I have been looking for ways to save money and would like to start cutting my kids hair myself but don't want them to look like Frankenstein or the Beatles (I guess that wouldn't be too bad). :-) Anyone have any hair cutting tips? I have never done it before.
Thanks, Jenni
Find some good hair cutting scissors. You can buy inexpensive ones at Walmart, but it is worth it!
I used to do my daughter's hair and would clip it up and start on the underside and trim it, then let down the next layer and pull out and up to match with the bottom layer as a guideline and repeat all the way down. That was plain straight girls hair though. Bangs I would comb upwards and trim a spot, comb it down to see where it layed on the face (keep in mind that when it is dry it shortens a little) and if it was okay, I would lift up the next section and part of the first section to use as a guideline and go all the way across. Comb down between each section to make sure you are going straight.
There used to be a hair cutting kit you could get that came with a VCR tape with instructions, hair clippers, hair scissors, a cape, combs, etc. for like $15-20 at Walmart or Kmart. (08/03/2004)
By Tawnda
My kids are very sensitive about me cutting their hair. I must admit I am not very good at some things so I don't even try. I find that it gave my daughter a self esteem boost to take her to a beauty school for the cut that must be just perfect. I ask for the student with the most experience with cutting kids hair and have been very happy. My daughter has long thick hair and it costs about five to eight dollars per cut. The student is supervised and gets training experience and I get a happy child. We have attached a chore to be done in order to get to go to the school for a cut, but she really is happy and so am I. (08/04/2004)
By Walker
I started to cut the kids hair when they were toddlers and needed their first hair trim. Never took a course. You could start with a little trim here and a little trim there. Give them something to look at or hold while you cut a little off the back.
As the kids got older, I "grew" with them. I got my DH to let me cut his hair, if I can cut the hair of a squirming 2 year old I figured I could cut his hair (and have done it ever since...15 years later). The teenagers love it when "mom, can you cut my hair, we have to leave for school in 30 minutes, and it's too long back here", and guess what, no appointment to wait for and it's done, now.
I got a pair of hairdresser scissors. I made my own cape (a big circle cut out of the widest material I could find at the fabric store. The material did not "hold" hair, it is not plastic but folds up nicely and where the head goes I just attached Velcro so as to close around the neck while the haircut is going on).
I will watch closely when someone is getting a haircut and see if I can pick up any tips. Now, I am the only one in the family that goes to a hairdresser, and that is because my hair is short and I can't cut it evenly at the back. So, $15 every 2 months isn't bad for the family haircuts.
I do not use a clipper on the men in the family. They have never asked for that short of hair. If so, I do have the dog clippers I probably could use. (10/13/2004)
I am from a family of hair cutters. We have a family of 8 kids (6 girls and 2 boys), I am the youngest girl and my father taught me and some of my other siblings to cut hair. I practiced on myself since I was about 12 and when I became good at it my Dad let me cut my little brother's hair. Which turned out so good that others were complimenting how good it was, so that built my confidence.
A couple years later everyone started asking me to cut their hair which was awesome because now it is one of the most exciting things that I do. I cut my dad's hair all the time, but now since I got married and moved far away I guess he will have to use one of my other siblings.
As for myself, I cut my own hair and my husband's too, and create different hair styles. I am sure that cutting my children's hair will be simply fun and exciting.
Thank you all for reading this!
God Bless! (07/20/2005)
By Diana
I cut my niece and nephew's hair (both toddlers) and have found that putting them in front of a video (or computer book-reading site) does wonders in keeping them still. Otherwise, they notice what I'm doing and keep turning around to watch the scissors. Sometimes I use a sheet under them to catch the hair; other times I just vacuum. A cape to catch the hair is essential, but the little hairs will still bother the kids so we put their heads over the tub and rinse them off afterward.
Wetting the hair is essential, as is fairly clean hair. With boys it's nice to be able to use clippers with extensions, either to buzz or to taper the hair (use shorter extensions to longer extensions from the bottom of the hair, nape of neck, around ears) up toward the crown of the head.
