That 1st haircut is what #dadlife is all about
Being there for your kids’ first haircut is so dope!
Growing up, my dad would take me to get a cut every two weeks and I used to love it! It was our time to bond and I loved hearing him say how good I looked with my cut.
As I got older, having a fresh cut became a priority, especially in college. It made me feel clean and gave me all the confidence I needed at times!
Now as a dad, I get to experience the same thing with my kids and taking them to get their 1st haircut is a big deal. We don’t want them coming home with those bowl-shaped haircuts. Fellas, yah know what I’m talking about, be there, don’t let wifey or grandma take them to get their first cut without you lol.
Getting that 1st cut is a right of passage where I’m from, here’s what I learned from being there.
Different kids need different bribes.
You ever went to a barber shop and see kids turning up? Screaming, throwing things or simply crying while their parents beg them to be good?
That’s what I envisioned before taking my sons to get their 1st cuts. I expected the worst every single time but also knew that a bribe could go a long way. I bribed both my kids with the allure of having candy after. It worked perfectly for two of them, my youngest though…. He wasn’t having it.
Candy wasn’t enough and I actually had to sit down with him while he got a haircut. I never had to do that and to be honest never wanted to. But I’ll do anything to keep him from screaming like a madman and embarrassing me lol. Find what works for your kid and do it!
It’s never as bad as you thought
Little man is tough and to be honest I expected the absolute worst! We even scheduled him for last just in case we had to run out of there embarrassed. Got to be prepared at all times!
1st of all, kids do crazy shit that will embarrass you. Remember it’s normal for a child to fear a stranger with clipped and scissors. Don’t give up too early.
All I kept thinking to myself was, if this kid goes crazy we are out of here. Luckily for me, little man sat on my lap and watched youtube like an angel. My little Chuckie (nicknamed after child’s play, telling you he’s wild) behaved perfectly!
I was threatening him in my head the whole time but he didn’t kick, scream or fight the barber! It was baffling how good he behaved and I’m thankful for it.
Enjoying the memories, they only get one 1st haircut
The 1st of anything you ever do with your kids is special, even when things don’t go as expected. I was expecting my youngest to go bonkers and destroy our 1st haircut together. However; having him sit on my lap seemed to have calmed him down.
Eventually, I forgot he was getting a haircut because I started to really watch him maneuver around YouTube. Little man is 2 and was working these shortcuts in the app that I didn’t even know existed.
That was all part of the 1st haircut experience and I am so glad I was able to be part of it. Chances are things could have gone wrong but if they did it didn’t matter. This was going to be our 1st cut together and I was going to enjoy the memories regardless.
Somethings you only get to do once, enjoy the memories, good or bad.
It wasn’t my 1st time but it felt like it
Being there to see all 3 of my sons getting haircuts is a huge blessing. All of them handled the situation differently but provided me with some dope different memories that I will always cherish.
Even though I have done this before, having to change our approach for all three made it seem like it was the 1st time. I had to bribe each one differently and even though I thought each one would embarrass me, they all behaved great. Even if they didn’t I really had no choice
There are no do-overs when you are doing something for the first time. You learn from them and keep pushing forward. Salutes to all the barbers out there making this process easier for the dads out there.
You are appreciated!
Ever thought about cutting your own kids hair? Community member Joshua Storey did and dropped some gems for us right HERE!