Pampering Yourself on the Road

When your daughter is young, you may take her to a child's hair salon or even cut her hair yourself. When she reaches her pre-teen years, though, you may want to start taking her to a higher-end salon where she can get more specialized services performed on her hair. The first appointment at a high-end salon can be a great experience for both you and your daughter, but there are a few tips you'll want to keep in mind along the way.

Let the stylist know the appointment is for a pre-teen.

When you call to make the appointment at the salon, let the stylist know how old your daughter is. Also let them know this is her first "big" salon visit. This way, the stylist can set aside a little extra time in their schedule so they can properly consult with you and your daughter and come up with a styling plan that suits her. Also, if you let the stylist know you'll be accompanying your daughter, they can make sure there is space for you to sit near the styling chair and offer your input.

Go through photos with your daughter ahead of time.

A week or two before the appointment, start going through photos with your daughter. Have her select a few pictures of styles she likes, and then talk with her about each one. Help her weed out styles that may not be suitable for her hair type. The stylist will do some of this with her, too, but by doing a preliminary run through the photos with her, you can narrow things down a bit and give the stylist less to focus on.

If you have any limits as to what you will allow your daughter to do with her hair — colors you won't permit and the like — let your daughter know these limits before her appointment so you're not put in an awkward position at the salon.

Don't get too involved.

When you are at the salon getting your daughter's hair cut and styled, try to take a supportive role, but don't get too involved. Let your daughter have the experience of talking with the stylist about what she likes and does not like. Let her answer questions like "is this short enough?" for herself. Only jump in if the stylist or your daughter directly asks for your opinion.

Your preteen daughter's first appointment at a high-end hair salon can be a fun and rewarding experience. If you follow the tips above, she should emerge with a style she loves and some good memories, too.

Contact a salon like MJ Hair Designs to learn more.