Family Haircuts... How to Cut a Little Boy's Hair

I just finished eight haircuts this afternoon.  Saved my family at least 120 bucks!  Hoo-ah.

(It's a military term for "Oh Yeah, I just did something really cool!" ....And other things.)

 
Today is the dreaded haircut Saturday that I put off for more weeks than I should.  I don't hate cutting hair that much, there's just lots of other things I'd rather be doing.

The boys were looking a little shaggy.  The Captain was looking like Jack Frost.

 Now they are all spiffy again.  : )


When I first started cutting hair, I looked far and wide for some sort of how-to explanation.  I had a very hard time finding one.  Maybe it's top secret or something.  I don't know.  But, needless to say, I figured it out by trial and error.  Lots of errors and twenty years later, I guess I'm doing alright because nobody wants to find a new barber.  So I thought you might like to see my artistic interpretation of the way to cut hair.

Today I started off with the Captain.  I use clippers on his hair, mostly.   I'll show you that one later...

But for a simple haircut, all you really need is:

sharp scissors, a barber comb, a spray bottle...

And a willing victim.  :)

After you lightly dampen the hair with your trusty spray bottle, comb it straight and slightly forward.  It's easier to see what you're doing if the hair is not completely wet, just damp.  Towel dry if it's too wet.

I usually start with the bangs so I know how much I'll be cutting off all over.  Keep in mind that wet hair is longer... it will look shorter when it dries!

I use that bang length as a guide, and cut the top to match.  Cut the top in finger-length sections, front to back.  I always use my fingers, rather than the comb to hold the hair up, because little kids wiggle.

I work my way back to the crown, grabbing a little bit of new hair along with the cut hair each time.  That way I can match the length to what I already cut.

Once the top is done, I do the same with the sideburns.  

I just keep working my way up until I reach the top length that I already cut.  I use this same angle to cut all the way around the back, too.

 Once you've gone all the way around the back, work your way up to the crown and check to make sure that the back and top lengths match up.

Straighten out the bottom edge of the sideburns.

Trim up the sides.  You can use scissors or this handy gadget...

This thing is a lifesaver for a nice, neat edge.  It's like a little beard trimmer thingy.  Always bend ears down to check for those stray hairs.  I use this gadget all the way around the back edge, too.  But scissors work fine.

When you think you're almost done, the hair should be almost dry.  Take your time combing up all over and checking for uneven or angular looking places.  They look like choppy angles when they're laying down.  You don't want any noticeable layers.  Just a nice, neat, handsome haircut.

If it doesn't work out perfectly, just keep in mind that you'll get plenty of practice through the years.  Eventually, you might even be your family's favorite stylist.

Oh, and this really helps...

Be sure to have prizes ready for good behavior! 

Notice:  Even though I cut that straight, it looks crooked when it dries, due to a cow lick.  It doesn't really matter to me, though, because Ben's hair is rarely perfectly combed.  He'd rather have it gelled back like a "cool dude" anyways!

Next I'll show you how I cut the girl's long layers.  It's really super easy.