Still figuring out how to do longer girls' hair. (09/10/2005)
By marie
If you have a VCR, get a set of conair or wahl clippers with the video, it shows how to do it all, in fact Tawnda mentioned the set, ours was conair at walmart.
My oldest didn't get used to it until he was four years old, but our 18 month old doesn't mind, as long as he can watch Blue's Clues and help with the vacuuming! DH does it (used to in the Corps) and he uses the short comb, then fades to a longer on top. We get lots of compliments on the boys, and they are more comfortable without all that heavy, fine hair (bath time is easier too, cause their hair was like a duck's back!).
If you are still not sure for the boys, you can sometimes find the videotapes at the thrift stores (which I think that is where mine went to), or conair.com may have some resource for you. My biggest piece of advice is have someone with you for judgment and holding down (if very young) and don't offer cookies DURING the session, hair doesn't digest.
If it is just too much, check your local big town for the cosmetology school. My boys (at such a young age) will only let pretty girls work on them, or daddy. It is considerably cheaper because it is their training, but if there is a problem the instructor will take over right away. Call ahead for hours and price discounts, and check the back of your phone book for coupons (this is what I do for me, as DH will not touch my hair!). Or go to a plain barber shop, no salons, as this is less overhead (no expensive retail products) and more of a place for "little men." (08/21/2006)
By Kelly
My daughter (6) wears her hair in a chin long bob. But not because I forced her to cut it, she wanted it. When she was a Toddler I kept it short because she hated having it done, when she was 3-6 she wanted "princess" hair, so I let her grow it until now as she wanted it cut. Let your kids decide their own hair style when they are older! (09/02/2006)
By Elle
When I wore my hair long and straight, I used to trim it myself - by initially putting my hair up in a flat ponytail with a clip barrette and cutting off the top. I would then go around and trim the sides and back as much as I could with the help of a mirror. Not a designer cut - but if you don't want layers - it works. Now I go to the local hi end beauty school a few times a year for a good cut and let it grow out in between. Good cuts grow out really well, I have found.
But I have to say, part of this is because I had such hair problems as a teenager. Bad home permanents, bad cuts in the salon. It took me YEARS to go back to trusting professionals, and by observing I have finally learned what a good cut really consists of. I can't afford the $75 price tag - so I go to the hi end beauty school. But every time I DO end up in a salon, I now know what they are doing and whether or not I will come back. (02/07/2007)
Hi. Well I trim my daughters hair once every 3 weeks. This is because their hair grows like mad. I was thinking of cutting it into a bob, but I want my kids to be happy. I keep my little daughter's hair short as she is messy. My 8 year old, I'm cutting her hair soon to maybe shoulder length. And my 13 year old daughter, I don't know what to do. I would like to keep it short because it is past her waist, maybe take her to the hairdressers and get it cut into a bob. My husband cuts my 3 year old's hair and makes a lovely job of it, but he likes it short so he cuts it into a bob. I don't think it is right to cut girls hair if they don't want it short (02/09/2007)
By Jayne
I have 4 girls and 1 boy, and every year I take my scissors and cut Jewel, my oldest daughter's hair (15) to her shoulders, and then the rest. My husband cuts Arthur, our boys hair. He's better. The first time I did cut their hair Jewel was 4 and her hair was as long as her arms and ended where her arms ended. She got a few burs in her hair so high I nearly had to give it a boy cut. She cried so we took her to a great beauty senior school and she got it layered, she came home from her nursery school and said her best friend, Ella wanted the same cut. She has always kept it as a bob since. Annie and Hollie, the twins (9) cut their hair for charity every year (I cut it). Everyone but me has hair that can grow about 8 inches a year so it's fun for Annie and Hollie to see their long (10 inch) auburn hair being sent off to make a wig each June. Good luck! (05/15/2007)
By April
My 11 yr old daughter had long mid back length hair and was always complaining that it took too long to dry when wet but didn't want to get it cut. Her pal recently got her hair cut into a chin length bob so I got her to sit in a chair and got the hair cutting scissors out that I had bought and told her to sit still, I gathered her hair into a ponytail and cut through it, when I had finished she had an ear length bob, she was crying but she looked so cute, and her hair now only takes 5 mins to dry. She has admitted that she does like it, so from now on every month I will give her a trim just to keep her ear length bob manageable, just be bold I say. (06/29/2007)
By Debbie
It shocks me that so many moms complain about their daughter's long hair and how difficult it is to manage. I have long naturally curly hair. When I was in 3rd grade my mom cut it soooo short. Like a 1/2 inch from my head! It looked awful! I was teased pretty bad. Looking back, I had beautiful hair and still do. My mom was just completely clueless how to care for it. She would yank through the tangles. Ouch! It was easier to just cut it off!
