Attempting a home cut on your kids, or learning more about haircutting outside cosmetology school, can seem scary and overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. No matter the reason for taking scissors (sharp scissors work best!) or clippers to your child’s head, you can do it at home with simple tips and tricks.
Get Your Child Involved
Nothing is worse as a child than adults telling you what to do and being annoyed when you’re not interested. We all enjoy bodily autonomy, and working with your child’s interest in having control of their hair and body is a great way to make the process go easier.
You can do this in many ways, from straight-up bribery (if that’s your parenting style) to giving them options for the cut they can choose or even letting them cut some strands for good behavior. Get inventive with it, working with your child’s personality and motivations to find things that work best for both of you.
Use Cut Hair as a Guide for Your Next Cut
When you’re getting started cutting your child’s hair, take your time before doing that first snip. The first cut is going to be your measuring tape for the rest of the haircut, guiding you through so you can ensure everything is even and coherent.
Start by brushing all the hair, carefully getting everything from underneath and around the neck to the back of your child’s head. Tell your child to touch their chin to their chest and hold it there (bonus points if you can make a game out of it or distract them with something handheld).
Your first cut will be in the middle at the back, longer than you intend. Remember, you can always take more off but can’t add any back on. Starting in the middle at the back and having your child move their head around can give you an idea of what the rest will look like.
Now that you have a section you like at the back use that section as a guide for the rest of the cut, comparing each section to that to get the shape and length you want.
Is it Best to Cut Kid’s Hair Wet or Dry?
The thickness and length of your child’s hair will affect the best way to cut it. For kids with an absolute mop of hair that’s thick and a lot to manage, getting it wet gives you more control.
For fine or short hair, keeping it mostly dry and spritzing with a spray bottle gives you a little bit of that wet control while keeping the fine strands separate and easy to see to cut.
Remember that Wet Hair Shrinks
If you are going to cut your kid’s hair wet, remember that wet hair shrinks. After cutting damp hair, it’ll expand as it dries, which could potentially change the way the cut looks on your child’s head. You can plan for this by going a little shorter than you intend to have it and keeping the same general shape you want as a result.
Your San Jose, CA, Cosmetology School
Learning more about haircutting and getting better at it can be as easy as learning the best tips and tricks cosmetology schools in San Jose, CA, have to offer. For more ideas for cutting kids’ hair, visit our website.