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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

How to get a 3yr old to the hairdressers

19 replies

Rubberplant · 05/07/2010 16:52

About 7 months ago my 3yr old developed a dislike of going to the hairdresser. The last time we tried he screamed and wriggled so much that the hairdresser cut herself.

Since then I'm ashamed to say we've been cutting his hair in his sleep! Yes, it does look terrible.

He also dislikes having his hair washed. Is this a phase he's going through? Anyone else experienced problems like this and how did they solve it?

I thought perhaps I could find someone who would come to the house but I'm not sure that will help.

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Decorhate · 05/07/2010 16:58

I knew your child would be a boy! Both mine went through phases like this, looked awful but tbh not worth fighting over unless he needs to look smart for a special occasion... Just keep snipping off bits at home (you could try doing it in the bath also or when he is engrossed in something on tv)

I'm not convinced getting someone to come around would work unless you think he would sit and watch a DVD or something while having it cut. Have you found a hairdresser who gives out sweets at the end of a haircut? That can work...

lovechoc · 05/07/2010 19:08

I took DS to the barbers rather than the hairdressers when he was 2yo for his first hair cut and she is very good with him. He wasn't sure at first and cried, but he was promised a lolly and she had a box of toys for this kind of situation. DS finds it ticklish more than anything, but has been a few times now and okay with it.

Agree with Decorhate though, if there's not a real reason to get his hair cut just now then just avoid it for now. In a few months time his understanding will be even better about these kind of situations and you'll be able to reason with him more.

Firawla · 05/07/2010 20:27

i would just leave it for a bit, let him hair go a bit long and give him a while to forget about it then try and make it out like an exciting kind of trip or something and hopefully he will be a bit better by then?
i am going to leave mine for a bit, he is 2 and not scared of hair dressers or anything but finds it hard to sit still for the whole time, so last time he went they wouldnt finish it as he was wriggling too much, and i had to finish it while he was sleeping too (but even in his sleep he senses it and comes to wack your hand out the way, so had to do it gradually..) so i feel its not worth the effort of taking them if you wont come out with 100% finished and good result. he is not keen on hair washing @ the moment either, so you're not alone in that. i just reduced the frequency of hair washing rather than do it every day and upset him as it doesn't really get dirty, im just doing it once a week now and you can't even tell! sometimes not worth having a fight over, im sure they will grow out of it..

thisisyesterday · 05/07/2010 20:34

we go to a lovely place where they sit in front of a giant fishtank! works on ds2

harley85 · 06/07/2010 15:13

can he go to the barber with his Dad? make it a father son thing? worked for my sister, also try and let him see the same person all the time, that seems to help too

bananabrain · 06/07/2010 20:17

Have also been through this with ds1, starting age 2/3. We used to cut his in his sleep and then hope he turned over so we could do the other side! He's now 6 and still not super keen, but he did have a couple of successful trips to the hairdressers last year. We usually still cut it ourselves but he just about lets us with a lot of cringing and wriggling. I'm sure your ds will also grow out of it in time... and maybe very slowly!
(We had tried bribery, distraction, father and son thing, anything else we could think of ..... nothing worked.....)
He also hated hair washing and we just didn't bother for quite a long time and now do it now and again, although he is happy to get it wet with water often now which seems to keep it clean looking.

neversaydie · 06/07/2010 20:38

Haircuts were pretty traumatic in our family, too. Probably not helped by me having to stifle sobs when those first blonde curls were cut off...

Starting out with a sympathetic home hairdresser did help, a lot. We then graduated to a proper barber, and had tears at his changed appearance in the mirror (his tears this time) and wriggling every time the clippers came out.

