Since I was getting to be
such a big girl, my mom and dad said it was time for my first, real haircut!
My Mom decided to take me
to watch her haircut, so I wouldn't be afraid when it was my turn. Before
going, she and my dad told me all about hair.
"It's not like cutting
another part of your body, Samantha," my mom said. "A haircut is not
like a scraped knee or a cut on your finger. It doesn't hurt when you cut
hair." She took a pair of scissors and cut off a little of her own hair to
show me. She had really, long hair, so she wouldn't miss a little bit!
"See, Sammi? That
wasn't too scary, was it?" my dad asked. I told him it wasn't.
When it was time for my
mom's haircut, we went to Niki's Hair Studio.
That's where my parents always go, because they're friends with Niki. Mom says
she's really nice--and she even gives out lollipops!
My parents brought me to
Niki's on Saturday. She was very funny. Niki asked me if I wanted to try
cutting my mom's hair, and I told her that was silly. Everybody laughed at
that.
In no time at all, my mom's
haircut was finished. It didn't seem like a big deal, either. It wasn't scary
at all. Niki even talked and laughed while she was cutting her hair.
"When you come in for
your own haircut," said Niki, "we'll talk about how you'd like me to
cut it, okay?"
"Okay," I said.
Then she gave me a lollipop for being so good.
When it was my turn, we
went back to Niki's. She was just as nice as the last time. I sat in the big
haircut chair, and my parents sat over by the magazines so they could watch.
Niki put this big apron over me, so I wouldn't get hair all over my clothes.
She said she was going to spray my hair with a little water from her spritzer
bottle, and that it wouldn't hurt. It was a little cold and it tickled, but I
didn't move one bit.
"So, what would you
like me to do with your hair today, Miss?" she asked. I looked at my mom
to see what she thought. She winked at me and whispered, "Just a little
off the bangs and all around."
"Did you hear that,
Niki?" I asked her. I heard my mom and dad giggle.
"Yes, m'aam. Just a
little off the bangs and all around. We'll be done in no time!"
Niki snipped a little off
here and and a little more there. Snip! Snip! I could hear the scissors, but I
didn't feel anything. In fact, it was so relaxing, I almost fell asleep!
After my haircut, Niki said
how pretty I looked, then she gave me a lollipop.
"Now that wasn't so
bad, was it?" she asked.
"Piece of cake!"
I answered, as I opened up my lollipop. "I'm a big girl now, so haircuts
don't scare me at all!"
1) Tell your child all about hair before the
"big day." Tell him or her that, just because it's called a cut, it's
not like getting a cut on another part of the body. You've probably already
warned your child about the dangers of playing with scissors, so that may come
to mind when you talk about getting a cut&emdash;and when someone starts
waving them at his or her head!
&emdash;Cut a little of
your own hair to demonstrate, or cut a little of your child's hair and say,
"See, wasn't that easy?" or the like.
&emdash;Make sure your
child understands that hair grows back! It seems simple to an adult, but maybe
your child hasn't picked that up, yet.
2) Remember, your child's opinions and feelings
concerning the haircut are important! They help shape his or her attitude
towards the whole experience. Talk about what your child might like to have for
a cut and what you're willing to allow.
3) Parents, at the hair salon, DON'T HOVER! Consider
whether you really need to be right at your child's side or whether the hair
stylist has it all under control. You don't want him or her to focus on YOU and
risk moving too much.
4) Skip the shampooing! Most of the time, you
monitor your child's bathing, and you most likely keep his or her hair clean
enough. Not having the stylist shampoo your child's hair may help to avoid
making the whole experience more traumatic. Just have the stylist use a water
spritzer whenever possible.
5) And remember, haircuts are supposed to be
RELAXING!
