How to convince your scared toddler to get a haircut? 8 hairstyle ideas for toddler

Did you know that haircut phobia is real? And it is common in children, especially during their toddler years. The fear of getting a haircut is called tonsure phobia, and it can happen to your toddler. 

The word tonsure phobia originated from the Greek words “tonsure” and “phobia”. Tonsure means ‘to cut’ and Phobia means ‘deep dread or the feeling of fear. So, mommies and daddies here are a quick guide on how to handle or help your toddler scared of haircut.

Toddler scared of a haircut

A toddler scared of haircut needs understanding and support on how to overcome such a phobia. Tonsure phobia is a real phobia that needs to be taken seriously.

According to the article published by fearof.net, one of the main reasons why toddler scared of haircut developed anxiety or fear of getting a haircut is because of their bad experience during the first haircut.

The most common cause of tonsure phobia in children is the negative traumatic experience that possibly happened during the first time they got their hair trimmed.

Maybe they had an injury or they experience having to sit still with a hairdresser that makes them uncomfortable or scared them while trimming their hair. When your child experienced this, they may recreate the situation in their mind along with the flight or fight response.  

In toddlerhood, when your child developed such a phobia, it’s important to provide them with help on how to overcome it. Neglected anxiety or fear in childhood may continue into adulthood. And that may affect their confidence and self-esteem while growing up.

What are the signs that your toddler is scared of a haircut?

The symptoms of tonsure phobia in kids can manifest physically, emotionally, and mentally. When you noticed the following symptoms in your kid, it’s important to remember that they are not just throwing tantrums but rather they are experiencing a certain fear and you need to help them cope with that and make them feel secure.

Symptoms of a toddler scared of haircut:

• Refusal to sit still, crying, shaking, trembling, or screaming at the time of getting a haircut.
• Experiencing panic attacks when they heard you mention that they have to get a haircut.
• Red face and sweaty palms while having a haircut.
• Mentally seeing stills of death. Your child may experience constant thoughts that they may be injured while getting their hair trimmed with sharp scissors or razors.

Aside from this, if the tonsure phobia is so severe, this may affect your child’s relationships and normal functioning at home and school. Some women who grew up with tonsure phobia, tend to shave their hair to avoid getting frequent haircuts.

How to convince your toddler to get a haircut 

Convincing your toddler to get a haircut is challenging for parents. Especially if they developed a fear of it. In an article published in theAsianparent Singapore, Sandra Ong gives 4 parenting tips on how to convince your toddler to get a haircut. 

Here’s a quick list of the tips that might help you:

1. Use the word trim instead of cut. The word cut can be associated with cutting meat or vegetables in the kitchen that your child may usually hear at home. Your child may also associate it with an incision on a finger and blood coming out of it. Using the same word when convincing them to get a haircut may scare them.
2. It’s important to choose where to get a toddler haircut and a friendly stylist. There are stylists that are kid-friendly and where they work is exactly the place where to get a toddler haircut. But you can also look for a friendly hairdresser that is offering a home service. Picking the right stylist for a toddler haircut is important. A toddler’s hairdresser should know how to build rapport with the child and should be patient. Aside from that, you need to be consistent in bringing your child to one hairdresser. Consistency may help them be more comfortable in getting their hair trimmed.

3. Distract your child with activities they can do even while sitting still and getting their haircut. You can give them candies, lollipops, and toys that they can play with even while they are just sitting. This may also ease their boredom while your toddler is getting a haircut.

4. Bring a friend with him. This may make your toddler feel that getting a haircut is just part of playing and a fun activity to do. You can also make it a family affair by getting your haircut too while they have theirs.

However, mommies and daddies, if you think your child is having severe panic attacks whenever you bring them to a salon or barbershop, you might want to consider seeing a doctor.

Some kids have sensory processing disorder making their brain struggles to respond to information taken in by their senses. Unusual objects, instruments, sounds, environment, and strange people can be overwhelming for them. You can seek professional consultation to help your child manage their fear.

Haircut for toddler boy

Here’s a list of trendy toddler boy haircut from The Trend Spotter that you may try on your kid:

1. Crew cut – this haircut for toddler boy is simple and classic. The sides are cut short while there’s longer hair left on top.
2. Afro – another classic haircut for toddler boy with curly hair. The sides can be shaved into a taper fade or you can ask their stylist to put fun designs matching your child’s personality.
3. Bold fade – if your child is athletic or sporty, this trendy toddler boy haircut suits him. This toddler haircut is perfect for active kids who love playing and cannot seem to sit still. This hairstyle is super short and easy to style. Your kid will surely look fresh.
4. Fringe hairstyle – almost similar to the mushroom cut of 80’s kids but a bit shorter and more layered. This kind of haircut is perfect if your little boy has fine, straight hair.
5. Pompadour – if your child loves attention or to be the center of attention, this haircut is perfect for him. This is a trendy toddler boy haircut that is mostly seen in child models and performers.

To see what all of the abovementioned hairstyles look like, you may check The Trend Spotter article. Link on the sources section.

Toddler haircut girl

If your toddler is a girl and you are looking for a trendy toddler haircut for girls, then this list from Hairstyle camp might be helpful for you.

Haircut for toddler girl:

1. Bob cut – your little toddler girl will surely like how she looks in a short bob. This haircut for a toddler girl is short enough not to get into your little one’s face. It’s easy to manage and will surely look cute to your little kid. You can also add some bangs to make her cuter with her toddler haircut.
2. Subtle layers – if your toddler girl has fine-textured wavy hair this style suits her. She needs to grow out the hair and add subtle layers to it. You can visit a salon to achieve this kind of haircut for your toddler girl.
3. Cheek-length bob – It’s very common for toddlers to have fine hair that lacks volume. So, if you want your girl’s hair to look thicker, keeping it as short as possible may help.

If your kid has long hair, you may want to check the Hairstyle Camp article for more ideas on how to style your toddler girl’s hair. Link on the sources section.