I interviewed my mother in law who studied cosmetology for this post. I do not intend to make you a hairdresser, but to enable you to deal with the long locks that your children have likely grown since they have been able to see a real hairdresser.
Depending on the age of your children you may need to master this art. Since you will be dealing with your child’s charming looks and sharp scissors you will want them to be staying still for the most part, and not paying attention to what you are doing.
You may want to practice before the actual haircut. Tell them what will be happening and set up a reward system. For example, you may want to let them play games on a tablet or phone, or watch a movie during the haircut, then reward them with a treat or a special game after it is done. During the practice distract them with your method of choice and touch their face, hair, and ears. Brush through their hair and make clipping sounds near their ears (without touching them of course).
Preparation
Choose a time when you can be uninterrupted, and when your child will not be tired. You will need:
A cape *
A brush or comb
A spray bottle (optional)
Clippers or the scissors*
Substitutions*
if you do not have a cape, you can try these options instead.
A towel or sheet will work. You can pretend it is a backward superhero cape or whatever else you need to do to get them to keep it on.
A large t-shirt. Tell your child that they get to have a grown-up haircut like mom or dad, and they can wear one of mom’s or dad’s shirts over their clothes.
You could have them wear their regular clothes and give them a bath right after the haircut and wash their clothes.
A cape or other covering is important because you don’t want your child to be itchy from the cut hair that will invariably stick to them and you don’t want it getting all over your house either.
You will only need clippers for a boy’s haircut, but I have included instructions to do a haircut with scissors if you don’t have them. Just find the sharpest scissors you have.
Make a plan
You want to plan out the haircut just by looking at your child before you get started. If you just try to go with it in the moment you will make more mistakes.
Take into account whether you will be working with straight or curly hair. Be aware that wet hair will bounce back up to ½ an inch when it dries and even more than that if it’s curly.
Decide how much length you want to take off. For example, if the hair is down to the bridge of the nose and you want it to just above the eyebrows, make a mental note of about how long that is.
General Tip
You can pull the hair out to its full length and hold it between your fingers while you decide where to make your cut, then bring it back in closer to the head releasing tension on the hair and that will help you to make accurate cuts if your child starts to move around while you are cutting.
If your daughter has bangs you can decide if you want to do them before or after the rest of the haircut, but in either case you will want to cut them separately from the rest of the hair. I recommend cutting the bangs dry.
Start by tying the rest of the hair up in an elastic or clip and get it out of the way. Make sure that you don’t add any more long hairs to the bangs area by mistake.
Pick up the bangs between your first two fingers at about a 90-degree angle, or about 50% of the way between straight down and straight up. Hold the hair this way while you cut straight across. This will make the hairs on top just a little bit shorter than the hair underneath so that she will have nice feathery looking bangs, instead of bangs that are just cut straight across. You can also make a slight curve in the bangs so that they are a little bit longer on the sides and shorter in the middle to soften them up. See the picture.
Back and sides
A girl’s haircut is easier to do wet. This middle in the back will be the longest part as the sides get brushed more and are more likely to break off from brushing and styling. When you brush all of the hair the back may have a little bit of a V-shape for this reason.
Start by parting the hair in the center so that there is the same amount of hair on both sides of her head. If you are not cutting bangs comb the hair on the crown forward with no part (think Cousin It from the Addams Family). Hold the hair out a little bit away from the head and cut straight across. This will help you to make both sides the same length then you can part it in the middle and make sure it blends with the rest of the hair on the sides do the same thing with the sides. For the back of the hair have her tip her chin to her chest if you can. This will cause the underneath hairs to be slightly shorter than the hairs on the top so that they will have a nice edge.
When gauging “inches” to cut off, gauge from the sides, not the back, since the sides are where she will be able to see it the best. She’s probably not aware that it’s longer in the back due to breakage.
Boy cut with clippers
Start with the longest length of clippers and cut all of the hair. Go from underneath and work upwards against the way the hair grows. You can keep cutting with the next shortest level until you get the hair to be the length you want the longest part to be. When you are happy with the length for the longest part you can move on to blending and shortening the back and sides.
Move up one clipper length at a time.
The next level should go from the bottom of the head up to the crown and stop there (see level 1). Continue with this pattern 3 more times. Move down a size each time and stop about where the arrow is on the pictures (see levels 2-4). This will blend the hair nicely so that it is shorter on the sides and the bottom and longer on the top. For level 4 you will go all the way down to the bottom of the hairline.
Finish up by taking the guard off the clippers and drawing a straight line across the bottom of the back of the hair to clean it up.
Use scissors to cut a curve just above the ears. You can clean up any other spots that don’t seem to blend well with the scissors at this point.
Boy haircut with scissors
Use the sharpest scissors you have.
Keep in mind how much you want to cut off from your plan and try to use that as a guide while you are cutting so that you don’t cut any part too short.
