I recently brought my daughter to her first haircut. We had talked about having her hair cut for weeks and to say she was ecstatic is an understatement! She even wore her unicorn costume dress to the appointment. My son’s first haircut was a breeze when he was 2 years old, so I expected the same with my daughter. Plus, we watched several YouTube videos with moms doing their daughter’s hair.

I packed lunch with a bunch of snacks, charged the iPad, brought an extra charger, and the most tedious – got a COVID test within the required 24 hours before her appointment! I literally followed all the steps and also arrived 15 minutes early in preparation for her first haircut. However, as we were standing in front of the chair to have her hair washed, Little C had a change of heart. She refused to climb up into the chair. After 15 minutes of convincing and an annoyed hairstylist, I realized that Little C’s HUGELY anticipated haircut, was a HUGE failure and we would have to travel back home defeated. Little C later told to me that she was expecting a female to trim her hair and not a “boy” (although he’s a grown man). We had watched several YouTube clips of kids getting a haircut, but it didn’t dawn on me to stress the fact and watch videos with males styling little girl’s hair. The thought never came to me that a specific gender role was engrained in her head and associated with styling hair.

Below are five quick tips to remember when bringing your toddler for a haircut:

1. Be sure they know what to expect

Watch online tutorials and videos of other kids having their hair trimmed. If possible, try to visit the salon ahead of your appointment so they can become acquainted with their stylist and salon settings. That way, on the day of the appointment, they have a clear mental visual in their head of what to expect.

2. Bring items to keep them entertained

Bring some books, toys or a lollipop to fight boredom. Although many parents try to limit screen time, everyone relies on their mobile device to entertain their child once in a while. While limited screen time is OK according to their age, make sure you have a few apps or shows downloaded.

3. Pack extra clothes

Bring an extra change of clothes in case they end up with a lot of hair clippings down their back or they don’t want to wear the salon cape.

4. Find a child-friendly salon or ask your stylist if they work with kids

The bright colors, fun chairs and kid-friendly activities will make the entire experience even more fun. If your salon isn’t kid-focused, confirm with the stylist that they work with kids. Since a kid’s hair appointment can be hit-or-miss, many stylists don’t cut kids’ hair.

5. Schedule your appointment at prime time

Make sure your appointment is when your child is awake and fit. Don’t schedule an appointment during lunch, nap time, snack time or a certain time period when they may be fickle to a schedule change.

Do you have any do's or dont's for your child's hair appointment? How have previous hair appointments been for you and your family?