What helped in the end was moving to a barber who employed a lovely, chatty young woman, who talked to him not at him, and made him feel a part of the process. This happened when he was about 4. He still (aged 10) loathes the clippers, though.

maniacbug · 06/07/2010 21:00

Um, do it yourself? After one too many traumatic trips to the hairdresser ("Aaaaargh, you're HURTING ME! Help! Get off! Heeeeeelp!") I bought a set of clippers for DS (5) and a pair of proper haircutting scissors for DD (3). Now I sit 'em in front of a film, job done in 20 minutes each. (First efforts bit lopsided but had a certain unique 'charm'. No, hang on, that's not the word DH used...)

diggingintheribs · 06/07/2010 21:05

Our breakthrough with ds (3.3) was a book called 'Will gets a haircut'

I don't know why but ds skipped to the hairdresser the next time and we had a beautiful cut (at last not a rush job!!)

onepieceoflollipop · 06/07/2010 21:10

I have a mobile hairdresser who has literally known my dcs since before they wre born and is like an "auntie" to them, so no problems.

If that fell through then both of them literally beg dh to take them with him to the barbers. The local one has a very welcoming attitude to younger customers. His secret? - tin full of Freddo bars (one while you/your dad have hair cut and one to take home!) and a load of colouring/reading books. Better than paying to go to the soft play tbh.

nagoo · 06/07/2010 21:13

I agree that lolly-bearing hairdressers get the job done

Lastyearsmodel · 06/07/2010 21:14

Mobile hairdresser works here too - she's got her own kids of a similar age (4 and 2) so nothing fazes her and our kids get to see everyone having their hair cut every 6 weeks, so if they miss one cos they're having one of those days, they generally want to the next time.

bodiddly · 06/07/2010 21:15

my ds was truly awful with both hair cuts and hair washing. He used to get almost hysterical - we eventually found a local haidresser who had a Children's Corner with a dvd player and toys - many years later he now has his cut and sits and watches a dvd while mine is done! It took a long time for him to accept it but it helped that he got to know the hairdresser .. we used to pop in sometimes and say hello when in town. The hairwashing thing was tricky ... and we tried different things over time .. wiping a flannel over it then - getting it wetter each time until eventually he held it over his face while we poured water over him ... it has taken years though but bribery and distraction helped a great deal!

onepieceoflollipop · 06/07/2010 21:16

My 2 year old pushes me out of the way when the hairdresser arrives. me first she squeals. (even if she isn't due a haircut)

MrsJohnDeere · 06/07/2010 21:18

Do you have one of those hairdressers aimed at children nearby? I found one that has special chairs (cars, aeroplanes etc), dvds playing (child can choose which one), sweets, etc. My nightmare of a 2yo was absolutely fine after having gone into meltdown when we tried in a standard barbers.

Danthe4th · 06/07/2010 21:27

My ds1 had his first proper haircut at a hairdressers age 7 a month before his 8th birthday.
Up until then I have had to cut it and actually got quite good!!!
He would sit for me watching tv, I even bought proper scissors.
We tried taking him with his dad, with his sisters, teasing him, bribing him,mobile hairdressers, nothing worked until he decided it was time.
He sat like an angel!!
i'm so glad I didn't make a fuss, he also took that long to open his mouth at the dentist.

Karoleann · 06/07/2010 22:01

I feed both of mine (2 and 4) chocolate buttons whilst they have their hair cut! Its always worked fine x

cece · 06/07/2010 22:05

I gave up taking DS1 to the hairdressers. He used to wriggle and scream and generally be unco-operative. A couple of times we left with half a haircut.

Instead I took him to a barbers and got a man to do it. It was like a different child. He sat still and didn't move a muscle the whole time it was being cut. Since then we go to the barbers verytime and never a problem now.

SoBloodyTired · 06/07/2010 22:13

We gave up with local salons due to hysterics and now have a lovely mobile hairdresser come to the house. She does mine first and lets him cause havoc with the water spray. Then when mine's done she runs really silent clippers over his hair to take the length off and tidies it with scissors. No problems now, and he loves her. Still refuses hairwashing though, so we only do that when it's really crusty!

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