Start with cutting the hanging length on dry hair. This is the hair on the forehead, around the ears and the nape of the neck. You can just cut straight across where you want the hair to be.
After you have cut the hanging length you can wet the hair with a wet comb or a spray bottle to help the hair stick together and make the rest of the haircut easier.
Use your first two fingers to hold a section of the hair vertically. Once you have the hair in your fingers you can release the tension on it to help with a wiggly kid. Keep in mind how much you decided to cut off and cut off that much in an even cut. Follow the shape of the skull all the way around the head.
You may have some scissor marks in straight hair, but it will be less apparent in wavy hair. There are ways to completely remove any scissor marks, but they are some advanced techniques and will be difficult to do on a wiggly kid. If you stick to taking sections of the hair vertically you can minimize these.
I hope this post helps you to feel confident in your ability to cut your kid’s hair. Please leave any other tips or suggestions in the comments section and if you enjoyed this post please share it on Pinterest!
Today I want to share some ideas for surviving quarantine with a one-year-old.
Card Drop
I’ve seen this a lot on Pinterest and decided to give it a try. Most of the time when I come up with new ideas for Pancake to try, he ends up just un-doing whatever it is, and it ends up taking me longer to set it back up than it did for him to un-do it. This one is great though because he can take cards out of one bucket and put them through the slot on the other bucket. When he’s out of cards all I have to do is move the lid to the other bucket.
You can use whatever cards and buckets you have lying around. We used some pretzel buckets because my family are pretzel fiends, and I used some flashcards that he got while he was Trick-or-Treating (weird treat, I know.) I love this game because I can store the bucket with cards in it inside the empty bucket so it doesn’t take up as much space. I also like that there is always somewhere for the cards to belong so that they don’t end up all over the place.
This is another one I’ve seen on Pinterest a lot that I decided to try. A lot of people had this set up so that your toddler can sort the balls by color. Pancake’s not really into that yet, I’ve tried, so I just cut three holes in the box so that he can put them in and take them back out. I used balls from his ball pit which are already all over the house all the time, so I don’t really think this is making my house any messier. You can try it with any toy you have, you could even use balled up socks if you want to.
Clothes Pin Box
Again, I saw this on Pinterest but tried to modify it so that I didn’t have to set the whole thing up again after he pulled all of the clothespins off of the box. I started out by giving him a box of clothespins and showing him how he could put them around the edges of the box, and then take them off and put them back in the box. So far, it’s going pretty well. I also like that he can’t destroy the clothespins. They’re pretty sturdy, and if he destroys the box it’s no big deal. I can just give him another one from the recycling.
Walks
This is something I’ve talked about before. I just think that It’s really important to get outside when we can. It’s good for our bodies and our mental health. The kids like it and so do the pups. If you need a little motivation to get started check out my post.
We have been reading a TON of books! Pancake and I were pretty much tenants of the library before it closed. We were here multiple times a week. Luckily when the library closed, we already had a bunch of books and they told us to keep them at home since the library and the book drop would both be closed. SCORE!! Anyway, we’ve been reading a ton.
In addition to the library books we have, we also have a ton of other kids’ books around. Grandma has also been collecting books and sent us some more when we told her we missed the library. There is one of those Little Free Libraries on a trail near our house that we walk by frequently. We love stopping by to see what is there. Sometimes we take one and sometimes we leave one. It’s a fun way to get new books. You can go to their website and see if there are any near your house.
Talk to Friends and Family Members
Pancake spends a lot of time talking to his family members who don’t live close by. We usually use FaceTime, but for our family members who don’t have Apple devices, we use Facebook Messenger for Kids. It’s fun because you can use AR stickers and play games. It’s also good for calling between Apple and Android.
Snacks
Snacks are critical to our survival around here. Pancake will walk up to me out of nowhere and demand a “Nack.” They don’t have to be anything fancy. Since we’re shopping less frequently now, we often don’t have fresh fruit and veggies to give him, so sometimes he gets snacks like pretzels or crackers, and that’s ok. We just need to have “nacks” on hand. I love this cup to keep them all mostly contained.
TV
Let’s face it, sometimes we’re tired or have other things we need to get done. It’s ok to let your kids watch TV sometimes, especially now when we can’t have play dates or go to the library, or anywhere really. Some of my favorite shows are:
Ask the Storybots
You can find the Storybots on Netflix, but they also have a YouTube channel with even more stuff.
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has moved to HBO, but if you don’t have HBO that’s ok. There are still plenty of ways to watch it. There are older episodes available on Prime Video. You can download the PBS Kids app on your phone, tablet, or TV and watch a few episodes there. You can also find episodes on YouTube. There is also a Sesame Street podcast out there that you can find wherever you get podcasts.*
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood
This is my least favorite of the shows we watch because the songs are pretty annoying, but Pancake likes it and I think it teaches good things. You can find this on Prime Video, on the PBS kids app, or on YouTube as well. *
Fort
Sometimes it’s fun to break out the pillows and blankets and go to town with a fort. A one-year-old is not too young to enjoy this. You can make a simple fort with a blanket over a table, or you can go all out, just be prepared to adjust it if your little one gets frustrated with the way it works. The other day we pushed the two couches together and filled the middle of it up with ball-pit balls and threw a sheet over the top. It was great!
