Tips needed for cutting toddlers hair!

Aidyn is a fairly difficult child at times when it comes to getting him to let you do things to him - ie clipping his nails, or putting a thermometer under his arm... he gets really, really upset (screaming and struggling) and its very hard to get him to comply.
Well our latest issue is with cutting his hair...
My hairdresser friend did it about 6 months ago (when he was 18months) and although he moved a little bit, he still stayed on my lap and let it happen.

Well now that he's older, he just wont let it happen. He struggles and screams and will not hold his head still... I think it reminds him of going to the Drs or something, the way he reacts...
The only other suggestion that a few people have given me is to cut it whilst he is sleeping... but I really dont want to have to do it myself, as I know I will butcher it, and he will look very strange!
The other option is to use clippers, but I still think he is going to run a mile... and how on earth do we keep him still???
It's getting to a desperate stage now as his fringe is growing into his eyes, and his hair is getting quite long at the back... eeks, I can almost put it into a nice little pony tail, rofl!
Anyone have any ideas or suggestions for me??

ambah

how about getting him on your knee in front of his favorite dvd or video, that may keep him still for long enough.

my ds started getting regular haircuts with my dh. my dh used to take him to the hairdresser all the time when dh got his haircuts and dh used to explain to ds what was happening, when it became time to get ds hair cut (he was 2 1/2yrs when he needed his first haircut pmsl) he was very used to it and even had the clippers. so maybe make it a male thing lol, will take the pressure off you if your dp takes him along to get his haircut, maybe with a treat afterwards - a sort of male ritual type thing.

hopefully you can get some good suggestions.

My dd doesn't mind having her hair cut if she's seen dh or I having ours cut. Mind you, she's 3 and only needed a haircut twice, her hair grew SO slowly (like mine unfortunately).

Her fringe is cut a lot more frequently and she lets us cut that if she can see whats happening in the mirror.

I know here in Perth there are a couple of salons that only do kids cuts - the salons are set up to cater for munchkins - maybe they have one where you are? I know my nephew will ONLY allow his hair to be cut at one of these salons - anywhere else he spits chips.

Good luck, I hope you can get your little man's hair cut without too many dramas.

Bel

I wait til Jaykob is asleep, its awkward but safer for us lol

Ambah, not sure if this is an option, but my neice had a phobia about having her hair cut, and I ended up taking her to a large Target store with the special "kids hairdresser" in it, and we cracked it. (My sister was SO relieved!)

So is there someone apart from you who could tackle it at a VERY baby/child-friendly hairdresser?

(PS Andrew cut Charlies hair recently: I can't believe I let him: totally butched, it looks TERRIBLE!)

When we took Yasin to the barber he told us that one of the tricks he used with struggling toddlers was to cut thier Dad's hair first while they watched and then when they had seen thier Dad survive a haircut he does the little boys. Does DP need a haircut?

We have the same trouble, Ambah! Jacob hates strangers touching him (taking him for his 18 month check up with the GP was traumatic for everyone!).

He screams and gets so upset, it's just awful. So I've not been prepared to take him anywhere near the hairdresser for that reason. I have no idea of anywhere down here that specialises in kids haircuts either (I've gone through the phone book!).

The only thing I have been able to do so far, is to attack it myself when he is in his high chair. If there is something that really grabs his attention on TV, and he has some tasty treats to keep him occupied, then I can attack it a bit. It's funny though as he's looked at me a couple of times when he's obviously felt it, and given me the evil eye in a big way like "I KNOW you were doing something then!"

We take DD for a haircut at the same time as my DH and they both sit there getting it done - first time round she hated it and cried and cried but now that her and daddy get it done at the same time its not such a scary thing - and she talks about it for ages afterwards too.

Matilda's hair grows really quick & I usually try to cut the fringe while she's watching a DVD in the high chair with a very special treat like ice cream (she hardly notices me touching her) but when we go to the hairdressers she screams & they can never get it straight... We have done it at the hair dressers twice where they have a huge fish tank & she sits with her face glued to the tank & they chop quickly LOL

I set myself a goal today of at least trimming his fringe a little bit so it is out of his eyes...
Well he wouldnt even sleep through it - the second I tried to comb it flat he woke up! ARGH, why does he have to be a light sleeper like me?!?
*bangs head against wall*

Thanks for the tips everyone...
I think the next thing I will try is to feed him something so delicious that he doesnt care about anything else (ice cream) and tackle the back of his hair...
I have tried the DVD trick, doesnt work at all.. he just wont let us near him!

Taking him to the same hairdresser as DP will be tricky, because DP actually see's only one hairdresser, who I dont think does kids hair. And DP wont consider going anywhere else, as he has to have this particular hairdresser who knows just what he wants... *sigh*

I cant wait until Aidyn is a bit older... old enough to respond to bribery, LOL ;)

When I was a kid my mum used to have a comb with a blade in it that she used on my brother. If they still make them it might be a solution.

ahh yes... I think thats what hairdressors use for the 'razored' effect... My friend has one that she uses on my hair, I may have to borrow it, or maybe I can buy one cheaply somewhere!
Thats a brilliant idea Chloe, and it may just work too!! Thanks!! :D