First haircuts can be a scary thing! Going to a place you aren’t familiar with, having a person you don’t know putting a cape on you and coming at your head with buzzing clippers or scissors. At My Father’s Mustache, we work hard to ensure your kiddo has the best first haircut ever! We also wanted to pass over some awesome tips and tricks to make your child’s first haircut fast, smooth, and fun for everyone!

Before you even have your child’s first appointment scheduled; there are some awesome steps you can take to help ensure your child feels comfortable. Read the story “I was Brave for my First Haircut,” by Robb Hanlon with your child and let them familiarize themselves with not only the tools being used, but also just the entire process! This story can be found on the free app Haircut Heroes; this is a great resource for kiddos and also has a matching game to match different tools and treats at the barbershop or salon. Another great way to immerse your child into a salon or barbershop is to bring them with you when you or their siblings are getting their haircut. This helps them know that everyone gets their hair cut, and also see that everyone is reacting in a calm manner! Typically the sweet spot for first haircuts is between 12 and 18 months old, during this time children are open to new experiences and less frightened when they are under 2 years old. It also helps to get them on a routine with their haircuts, and they will gain confidence with each and every visit.

Once you are ready to schedule their appointment, pick a time of day when your child is usually playing, don’t plan a haircut right before or during nap or sleep time. At these times of day, your child is more likely to be irritable and tired, whereas during playtime their mind is open and excited. On the day before your appointment, within an hour of your service take the time to thoroughly detangle and comb your child’s hair. Removing tangles and knots can be a painful experience for children, and having a stranger do this only makes the child more frustrated and less trusting. We want their first haircut to go as smooth as possible, so by helping us in this way we are able to be trusted by your child! Once they are in the chair and things are going smoothly, try your hardest not to ask questions that could receive a negative response. For example, don’t ask “Do you want to get a haircut?” or “Does that hurt?” If you ask these types of questions, then they will know there is a chance they could be hurt or that they don’t even need a haircut! If things still aren’t going super smooth, then we can always offer a lollipop to help pacify and soothe the child! If things go great, then they are more than welcome to a lollipop at the end!

We think you should choose My Father’s Mustache for your child’s first haircut because not only do we offer outstanding service, but we also provide a “First Haircut” certificate, we will save their hair for you, we have a treat bin with LOTS to choose from like frisbees, bracelets, lollipops, whistles and so much more! We would love to have you and your family!