My 3 year old daughter has long natural curls too. It's not a problem. I always condition it even if I don't wash it and use a detangling wide tooth comb or pick. Most importantly, comb it while it's still wet. Never mess with curly hair after it's dry! I use a detangling spray in the morning just to freshen it up a bit. Don't be lazy about your kids' hair! Remember that it's not all about you. (07/03/2007)
By hair be gone
I understand how as a girl it can be quite upsetting to have your haircut short if you don't want it cut short. My mom took me to have my haircut at age 4.5 with my little then 1.5 yr old sister. I was suppose to be getting my waist length hair trimmed up a couple of inches as it was fine, knotted easily, pin straight, and according to my Mom pretty much unmanageable. My sister got into some mags and when my mom turned back she looked back and I was in tears. The lady cutting my hair (supposedly according to my mom) misunderstood trim for cut and had cut my hair to the base of my neck, so I ended up with a version of a pixie cut, which even now as an adult I have to say was a bad pixie cut. I have since seen some girls with pixie cuts and they looked cute. I cried for weeks and complained that I looked like a little boy. Thankfully my hair grew in quickly before kindergarten to just below my shoulders. But to my Mother's credit my hair did grow back in gorgeous, thicker, and very manageable.
Now I have a little 3 yr. girl who keeps cutting her hair! I want her to wear it long and wear hair ribbons and bows. She's very girly and likes dresses and dressing up, but hates keeping in hair clips, bows, headbands, or ribbons in her hair for more than a couple of minutes (if lucky an hour). I have to hide all scissors from her of any kind or she will try and cut her hair with them. Most recently while I was washing the dinner dishes, she found a pair in her brother's room and must of held them flat to the middle of her head and cut, and then again a little piece over her right ear! I realized she wasn't in the living room and called her. She came down the hallway all sly and I asked what she was doing, and then I saw her head and screeched "what happened to your hair!". All proud of herself she told me, "I'm beautiful I cut it". "With what?", I asked her; since I thought I had all the scissors out of reach. So she went in her brother's room and came out with them, she had climbed her brother's bookcase and got them off the top shelf, I had just installed his new air conditioner in his room earlier and had accidentally left the scissors up there.
Oh my goodness, I took her to the salon because I couldn't think how to fix it except a pixie cut maybe, it was so short it almost looked buzzed cut where she cut it! I took off her hat and the lady who was to fix it said I can't cut her hair that short she'll look like I buzzed cut her hair! So she cut it in a chin length bob, told me to have her wear headbands for 3 months to let her hair grow back and then to bring her back and she'd layer it some more then to blend it into the rest of her hair. Okay one problem, she won't wear the headbands or hats for long, and she looks odd when she doesn't. I think a pixie cut even though it's very short may still be the only answer. I know from my own experience it will grow back in nicer than it is (her hair is still very baby fine, it took a longtime to grow in). I know with her brother, his hair started out that way and after I had him get his first real haircut at 2.5 when it had finally got long enough to cut, it came back in thick and beautiful, plus it grows so much faster. Also, I know she won't mind.
I wondered has anyone else had a 3-5 yr girl with this problem, and how do you fix the hair?
