Editor's note: This is a featured sponsored post. However all opinions are the author's own.
Leave it to moms to create an easy, effective method of getting an uncooperative child to do something necessary. A child's first haircut ranks pretty high up on the list of parenting milestones. Whether your baby was born with a full head of hair (like mine or bald and beautiful, at some point, they will need a haircut. What's worse to babies and toddlers than a stranger wielding a strange object near them? Not much else.
Enter KidSnips: one of the pioneering kid friendly salons in the Chicagoland area with 9 locations in the city and suburbs. KidSnips, the creation of two local moms, debuted in 1997. Their stylist make haircuts for kids painless and actually quite fun. For the little ones they have car and train-shaped stylist chairs to sit in and children get to pick a video game or a DVD to watch while getting their snips. The pièce de résistance is getting to pick out a little toy treat from the treasure box at the end.
My first experience with KidSnips was 13 years ago with my eldest. Having a full head of thick hair as a one year old was cute on him until it started growing to adult proportions. I had tried a couple of times to cut it myself with him watching one of his favorite shows and plying him with strategically offered "M&M's" timed at intervals. It was all very scientific, ....and it took forever.
Our visit to KidSnips made this experience so much quicker and easier. My son still complained but it was over in a jiffy and he was back to his handsome self and not a little shaggy pup anymore.
The stylists at KidSnips are trained to cut the latest styles. Most importantly, they know how to work with cautious children. During my recent visit with my daughter, a toddler boy was, shall we say, not excited to be getting his haircut. The stylists let him sit in his mom's lap, spoke to him soothingly and another stylist who was without a client for the moment, came over to help blow bubbles in the air to distract him. All this while getting the job done really quickly!
In addition to kids cuts and styles, KidSnips also offers services for teens and adults. Their selection of hair accessories and hair grooming products is quite vast and they are also a toy store featuring unique and creative toys, games, puzzles and gifts.
During our latest visit to KidSnips, I brought my girl in for a trim, she's 8. Although, she's worn mostly long hair with bangs since she was a toddler, now that she's getting to be a more style-conscious big girl, she's been asking for a short, pixie haircut. I think she's tiring of winter static and brushing daily, too.
Our KidSnips stylist was very knowledgeable and friendly to my girl, who happily opted to watch "The Lady and The Tramp" from the salon's large DVD collection while getting her haircut. As you can see, my girl and I were very pleased with the cute and carefree result.
To find a Kidsnips in your area, view this map.
-Christine
