haircut traumas in 3 year old-what to do!?

lilrahi

When DS was 3 he used to do that, he'd cry and squirm and wriggle and hair would get all over the place but I think that's because he was scared. Prior to that, I'd always kept his hair really short, shaving it completely ever couple of months and then when he started nursery, stopped shaving because I didn't want him to be embarrassed. The first time, I used the clippers he screamed bloody murder. I promised him sweets, I begged, I pleaded, I shouted, threatened but nothing worked and ended up with hair all over the bathroom. The next time it was better and better until I worked up the courage to take him to a barbers. Next door to barbers was a newsagent and first we went in there and he selected a toy and I promised to buy him that if he behaved at the barbers. Wonder of wonders, with minimum wriggling, we managed to get he job done. And now I don't even need to bribe him!

osian

My daughter (now 3 but about 23 months at the time) first had her hair cut by a mobile hairdresser, she'd seen my hair being cut by the hairdresser a few times and had got used to her.

I then went to a high street hairdresser and she made a bit of a fuss, so I went back again another time.

I had a little book with a hairdresser in and took that in with me to look at while waiting, I also find that bribery works a little (e.g. you can have a treat later if you sit nicely).

Now she loves having her hair cut and having a fuss after she has it done, all the ladies tell her she looks beautiful and she's so proud.

I think after a while of fussing, something clicked and she became more accepting.

Does he like Mr Tumble? There is an episode of Something Special where a little girl has her hair cut - think it is called 'High Street' and they are visiting a town in Ireland. It is one of the older series, not the most recent.

Curlywurli

I'm so glad it's not just my son that goes through this. We have a home hairdresser but he's an absolute nightmare for him. We have to pin him down, he squirms, shouts, screams, his nose runs everywhere. We tried a barber but he was so bad that she refused to do him! The last time my hairdresser did him at home he ended up with a wonky hair cut because that was all he could manage. It was right before his nursery photo so I bought clippers. He was fantastic for the first time but since then we've gone back to the hysterics. It is easier to deal with at home though with no strangers involved.

sassyblue

My son was the same, and using clippers was a NO-NO (shame because l tried buying a set and trying to cut it myself). I just took him to different hairdressers until we found one he was happy with. The clincher was going to the hairdresser daddy went to, which is at the top of a busy road. He could sit in his chair and through the mirror in front of him he could see what was coming up the road and sometimes it was buses or tractors.

The fact that the hairdresser is a pretty lady was nothing to do with it l'm sure. :rotfl:

She's moved shops now but we still go to her and no traumas anymore, she's even able to use the clippers.

You could also try, letting him sit on your knee whilst having it done, bribe him with a lollipop to eat whilst it's being done or afterwards. It's very hard but l'm sure he will grow out of it.

jellyhead

Spendless wrote: »

My mum's a hairdresser and even she didn't used to cut my son's hair when he was little! I went to the barbers that was really quick, as I see you have done. The barber also used to have a couple of little toys, cars, lorries that she would give to kids to hold as she 'zoomed' over their hair. That was something for him to concentrate on instead of squirming, and held interest as it was te only time he'd get to see/play with that toy. Maybe give that a try? A small item that he will like packed away in your handbag that only comes out at hair cut time.

It just helps to have something for the hands to do, so even letting them hold onto something random might work. A nice doctor told me that to help with my fear of smear tests. It does work. If the barber offers a lollipop after haircuts, maybe he could hold onto that (keep the wrapper on, obviously).

Both my boys have hated haircuts (I cut their nails while they slept, it wasn't worth the battle when they were awake). I found that the barbers can use the clippers a lot faster than I can, so we're sticking with barbers. An all-over shave (grade 4 I think? not completely bald) is fastest, even though it's not the most attractive of haircuts. My eldest has grown his hair long, but youngest has very thick, awkward hair that looks terrible long and is very itchy and uncomfortable, so if he grows it he just scratches his head all the time and people think he has nits.

Now that youngest is 6 and can talk more about what it is that he hates, there are 2 things - the feeling of pain on his scalp, and the itching on his face. Thick hair hurts more, even just combing it is uncomfortable - my husband confirms this as his hair is the same (he grew his too). Having it wet helps, and scarecrow hair needs more of a spray than normal hair does, so it may be that the barber isn't spraying enough water on first.

Also, I hover around my son with a newspaper or similar, to shield his face from the itchy hairs. It's worse if they hate it because they sweat so the hairs stick, and if they open their mouth to scream they get a mouthful of hair.

He's not a naughty child and it's not a simple case of telling him to sit down and shut up - it really feels like torture to some kids.

When was was 4 he did at least stop screaming during hair cuts. You can tell that he hates it, but he doesn't cry any more, he knows he just has to put up with it. Nail cutting is less traumatic now too

Fingers crossed that he'll be able to cope better with it soon OP

catch_me_if_you_can

aliasojo wrote: »

He also hated getting his toenails cut, that was a saga too. He still does and he's 28 now.

me too. I hate it! :eek: