Cutting a child’s hair is well-known for being, let’s just say, not the easiest task. Any hairdresser or barber knows it can be difficult to cut a little person’s hair, whether they don’t like having their hair touched, or just because they can’t sit still very for long. That’s just the way it is and it’s up to the hairdresser to make the process as smooth and easy for everyone involved as possible. Here’s a few things you can do to make it all a bit more straightforward for yourself, and your little client!
- Win them over with a toy
We don’t normally approve of bribery, but this is the one situation where we think it can be helpful, if not completely necessary! Have a supply of toys, like balloons to keep them distracted. If you can get them to play for long enough, they’ll probably stop taking any notice of what you’re doing so you can finish the task at hand. If they’re a bit older and need more distraction, how about having a tablet in the salon so they can watch their favourite programme, or play a game for a while?
- Make the environment child-friendly
Often the hairdressing environment can be unpleasant for kids just because they’re not child friendly. The spaces have normally been designed with adults in mind and as such they’re downright boring for children. You can solve this by having a child-friendly corner of the salon, or if you don’t have room for that, at least a special seat for kids and a brightly coloured Neocape child’s gown.
- Understand the child’s needs
The most important thing is that the child is comfortable and happy during the cut – it’s not worth either of you becoming stressed for the sake of a haircut! It’s really key that stylists are able to identify and adapt to the needs of the child to ensure they’re comfortable, just as with adults, each child is going to be different and the hairdresser has to adapt accordingly.
And how about you, do you have any tips for handling your smaller clientele? We’d love to hear your comments on how you make cutting children’s hair an enjoyable experience for everyone!