Hairdressers For Kids!

Published on August 12, 2006 By Sally jacobs In Home & Family

I was watching The Dragons Den the other day. If you haven't seen it, it's a pretty simple concept, people take business idea's to a panel of multi-millionaires and they decide whether they want to invest their hard earned cash into the ideas. For the most part they chew people up, and tell them how awful the idea is. If by a small chance they like the idea, they then proceed to rip them off, and get all they can out of it. I watched it, I have to say I love programmes like this, I am a bit of a sucker for programmes like that. There was one idea on it that I really liked, and thought was a completely good idea. An idea no one else has shared my enthusiasm in. So maybe the dragons were right. The idea is, a hairdressers, just for kids. I don't know if they exist already, I am sure somewhere they do, but here in sunny England there isn't such a thing, but I think it would work.

When my sister is taking Maddy to the hairdressers, she struggles. Maddy doesn't like it, and they have to get it over and done with as soon as possible. I have known a few other people who have also struggled with their kids, and just found it a completely traumatic experience. Now imagine somewhere that was specifically designed for children. The atmosphere was designed for children to get their haircut. So they weren't just getting in the way of the adults that want their hair done. The people cutting the hair, were especially trained to deal with kids, and their haircutting technique was also suitable. The place had toys, was brightly coloured, and made kids feel comfortable. They'd always want their haircutting!

Plus, lots of parents like things that are especially designed for children. They like to spoil them and do everything they can to make them comfortable, they like the whole 'mini me' kind of thing. So why wouldn't it work? Or is it just a completely bad idea, and I am wrong?

Comments

Texas Wahine

on Aug 12, 2006

When we lived in TX, I took the boys to a place like this. The seats were shaped like animals or planes, kind of like the 25 cent rides stores once had out front.

The kids could play video games or watch TV while they were getting their hair cut. The whole thing was set up to make it fun and exciting for little ones.

Sometimes it's good to get kids used to how things REALLY are, instead of adapting everything to fit their interests. A parent might want them to learn to get used to haircuts at a barber shop so that when they outgrew the special shop they wouldn't have a problem with the switch. I can understand that mentality.

My boys aren't trouble at hair salons or barber shops, though, so I would happily take them to either place. If there were a kids barber shop here, I'd probably take them to that, just for fun. They know how to be still and be good at the boring places, too.

Dr Guy

on Aug 12, 2006

There are none here. But I can tell you the first haircut my oldest son got (at about 20 months), it took 2 of them to hold him down! (I was tired of people telling me that I had 2 adorable girls - he is the only one of the 4 that got my natural curly hair).

In College, he grew his hair long. Guess he still hates hair dressers (or whatever you want to call them).

AngelaMarie88

on Aug 13, 2006

I would LOVE if they had a place like that around here. Two haircuts ago, the barber actually sent us away without cutting our son's hair because she couldn't deal with our child laying in a heap, screaming, on the floor. Imagine! :

:

Miraculously the next time we tried, there was a nice lady there who charmed my son into a haircut. I'm telling you, it was nothing short of miraculous what a good boy he was. Of course it helped even more when she turned the TV to the Disney Channel

But a children's place would be perfect. Most importantly I think is that they'd hire people who are really good with children. That quality is hit-and-miss at most hair places.

Sally jacobs

on Aug 13, 2006

Sometimes it's good to get kids used to how things REALLY are, instead of adapting everything to fit their interests. A parent might want them to learn to get used to haircuts at a barber shop so that when they outgrew the special shop they wouldn't have a problem with the switch. I can understand that mentality.

I never thought of it from that perspective. You have a good point. I think you're right though, if the kids didn't have a problem with it, maybe it would just be nice for them to take them there!

But I can tell you the first haircut my oldest son got (at about 20 months), it took 2 of them to hold him down! (I was tired of people telling me that I had 2 adorable girls - he is the only one of the 4 that got my natural curly hair).

Hehe aww! I bet he's a right cutie. I was the same, I hated getting my hair washed at the hairdressers, I used to scream the place down!

I think a place where people know how to deal with children is really important. Kids generally can read people quite well and if they know someone is uncomfortable they pick up on it. You're son sounds like a sweetie, hehe! I was exactly the same!

Thanks for the comments x

dynamaso

on Aug 14, 2006

I think it is a great idea. As a child, I can remember my father taking me to his barber. I remember being intimidated by the place, by the smells, the sounds, and particularly by the big, burly barber. He'd spin his scissors on his fingers like some crazed Edward Scissorhands-type character. He used to use hand clippers, which would occasionally catch, pulling at the hair and hurting. I am sure I used to get panic attacks everytime we'd drive past the barber.

Dr Guy

on Aug 14, 2006

I am sure I used to get panic attacks everytime we'd drive past the barber.

Better than the barbers of yore - they were the ones that did the blood letting!

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