Page 94 - Cosmetology

• STEP 6: If your child has long hair, give it a good brushing and detangling before
heading to the salon. Your child will be less likely to enjoy their haircut if the first
ten minutes is spent trying to brush out knots and tangles.
• STEP 7: Try to arrive for your appointment on time or a few minutes early.
Showing up too early will mean your child will have to sit and wait and possibly
use up all their patience before the cut even begins, too late and they will be
rushed and stressed.
• STEP 8: Once it is your child’s turn, keep your attitude positive and bring any
snacks or distractions with you to the stylist’s chair. If your child seems
frightened, quietly let the stylist know about your child’s fears so the stylist can
help you in making the haircut seem fun.
• STEP 9: Explain what type of hairstyle you want for your child and ask any
questions you may have before it begins. Again, be realistic with what your child
will be able to handle. If he or she is restless or fearful, opt for a simple trim or
cut that can be performed quickly.
• STEP 10: If your child is frightened or squirming, stay with your child during the
haircut. Distract them by reading or singing songs or even talking to them about
something unrelated to their haircut.
• STEP 11: Sometimes a young child just isn’t ready for the stylist’s chair. If they
are unwilling to sit still or seem very frightened and can’t be coaxed into
cooperating, ask your stylist if your child can have a little time out of the chair to
calm down. Forcing a child to sit when they’re terrified won’t create fond
memories of trips to the hairdresser and may deepen their fear of haircuts.
• STEP 12: Ask if your child can watch someone else have his hair cut to see that
it’s nothing to fear. If that doesn’t work, ask your stylist if your child can sit on
your lap during the cut. Many times a stylist can work around you and perform
the cut while you sit with and comfort your small child.
• STEP 13: If you still can’t manage to get your child to cooperate using any of
these techniques, know when to throw in the towel and try again later. As much as
you may want your child’s hair cut, a stylist can only do so much with a crying
and squirming child. Remember, your child will have sharp scissors very close to
their head and, as careful as a hairstylist can be, a wrong move at the wrong time
(especially when cutting around the ears for short hairstyles) can be dangerous.
Not to mention it's much harder to get an even haircut on a moving target.
• STEP 14: If you and your stylist do manage to get through the haircut, remember
again to be realistic. If there was a lot of squirming during the haircut, don’t spend
the next five minutes picking apart the haircut and demanding that every stray
hair be fixed. You can expect a reasonably even and nice looking cut, but don’t
expect perfection. You’ll only be drawing out the process and likely trying the
little patience that your child has for staying in the chair.
• STEP 15: Learn from your previous experiences. If your child’s salon visit was
less than successful, try altering the time of his or her next appointment. Or, if
your child is able to tell you, ask them how you can make it better for them.
Experiment to see what will help your child enjoy their visits to the salon.
• STEP 16: If you liked the stylist who performed the haircut, try to make future
appointments with that stylist. Your child will get to know and trust the same