Salon visits can be scary experiences for small children: They are boring, full of strangers and strange smelling products, you are being ordered to sit still for ages, whilst some idiot is doing terrible things to your hair which you didn't want to happen in the first place. Life is sooo unfair!
So how do you as a parent, avoid, annoying the stylist, upsetting your child and getting yourself stressed? Well this is where your best child psychology skills come into play! Sometimes your child will have unwarranted fears and you have to help to overcome them. Creating trust by taking their concerns seriously is the first and most important step. Promising a treat can also help. Best of all is to check in your local area to see if there is one of the growing number of new specialized children's salons available. Salon chains like Cartoon Cuts are designed to make the hair cut experience more positive and entertaining for small children: toys, video games, specially shaped chairs and specially-trained stylists, all help to ensue the experience is more like going to a theme park rather than a visit to the doctor.
Home Sweet Home
However, if your child is afraid of the hairdresser's, then try to cut their hair at home. They will feel safe and comfortable and you will save time and money. You can do it yourself if you have the skills - or the bravery. Cutting hair for a child is basically the same for an adult, except that a child's hair is usually thin and baby soft. Keep the bangs approx. 1/2" from the eyebrows. If the child's hair is thin, avoid short cuts for now until their hair comes in thicker. Shape around the face if you're trying to grow it long. If you don't have any haircutting experience, you might want to seek out a step by step guide on children's hair cutting, or get someone to do it for you.
Putting on the Style
Whatever you do, remember that today's media-savvy, celebrity-crazy kids want to look good. Children start to take an interest in their own hair style from an early age; even the kindergarten set want to be in-style. They want their hair to be like their best friend or even a television character. Boys that used to be seen only in ball caps are now having their hair bleached and highlighted.
Finding the right hair style for a child is usually about finding a cool, fun, and easy-to-manage child hair style that suits your youngster's active lifestyle. But you may experience resistance - as children get older they start to have very definite opinions of how they want to wear their hair. This hairstyle preference will surface in early childhood and continue throughout the teen years and into adulthood. Many a growing child will argue with their parents over how they want to wear their hair to school. At this stage of development the hair becomes a major identity factor.
Hair Care 101
The key is to be encouraging; as children start to take an interest in their own hair and how they style it, this is the time to encourage them to follow an entire regime of good hair hygiene practices. It is important to show a child (when they are willing), how to properly shampoo and rinse their own hair. You can also teach them about towel blotting, detangling, combing and brushing their hair. Help them build a good hair hygiene schedule so that they learn the importance of keeping their hair clean and neat. Try also to get them to develop good eating habits because healthy hair is very dependent on high quality carbohydrates and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Good nutrition will promote shine and condition at any age.
Tips for Tip-Top Hair
Washing - use a mild shampoo, preferably in the child's favorite color or scent. Sometimes children are more willing to wash their hair with a fun shampoo, especially if it doesn't sting their eyes.
Combing/brushing - try to create trust and reassurance by allowing them to comb and brush their own hair on their own terms. Do not brush your child's hair 100 strokes before bedtime in the traditional manner - this will over stimulate the sebaceous glands and make the hair greasy and heavy. Doing a quick brush to get the tangles out should be sufficient. Combing the hair will promote shine and condition. Remember to use a comb on wet hair rather than a brush or you risk creating static electricity, which leads to breakage.
Accessories - give your child high quality combs and brushes and teach them the proper way to care for their hair to instill good grooming habits that will last a lifetime. Purchase some "hair friendly" clips and hair ties to help a child keep their hair off their face, and reduce the chance of tangling or matting. Stay away from any hairclips with sharp teeth, because they can cut into the hair and cause potential hair damage.
Tangles - all parents know that dealing with tangles is a nightmare for both parent and child. Here's how to reduce the trauma of removing tangles:
1. Hold the section of hair you're trying to comb out.
2. Hold it taut so the child won't feel you ripping through the ends. 3. Spray a good leave-in detangler on the knot.
4. You can also comb conditioner in while the child's hair is still wet. Children need conditioner too (avoid heavy types and stick with conditioners that are specifically called "light" conditioners).
References:
1. Children's Hair, www.Styles101.com
2. Child Hair Style and Hair Care Tips, Short-hair-styles.com
3. Lets Talk Kids Hair, Lynne Chapman http://www.bellaonline.com
Michael Barrows is a web publisher specialing in niche marketing. Pick up his FREE ebook "(Nearly) Everything You Should Know ABout Hairstyles and Hair Care" at his website; http://www.bellaonline.com
home cleaning services Deerfield .."I could have helped you if I would have known,... Read More
Many times, we are so conditioned in how we speak... Read More
Often I will hear parents say, "I just ignore Jr.... Read More
Are you feeling overwhelmed being a parent? Do you want... Read More
I'm sure many of you have heard that old Hallmark... Read More
Diapers..Changing a dirty diaper is not the best part of... Read More
You're trying to catch up on some sleep on a... Read More
Until the moment I became a mother, I couldn't quite... Read More
Does your child pout, blame and brood? Does he gripe,... Read More
Although, not a well publicized statistic, childhood obesity has more... Read More
Teachers know that children thrive in an environment with routines,... Read More
If you spend any time in the parenting section of... Read More
1. Boundaries are necessary for control and safety.All children need... Read More
Dexedrine is not prescribed very often for the treatment of... Read More
One of my first memories of childhood is that of... Read More
Anorexia nervosa is a serious medical disorder that is statistically... Read More
In our last article about the neurology of ADHD we... Read More
Self-reliance and potential are two very important values that I'd... Read More
Once your little boy/girl goes off to school, you may... Read More
We are all familiar with the stories that most students... Read More
IntroductionChildren are the gifts of God to parents. That young... Read More
As a parent you will be asked to assist with... Read More
Child support is defined as that part of your income... Read More
Most of us really don't like it when someone is... Read More
Prioritize. Learn to say No. Steal some time for yourself.Don't... Read More
recurring housekeeping Highland Park ..Everyone in a private practice setting who works with children... Read More
Several similar terms describe the central attribute of a character... Read More
Mommy (Daddy), Why do those people want to hurt everyone?Last... Read More
The cruel callous remarks made by our offspring can sometimes... Read More
It's sometimes difficult to find ways to be involved with... Read More
All of us, including your child, entered this world equipped... Read More
? Let the child choose his or her own lunch... Read More
'How can I start getting my children to help out... Read More
Looking for an unusual and memorable gift? Why not preserve... Read More
Search for Assurance: The Power of BelongingThe job hunt is... Read More
Hints from Ruowen Wang? Keep a small basket filled with... Read More
What parent hasn't gone into a son's or daughter's room... Read More
O.K. So now you have taken the step of having... Read More
In dealing with children with autism spectrum disorders, its all... Read More
We were all teens at one time for some many... Read More
Young people generally want to fit in to their various... Read More
Did you know there's a game children and parents play... Read More
Is there anything wrong with lying, cheating, stealing, shop-lifting, taking... Read More
When you think about it, probably the one thing that... Read More
There isn't a school day that goes by that I... Read More
A common theme over the past 20 years has been... Read More
There are a lot of sophisticated parenting theories and techniques... Read More
The hot new reality TV show "Nanny 911" has been... Read More
Let's face it: raising children can be quite the adventure.... Read More
Have you heard the song; "I Hope You Dance"? It... Read More
Parenting |