Follow-up: Well, we have a very cute pixie cut similar to Alyssa Milano's recent cut. It's receiving mixed reviews. My daughter seems okay with it, plus as a bonus we got her ears pierced yesterday at Little Divas, which she loves and didn't even cry or let out a peep when having done, just got up and started looking at stuff in the store! Then today we took remembrance pics of the cut and piercing. So what could of been a negative has turned into a very positive experience. (07/20/2007)
By Lisa
I personally think that if the kids are young, it's your decision on how to keep their hair. As they get older it should be their decision as long as they can care for it. I love the idea of short hair on little kids, it's easier to manage. (07/24/2007)
I used to cut my own hair for years! It's even easier now that nothing has to be dead even - How good are you with scissors overall? Do you have an artistic sense? Why don't you start with simple trims - a good tip I read about years ago for bangs was to bring them all together in front and twist and then snip - I have also used the twisting technique for side stands.
When I had long hair, I put my hair up behind with a flat barrette, and then lifted the flat ponytail above my head and cut the desired length off. I then took the barrette out and trimmed around the face and evened out the back.
I keep on trying to convince my husband to let me trim his hair -but he just goes to the barber and has it cut short & lets it grow out gradually. I do the same for my hair cuts - cutting when it's gotten too long and then letting it grow out. That way at a medium length you only need a few cuts a year.
But frankly, if you are awful at that sort of thing - no talent with scissors - go to supercuts on sale and/or find a beauty school near you. In the city here, they are always looking for hair models - a way to go for a teenager. (10/17/2007)
By pam munro
I feel like females look not only more beautiful with long hair but it is also like a treasure to them. Why else would we initially cry when we get our first boy haircut? And why is it that only out of laziness do we ever dare cut it so short? We, females are intended to respect and cherish our beautiful hair, like a crown. Why look like a boy? We should appreciate what we are given and appreciate our men for who they are. Leave their hair cuts to them and our beautiful long hair to us :)
In response to the first question, I cut my husband's hair with clippers. Very easy, but if you do not have any clippers, practice on a doll first. And then very carefully, cut as little as possible at a time. it is better to have it too long and messed up than too short and messed up. So take your time and do not breathe too hard. That has a lot to do with hand control. (02/14/2008)
By guest
I cannot believe so many people are making their little girls get boy hair cuts, or worse are buzzing their hair off!
My 4 y/o has long hair & trimming it is just as easy as it is to use the clippers on my 7 month old baby boy (who's hair grows like crazy!). It takes just a few minutes to comb and braid her hair before bed, brush it out in the morning and pull it up in a pony tail. We've picked up tons of barrettes, bows and pretty pony tail holders at the $ store so it isn't a huge investment either. I feel the least I can do as a mom is take 5 minute to fix my daughter's hair instead of forcing her to get it cut short. It is her hair so she gets to pick the length. (03/26/2008)
It's rubbish how other mums try to enforce this whole idea to kids that "girls should have long hair". And who says all girls prefer long hair? Are you sure it's not just something that mothers take an issue with and try to make it sound like it's their daughter's issue? I mean, I seriously believe that if you didn't raise your daughter to be so superficial and concerned about the length of her hair, she seriously wouldn't care if her hair was lopped off into a short short cut.
My daughter is only 5, and yes I never raised her to be that kind of "typical girl" who fusses over the hair, wants it long, wants to wear dresses and look like a princess, etc. I just raise her to be who she wants to be - she is very artistic and individualistic, and yes, different from most kids. I encourage her to continue to be that way. She does not have a lack of friends at school. She is not socially inept either. So what's this fuss about hair? I've always had short hair myself, its hassle-free, and looks great on me. I can't see why parents take an issue with girls who have short hair.
