Tips for Parents: Getting Your Toddler or Child to Sit Still During a Haircut

There is a way to eliminate a toddler's haircut stress for good.

Congratulations to the parent who has the toddler who will sit still long enough for a proper haircut. Or, will actually go to the barber or haircutting place without a fuss or a bribe.

This is for the rest of the parents.

Problem: Haircut,

Stress and the Toddler

Taking a toddler outside the home for a haircut can be very stressful for the child. No matter how gentle and nice the hairdresser or barber is, no matter how many distractions they try, or lollipops they offer, the toddler may not be too pleased. The result? A partial haircut, a screaming and crying bout, and a bill.

Solution: Bathtub Haircut

One alternative to this is to discreetly trim the toddler's hair in the bathtub. This may not be the best for girls with long hair, but it will work for girls with short hair, and for boys with short hair.

After the toddler has had a shampoo, and is busy playing in the tub, bring out a small but sharp pair of scissors. Start with the hair on the back of the back fo the head near the neck, which is where the hair can tend to be long.

Gently rub the hair in upward direction. The long wet hair will stand up and you can cut it. Work from left to right, or right to left. Don't cut too closely to the scalp, just get rid of the longer pieces.

Then move up further on the back of the head and do the same. If the toddler has a spot where the hair stands on end when dry, cut those hairs closer to the scalp.

During the process, wipe of the scissors in the water, dry with a towel, and talk to the toddler about taking a bath, or the toys. Also rinse the hair off the head, and off of the child's body. The child will not be bothered by hair in the clothes later, like after a traditional haircut.

After the back is done, move on to the hair on the sides of the head. By now the toddler has figured out you are doing something, but probably won't mind since he or she is busy having fun with bath toys.