Kids at the hairdressers.

[calmdoon]

Today whilst having my hair done a client of one of the other hairdressers brought in a 3 year old. The little girl was there 3 hours and was clearly bored. She was into everything and the stylist said nothing. The mum half heartedly said to her to sit down a few times but one of other stylist I think the manager was clearly annoyed. She was pulling things out of the trolleys climbing on the sink chairs and clearly needing supervised. I felt my own stylist should have said something as she made a couple of comments to me apologising and about it being very distracting to work with all that was going on. I think everyone at the salon was a busy but didn’t want to offend the client (the mum) the little girl also made a mess at the desk and tipped out lots of styling products from a shelf.
Then to top that off after they left and in the last 10 mins of my app a family of 6 came in using up all reception area for 2 of them to get haircuts. My stylist was clearing struggling with the noise and disturbance but again didn’t want to upset the parents. Is it really necessary for the whole family to witness 2 members getting a haircut?
Would you have been offended to have been told only the people at the appointment to be attending or to have had the hairdresser step in and told the mum to supervise her 3 year old? I really felt for the staff they were so busy.

The hairdressers isn't a crèche YANBU.

I actually wanted to leave with my hair wet and it ruined my appointment. I felt bad though for the parent as she obviously needed her hair done but I felt that it was at my expense- I got a babysitter!

Yanbu I had active kid and never took him to the hairdressers. I had childcare issues as well and only started getting my hair done again regurlaru since ds started full time nursery and then school. I sometimes see young kids in my local nail salons when I walk past them and often think it's quite harmful for them to be breathing in those toxic fumes.

I think the magnet really wanted to say something but didn’t want to look like she was being rude but I think it’s rude to have done what they did. In the days of a bad review having a bad review on the business I can see why. I’d have been mortified to have had been told to quieten down my children.

I used to work at hairdressers and recognise both scenarios. We wouldn't suggest the client supervises her child but someone in the salon would normally do their best to provide some activities (salon assistants or a receptionist, for example). Yes, it's not our job but equally, it's a tricky situation to manage with the parent and we just want everyone happy and out as quickly as possible so needs must.
As far as family of 6 coming to witness kid's haircuts, we did insist that it is one adult per family. Obviously, if it is a single parent, they may need to bring everyone in in which case we find for them somewhere else to sit (unoccupied beauty rooms or similar). If both adults are present, we politely ask them to go to a cafe next door and take whoever is not having a haircut with them.
Both of these approaches require a switched on manager though. No idea how this can be handled in salons where hairdressers are self-employed.

Not being unreasonable but also difficult in a service industry.
The problem is if a member of staff was free and had tried to supervise/dusteact the child then they are setting an expectation that they will do every time.

Probably good way to increase day time appointments though...offer a small creche or kids area on specific days.

I would imagine a new policy is going on booking confirmations as we speak about not bringing children to appointments if not getting their hair cut.