At first, I had my daughter grow long hair since she was a baby. Up until the age of 5, she never said anything about it. Then recently (she's 5.5) she told me she hates long hair. She hates the way it gets into her face and she hates having to take care of it when I'm not around in school with her. My daughter has been complaining about her long hair for ages. Had it cut to a chin-length bob 2 months ago, yet she still complains because it still gets into her face when she bends down to eat, for example, and she hates having to clip or put hair accessories in her hair to keep the hair away because they always tend to come loose and she cannot be bothered to readjust them herself. So always ends up with very messy, dirty hair, most schooldays.
I then had it cut to an extremely short bob, which comes up to the tip of her ears - which by the way, was dictated by her. She chose how far she wanted it to go. Not only did she not cry or look sad after the hair was cut, she was extremely pleased with it and beaming from ear to ear. You should have seen the look on her face when it was finished. She just lit up, and smiled all day afterward. She also morphed into a hyper-active girl who jumped and hopped and skipped happily. Nothing like the girl before who seemed "dead" and dormant with a longer head of hair she didn't want. (04/24/2008)
By rachel
I know how expensive hair cutting can be. I personally have long curly hair, and my husband has wavy hair. Needless to say, our daughter's hair can be challenging. The easiest way to start cutting your own hair is to start with a pro cut and maintain it every couple of weeks (depending on the length). Then, once every 6 months to a year, get it professionally done again.
Starting with a good detangler is also a must. If your child is very young, as mine is, after giving her a calming bath, I sit her in her high chair, I give her a bottle, let her watch her favorite Baby Einstein video, and it keeps her still long enough for a trim. (This is also how I get her little finger nails clipped.) I have read some of the comments below, and honestly, let your kids pick out their own hair styles. If they are old enough to tell you what they want, they are old enough to learn how to take care of it, or at least help.
Personal grooming is an important skill for kids to learn, just like dressing themselves. At first, nothing matches, and items are inside out, but eventually they gain more independence and confidence. Hair styling is the same way. If you are planing on going from one extreme to another, do it gradually. Start bangs long, and not more than an inch of hair back from the forehead, you don't want bangs for the top of your head. For boys/men, invest into an easy to use clipper set. Start with the long settings and gradually get shorter. My husband can actually do it himself, and only has me 'check' for missed spots and his neck when he is done. Have fun and good luck! (04/29/2008)
By Abby's Mommy
I have cut my husbands hair with clippers for the last 12 years. It is great! We paid $12 for the clippers and have never had to replace them, a dollar a year is very cost effective. However, I will never cut my daughter's hair short. I let her get a short "bob" cut when she was 3yr. old. It was cute, but as an older girl (now 7) she is lovely with long hair.
As a child, I remember my mother cutting my hair short. She had my younger siblings to care for, and taking care of my hair was too much trouble. I remember feeling ugly and ashamed every day at school. That is a horrible thing to do to a school aged child. Life is hard enough without the people you love the most making it more difficult. I will trim my daughter's hair to shoulder length on occasion, but I will never give her a short short haircut! If she chooses to make that decision for herself when she is older that is fine, but I will not bear the guilt of forcing insecurity on my child. (06/22/2008)
By Melanie
I have always kept my kids' hair short because I think it looks good, is neat and easy to maintain. Quite a few other moms have asked me to cut their kids' hair too. I'm not a professional but find bobs, crops and pixies work best. I try to ensure they have plenty of weight on top but cut round the ears and clip the back in a taper. As my first has now reached 11 she was able to choose her own style, but interestingly chose the angled bob she has had for years. (07/19/2008)
By jan holding
I used to have hair that was past waist-length. After about 14 years, I donated it, and it turned into a shoulder-length cut. I did not cry when I got this done, mind you. Not every parent raises their kids to be shallow.
I am now 16 years old, and ever since that day, when I got the "ridiculous nuisance" (my hair) cut off, I've been wanting to get it shorter and shorter. This weekend I'm going to experiment with my hair and make it shorter. During the summer I'm going all-out into a boy's haircut. My parents let me do what I want to with my hair, because it's MY hair. I don't think anyone should enforce a rule on when their child is "old enough" to express themselves. You're just as bad as the people you berate. (10/29/2008)
By Ginger.