Little House
We had so much fun the other day building this “little house” out of cardboard boxes. I looked for boxes everywhere I went shopping for the past little while, but I couldn’t find them anywhere, so I went and picked up two extra-large boxes at U-Haul.
I started by measuring out the front and back of the roof like in this picture.
Then I cut it out and taped it together.
I made sure to tape the inside of the box as well since that’s where your toddler will be playing.
When you have your little house fully assembled you can add doors, windows, or any other decorations you would like. I recommend adding at least a few windows so that it isn’t so dark in there and your toddler can see you from inside.
Obstacle Course
This can be as simple or over the top as you like. The other day my husband said he would like to set one up to play with. I didn’t know what he had in mind, so I really went for it. It went from our kitchen all the way down the hall into my office. I set up things to go over, under, and around. Everyone had a lot of fun with it.
* There may be other places to find these titles, this is just where I get them.
I reached out to a lot of my friends this week and asked them for their tips to keep their kids busy and happy while we are all stuck inside and social distancing. I compiled their ideas along with my own into a huge list of ideas for you to use to keep your spirits up.
I think a few things are important to keep in mind throughout all of this though. Remember to hug your kids and reassure them that everything is going to be okay. Focus on the morning. Make it the most productive time of your day. It will help you to get things moving and will set the tone for the rest of the day. Have a family dinner. Kids are happier with structure and goals.
Set up a schedule that mirrors your child’s school schedule and add pictures for younger kids
Include “recess” in the backyard
Make a big list of things you want to get done
Involve the kids
When the fighting starts, pick an activity from the list
Watch home movies
my friend’s kids having green eggs and ham
Screen-Free
Build a blanket fort
Read books
Play with things around the house
Play in the backyard
Have a spa day with your girls
Sing
Take extra baths
Set up a kiddie pool outside when it gets a little warmer
Set up some sensory activities
Make some fancy mocktails
Make a fancy pizza
Make a fancy dessert
Meditate
Read scriptures
Write a letter
Look through your family photo album
Play family games
Play in the water.
Take some water safe toys and freeze them in a big bowl overnight. Give child warm water and paintbrush, a turkey baster or even a spoon and let the ice slowly melt and free your toys!
Write in a journal
Practice math
Have a snowball fight with socks
Legos in the tub
Play with cars and make roads with tape on the floor or furniture
Independent play, potty training, teaching, bike riding
Have your kids help you cook – even if it’s just stirring or pouring things from measuring cups (this is also a good way to teach real-life science and natural consequences like following instructions makes yummy snacks)
Have a music lesson
Tell your family stories to your kids
practice handwriting by tracing your name on different textures (sandbox, grass, tree trunk, cement, etc.)
Do some at-home science experiments
Learn household tasks like Laundry
Sort things
Exercise
Set up an obstacle course and time yourself and your kids running through it.
Play games on your Wii or Kinect
Just chase your kids around the house
Take your kids outdoor time If possible
Go for a walk outside. For more tips on walking with a kid and a dog see my
Have a dance party
Ride bikes
Check out a kid’s exercise channel on YouTube
Wrestle with your kids, tickle, carry them upside-down, spin, etc.
Crafty
Color
Write your own book
Practice taking pictures
Make boondoggles
Learn finger weaving
Give the kids paper and scissors and see what happens. Not everything has to be cute and planned. You can set up tidy and safety boundaries first. “All the paper should stay on the table and we only use scissors on the paper” etc. but besides that, go wild.
Try fruit loop beading
Paint rocks
Internet-based
Video call a friend or family member
Listen to podcasts
Listen to stories read by celebrities or astronauts on their social media channels
Some TV time is ok. Look for a post coming soon about great shows to watch with your kids. One of the moms said: “I’ve come to accept the fact that cultivating a calm and positive home environment is more important than keeping them mentally engaged… so if you need to give them a little more Netflix/video games than usual so you can fit your mental health time in, then let it be without guilt.”
Other resources
Canny Kids – they have a daily activity for kids at 11:00 central.
I hope this helps you and your kids. Please let me know what other kinds of things you want to hear about. Send me an e-mail to he***@************************ve.host, or leave me a comment.
I’ve seen this a lot on Pinterest and decided to give it a try. Most of the time when I come up with new ideas for Pancake to try, he ends up just un-doing whatever it is, and it ends up taking me longer to set it back up than it did for him to un-do it. This one is great though because he can take cards out of one bucket and put them through the slot on the other bucket. When he’s out of cards all I have to do is move the lid to the other bucket.
