How can I persuade my son to have his hair cut?

My son is nearly 4 years old. He refuses to have his hair cut. He used to be fine with having it done but now he goes mad. Normally hes such a placid kid, but when it comes to hair cut time he fights, cries screams and its really difficult. No hairdressers will do it as they say its dangerous as he moves about and kicks up a fuss. So now I have to get his dad to hold him down while I cut it. But that makes us feel really bad, it breaks my heart to see him so upset. It started after a barber once accidentally snipped his ear. It's a shame as he has lovely hair and could be styled really nice if only he would sit still! Any ideas??How can I persuade my son to have his hair cut?
Your son is obviously nervous of hairdressers due to what happened to him. So its vital that you build up his confidence again and make him see that the hairdressers is not a bad place but a fun place. Ask the hairdresser if they can interact and involve your son during the process of his haircut. He could tell them where to start and where to go next. He could also be the one to tell the hairdresser what he wants doing under your guidance. You could tell him that after his haircut, you can take him to a fun place such as bowling or even just to McDonald's. He needs to know that having his haircut is fun rather than a trauma.How can I persuade my son to have his hair cut?
Find an old-fashioned barber shop in your area. Call them and explain the situation, and ask them if they will agree to lathering up your son's face - just like the men - while he gets his hair cut. Go to WalMart and buy one of those Nair kits that come with a no-blade ';shaver';. Take it with you to the barbershop for either the barber or your son to ';shave'; off the shaving cream. I bet your son will BEG for haircuts after this.





Personally, I would let his hair grow. I've seen plenty of little boys with long hair and I don't think there's anything wrong with it, as long as it is clean and combed. I guarantee you that by the time he starts kindergarten, he will already be aware of peer pressure, and getting his hair cut won't be so much of a struggle.
show him how nice it wud be to be a gentle man.
Question? Who brought whom in the world. IS he the parent or you? I bet you are one of those parents who do TIME OUT. BOy you people kill me. GRow some n ut s!
an offer of sweets usually works. give that a go.
I've read other answers and I totally DISAGREE with giving him a ';reward';, because ultimately the behavior is bad; you do not want to reward bad behavior, because if you do that in this situation, you are sending the child a message that he can then throw tantrums regarding other things and get a ';reward'; for MISbehaving...





Now, if this behavior was potentially brought on by a bad experience, I would consider changing barbers.





Ultimately, you are the adult and he is the child and you should not be persuading him to do anything; you need to take the AUTHORITY you have as his mother and use it! At this point, crying, kicking and screaming or not, you have given him the control and trust me HE KNOWS IT! He is not in a position to ';refuse';, because as the final authority, he has to adhere to YOUR will not his own. I totally understand, wanting to teach your child to have a voice and an opinion at an early age. But, you have to exercise ';kiddie control'; within logical borders and under mutually beneficial situations; your giving him a choice in this situation is giving a 4 yr old OPTIONS where as you have lost control and the situation is giving you grief. So much so, that when you take action (hold him down to cut it) you feel guilty! Children need parents, because they are not able to function on a mature, logical, and expert cognitive level alone. We are not here as parents to ';negotiate'; or ';reward'; our children into right behavior.





The bible says ';spare the ROD (belt, ruler, switch) spoil the child';. But, if you are more into ';talking'; to your child, then I would also consider, talking to him DAYS before about his upcoming hair appt. so whatever his issue is with it, he would have time to process the reality, before you all just showed up at the shop!
Poor little chap. Why don't you wait until he is sound asleep before doing the snipping? Much gentler way to do it.


Don't force him to have his hair cut, but next time you and Daddy go for a trim, take your little lad with you. Make sure to take his favourite book and or toy. Have him sit on your laps and talk calmly the whole time, but NOT about getting his hair cut. Once he regains his confidence, then he may even ask for his turn for a snip!!!!
Tell him santa doesn't come for children who don't get hair cuts.
They have these haircutting places just for children. They sit them in these cars and cut the childs hair.
bribe him
bribery works every time!!





also you could get a guard that you use in the bath to stop the water going in their faces, it lifts the hair off the ears if that is his main problem then the ears would be protected and you can show him that the scissors won't be able to go near his ears.





they sell them in mothercare and boots
tell him that he looks like a pretty girl
Sounds like he has been traumatized by the barber snipping his ear once. He's lost all trust and is afraid of getting hurt again. Talk to him about it. Get him to talk to you about what scares him about having his hair cut. Then maybe you can help him work through these fears. Tell him that you understand that he's scared and that you want to help him not to be scared. Follow his cues on this. Be patient with him and give him some time. I really wouldn't recommend holding him down anymore, that's just making his fears and anxeities even greater and he's only going to fight even harder the next time.
Does he have any heroes?