I finally convinced our daughters, ages 8 and 10, to have their long, straight hair cut into something more stylish. We made a day of it and decided on short, angled bob haircuts at a salon at the mall. The girls seemed to be a little in shock at the drastic change, but they looked great, really cute. Anyway, that lasted about a week.
Last Saturday I came home from work to find that Dad had fixed the problem with these haircuts, which were "too long in front and got in their faces." Now I think I was in shock. He had cut the front and sides pretty short, "to match the back", and there was no longer any resemblance of the previous bob.
Obviously, the girls were upset and spent most of the weekend sulking in their bedrooms. Well, a week has gone by and I am getting used to the "new look". I even think the girls look cute with their short bangs, little sideburns, and bare necks. Hair care is definitely a breeze now, compared to the long hair, especially after swimming. I think we'll keep it short and maybe even let Dad do the trims with his trusty clippers--I guess he knew what he was doing. (11/08/2008)
By Cheryl
I have an 11 year old daughter whose hair is waist length and beautiful! It's a gorgeous strawberry blonde and we both LOVE it! I also have a four year old daughter whose hair is baby fine and about shoulder length. She is the reason I came across this blog. I cannot do anything with her hair. She will not let me comb and braid it at night. I tried and she takes it right back out again.
She wakes up every morning with a rat's nest knot on the back of her head. Detanglers do not work, I've tried every brand. My only option is to cut it very short which I am going to do. I am not "lazy" nor is it just that I do not want to be "bothered" with it. It is a necessity. Remember, judge not lest ye be judged. (11/23/2008)
By Carrie
The long vs. short debate has been going on for some time in our household. My two daughters, 8 and 10, like their hair shoulder-length or longer but it takes so much time to keep up. Finally, I decided that short cuts for both girls were in order and off to the beauty shop we went, my girls in tears about what was about to happen to them.
Once there, the hairdresser suggested a clipped bowl cut for my youngest and an inverted bob for her sister. Both would be clipped short in back and on the sides. Once the pleading and the crying stopped, both girls looked so cute with their new haircuts.
Monthly "trims" were scheduled to keep their hair looking neat and daily haircare takes no more than a brush, a blow dryer and a little gel. No more tangles, no more constant brushing, and no more wasted time when they can be studying. Are they used to their new hairstyles? Not yet--and there are still times when they ask to grow it out. But I plan to keep it short for the foreseeable future and they'll ultimately get used to it.
By the way--I keep a pair of home clippers to keep them neat between salon trims. I even have a little "salon" set up in the basement that I use. Usually, one night after dinner, I'll take them both downstairs for "haircut maintenance." (12/29/2008)
By Diane S.
When I was young I had waist length hair and I was known for my long hair. At the age of 11 my mother had my aunt cut it very short and it never grew in right. I swore I would never do that to my own girls.
Fast forward 20+ years...I had 2 sons, who always have buzz cuts. I then had my 2 girls and I always wanted them to have long hair, but my husband loves short hair on girls (my hair is super short). So at the ages of 6 and 3 I had my two girls' hair buzzed in the summer, and I kept it very short during the school year. We love it! It is cute, easy to keep clean, and always looks neat. My girls have short pixies during the school year and everyone gets their summer buzz cuts on the last day of school.
The girls are now 14 and 11, and they got their hair buzzed about 6 weeks ago, with no complaints. They know it looks good, it grows back, and it's nothing to care for it. My 11 year old thinks she wants it buzzed again before school starts, so I will gladly do it! I always buzz my own when my girls get theirs. Girls don't need long hair to look good. Good looks start on the inside. (07/14/2009)
By janet
Used to curl my own hair this way. Put long hair up in back with a flat hair clip, then trim inches off the top, put down and trim the edges again. You can get a wispy effect by twirling the hair around the face and then cutting it, also supposed to be good to trim bangs. Luckily haircuts nowadays are in fashion messy, so it will cover up a lot. Just use sharp scissors (there are also books on hair cutting). (07/31/2009)
By pam munro
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