Any ideas on getting this kid's hair cut?

[melk]

DD,3, has gone for a haircut before (two or three times in fact, never a problem, sat still, ate a lollipop). I have made three appointments in the last two weeks for her haircut and she will not get in the chair! The last place was even a kid's salon. She would have sat in a fire engine, watched Dora the Explorer and picked out candy from the jar afterwards...no way. She screamed and screamed and we had to leave. I really don't know what is up with her.

Any suggestions out there from someone who's gone through this? I really don't know anyone that can come over and do it and DH is threatening to do it himself (yikes ).

I should add that the reason I really want to cut it is that she's in the gross habit of putting it in her mouth. I try to put it in a ponytail or pigtails but she always pulls them out! Help!!

 

[DisneyBug1995]

Will she sit on your lap while they cut her hair? I have to do that with my son who is 2 1/2.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Originally posted by melk

I should add that the reason I really want to cut it is that she's in the gross habit of putting it in her mouth.

BINGO! That is why she won't sit for the haircut. Have you tried bribery? I would think that as a 3yo "giving up" her hair in the mouth she will have to rationalize getting something for that.
Maybe get or do something special for getting her haircut? Make it an offer she can't refuse.

Good Luck!

 

[melk]

Disneybug1995,
At one place they wouldn't let me put her on my lap and at the kid's salon DH tried to sit in a chair with her on his lap and she was having no part of it!

The Mystery Machine,
You may have something, I am not above bribery, but she's one tough little cookie!

 

[Pin Wizard]

Hmmm...I'm surprised they didn't ask you to sit with her on your lap. Maybe skip the "kids'" salon and head to your salon.

 

[ChristmasElf]

I have a very good friend who's dd did the hair in the mouth thing as well.
Her pediatrician told her to try using different hair care products that would leave a bitter taste behind. didn't work.
So, she went to the pet supply store and bought "bitter apple" It is a clear spray that will stop puppys from chewing on furniture and draperies.
It is non toxic and non harmful to humans. It just leaves a bitter taste if it gets on your tongue! This worked great!!!
So maybe it will work for you!

 

[Cruisin]

I wonder if she is afraid for some reason???

With kids you never know what could have caused her to be frightened of getting her hair cut. Even if she has already had a haircut, something she saw on tv or somewhere else could have affected her perception of the hair cut

Just another possibility.

 

[Randi]

Guess I must have missed something, but why is it so gross to have a lock of hair in the mouth? Maybe it is comforting to her at this phase of life. I used to suck my thumb, but my folks never made an issue of it and I eventually stopped on my own. Probably your daughter will too. Somehow I think you may have worse hair issues when she becomes a teen!
Good luck.

 

[Van Helsing]

Any ideas on getting this kid's hair cut?

Put a bowl over their head and cut round it --

 

[Scratch42]

The Barber Shop at MK!

If that's not a good enough bribe..........LOL!

Scratch

 

[JESW]

Oh Melissa, I feel your pain! DD5 was always such a pain to get her hair cut - and she has the wildest hair! Now that she is 5 it's not a problem, but at 3 it was! I also spend the extra $$ at a kids salon where she gets to watch a video. Can her older sisters talk her into it? Does the kids salon put glitter in her hair? (Ours does - big mess for me but DD will get her hair cut) What about bribing her with getting her nails done afterwards? I bought DD nail polish in every color of the rainbow and when she's done with her hair she gets to get some on her finger and toe nails. Some days each nail is a different color!

Good luck...I know what it's like to have a stubborn one!

Jill

 

[browneyes]

Get grandma or someone to take her. Sometimes my kids are more anxious about things like hair cuts if I'm around.

 

[SC Minnie]

When DD was that age I would take her with me when I got my hair done. Since she wanted to be like Mom she wanted hers done too (I had previously made the appointment for both of us ) . She sat in the chair like a big girl because it was a 'Mommy'/ big girl place and had her hair cut. They then curled it for her and put it up really cute. She thought she was such a big girl doing what Mommy was doing. Even now at 10 she gets upset when I get my hair done and don't take her.

 

[mickeyboat]

We are lucky in that our hairdresser is the mother of two little boys who go to the same day care - so my girls know them. At first they both had to sit on my lap. Now they do fine on their own. They even let Stephanie wash their hair.

DD4 puts her hair in her mouth too. I think it is a comfort thing. When she was smaller, I always put it up on a pony tail. She would hold her juice cup and play with her pony tail. It was so cute. I wonder if I should try to get her to stop chewing on her hair (I tell her to stop when I see her do it) or if it will stop on her own. The bitter apple spray sounds like s good idea.

Denae

 

[melk]

Thanks for the suggestions, I think it may just be something she has to outgrow. I've tried bringing her with her sisters and they went first, but she didn't care, she was not getting in that chair!
I may try letting my mil bring her... at least I won't have to deal with it again .

My bigger concern at this point is next month I have her scheduled for her first dentist appointment...what do you think our chances are of a successful visit there???

Hey Jill,
I like the nail polish idea, I may give that one a try. Did you take your trip to WDW already? (We were away for a few days so I haven't been around to see if you have posted).

Randi,
I think it grosses me out so much because one time DH and I saw this show about this girl in England with stomach pain and she completely stopped eating. They ended up removing a huge hairball from her stomach, they showed it, it had conformed to the shape of her stomach...NASTY!

 

[Jenn Lynn]

My Sister had this problem with her son. What she did was to talk to him about. She would start that morning and telling him what they were going to do, what was going to happen, etc. She would talk about it on the way there, etc.

And then he got a treat if he did good.

 

[stm61]

I don't have any suggestions but you do have my sympathy. I never, knock on all things wooden within reach, had this problem but my SIL does. She has 3 kids, boy, girl, boy, the oldest is 5 1/2. This child is impossible to cut! He totally freaks in the chair. He'll go to the store, sit in the chair, put the drape on, get the 1st snip, then that's it, he wants OUT! She's tried everything including having her DH take him, doing his younger sister and brother 1st, having grandparents take him, holding him, and bribing him. They end up having to hold him down and hope it comes out semi-straight. He's never been hurt or had anything frightening happen there, they've tried kids places, adult places, barber shops, you name it they've been there. He just hates having his hair cut. He also hates having it long so go figure that.

Actually, this is all kind of amusing to me. This is the SIL and brother that have "perfect children". They think mine are totally wild and out of control but my girls, who are 1 month younger then their cousin, sit in the chair and smile at the mirror the whole time!

 

[JESW]

Hi again! Yes, we just got back from WDW yesterday. It was most likely our last summer trip - just too darn HOT! In the 90's every day with high humidity....even at 8:30 in the morning you could feel the sweat dripping off you. It was DS' first trip on medication and he was wiped out. Every day we took a break back at the room and most days he slept. But he was MUCH better and we had a great trip - just with the typical sibling nonsense that will always be there. Largest crowds we've ever seen but we still managed to do a lot. I feel bad for families who go in the summer for the first time. We skipped things with long lines (at 10:30 one day the fp's for TT were for 4:30 - 5:30!) We also had ps's for many meals and that helped a lot. We split between the Polynesian and the Boardwalk - love both those resorts! We are hoping to get back in November during the week the kids have 2 half-days....it's also the week after the semester ends so the work load shouldn't be too high. (DS goes into 4th grade)

Good luck with the hair thing...DD looks like such a mess half the time because she hates to brush her hair. Just before school ended I took her to get it cut short - just to her shoulders. She has very thick, curly hair. A girl in her class was/is a hair chewer and at a bd party she was driving her Mom crazy because she always had it in her mouth! DD tried it but her hair was too short.

Jill