Try to find a picture of one with a hairstyle you like. Maybe he will want his hair cut if its like his hero?
Tell him that only girls wear their hair long! Your son looks like a girl! hahahahaha!
Get him pi55ed and shave his head when he passes out - do his eyebrows too.
Tell him ';all the cool people are doing it!'; ... kids like to feel cool!
My best advice would be to go as a family to the salon and sit with your son as your husband has his hair cut first. Then when it is his turn be reassuring as he sits on one of your laps while the hairdresser cuts his hair.
Start calling him Celia and saying what a great big Jessie girl he looks like.
i would give him a reward everytime he sits very still for the barber. and let him know that the barber cutting his ear was an accident and he didnt mean it.
let it grow until the kids make fun of him, hell def change it then, or show him a cartoon character with their hair cut that he likes.
Hair Cut?


If I were the mom of your 4 year old, I would let his hair grow. Society has it that boys need to have their hair cut, what is the logical reason for it?





Not too long ago, men had long hair and used wigs when lacking hair. Napoleon seemed to have reintroduced the Roman habit of short hair cuts for men. May be the Romans wanted to look younger, like babies with short hair? At least, this custom has no logical explanation, why hair of boys has to be short and of girls long or short as the wish.





Many kids do not like their hair cut. Hair is a set of ';prana antennas,';'; gathering energy from the universe. Prana is a Sanskrit word for the primal form of energy of creation, which seems to be identical which scientific tachyon energy. Prana can be seen in the unpolluted sky as ';silver thread'; diving in and out of worldly existance, appearing and disappearing.





By ancient teachings, there are 5 types of prana, each gathered mainly by a certain area of our body. Hair gathers one kind of prana, and when cut, much is missed. Kids seem to have an instinct that they need their hair for that reason.





Especially when your son has been hurt during a hair cut, the proceedure is traumatic for him. Therefore I would allow him to have his hair grow, until he himself is ready for a change.





The change may come when he wants to be like most other kids. Nobody is hurt by him having long hair, why causing more trauma?





You think you agree? Greetings to you son!


Cordially India.Magica
Listen to yourself. What you're saying is 'my 4 year old wont let me...'


Get real. Be the parent. this is not rocket science. It goes like this....


'; I'm going to take you for a hair cut and you're going to sit quietly and wait for it to be done and then we are going home.'; simple. Kids do what you allow.
Have him go watch his dad get his haircut sometime. Between watching it, and maybe having the barber talk to him and being friendly to him, he'll get the courage to sit for the barber himself.
give him something to eat whilst your cutting his hair or say that if he get his hair cut nicley you can take a little bit of his hair and then put it on the window seal and say the hair train will come and take it and leave a speacial present for him but only if he behaves whilst having his hair cut. good luck
bribe him... give him sweeties and a magazine...or you could just tie him down lol
i've briefly read through the anwers so far and there seems to be 3 schools of thought:


1 put your foot down you are the parent


2 give him a reward


3 let him make up his own mind.





i think whilst there are times you must put your foot down for the child and make him do as he is told, i personally don't think this is one of them as it is not really that important. i think giving him a reward is also a bad idea it just gives him another tool to manipulate you with. so i go for the 3rd. let him decide.


tell him you are going to cut his hair for HIM because he can't do it himself... when he kicks up a fuss, be angry and tell him to go to his room and to come back when he is sorry. wait a week and try again... do the same if he kicks up a fuss.


by doing this all you are doing is enforcing that negative behaviour has negitive out come ... that's all.


when he finally lets you do it, be happy and suggest that you both go out to the park and ride on the swings... do not mention reward. this way... he learns that when he is good, good things seem to happen to him with out awareness of reward and payment.
Where we live we have a salon just for kids. They can play PS2 or watch a movie on their own screen while getting their hair cut. They also get a lollipop and get to sit in a funny car while getting it cut. We let our son's hair grow long, but get it trimmed up
You've got to be kidding me.. you are the parent and you tell him to have his haircut.. That is not a decision for a 4 year old... Maybe when he is 14 he can choose, but not a 4 year old.
you should cut dad's hair and let him watch, maybe since dads doing it he might want to.
Have him sit on his dad's lap while Daddy gets his hair cut. Then when Dad's is finished, have the barber start on his hair while he's still sitting on Daddy's lap. This worked with my son.