling point is that children are always welcome to ensure that parents are able to go and get their hair cut without worrying."

Are you sure? Sounds like hell on earth and not sure it would be a selling point. Maybe this woman thinks her hairdresser is happy with it too when in fact she is apologising to the other customers as soon as they leave.

[NeedWineNow]

In my case it was a relative of the salon owner who kept coming in with her toddler and who used the salon as unofficial childcare. I go to the salon to relax and have a chat, not to have to listen to a toddler making smart remarks and customers being asked - by my hairdresser! - to watch her dancing or some such. It also meant that my appointment often ran over as she kept breaking off to deal with said toddler who wanted sweets, kept going on the back where chemicals were stored etc.

After my last appointment taking double the time it should have done due to the child wailing and playing up I gave up and changed salons.

[Skinnermarink]

My hairdresser has cats, which is one of the main reasons I go there.

[bakewellbride]

Yanbu that's not ok. It's not fair on the child or the other people like you. I only bring my 4 year old and baby to the hair dressers with me when it's a quick fringe trim and they both behave. The only exception to this is once when my baby was much younger I brought her for a quick wash and cut but she just lay in the pram asleep for most of it and disturbed no-one. For highlights or similar you need to find childcare imo.

[MummyDrinksWine]

I wouldn’t dream of taking my kids to the hairdressers. And if I were that mother I would have at least had them strapped in a buggy with an iPad and snacks just to get through it, and while the foils we’re taking I’d be taking them for a little walk outside for fresh air and change of scenery. Absolutely no chance of letting them run wild and free in the salon though.

the only thing I can think this would be absolutely necessary is if my childcare cancelled really short notice and the hair was being done for my wedding 😂