Haircuts in the Autism World

"Nathan it's time for a haircut" is a trigger to a meltdown like no other.

He screams, he cries, he tries to hide the hair clippers from us. It is one of the worst tasks we have to do with him.

We tried taking him to a barber a couple of times, but he would get completely overwhelmed.

Over the Summer, Nathan and his sister went and stayed with their grandparents. His grandpa decided to try to take him to a barber shop to get his haircut. We gave the permission thinking, it's a whole new place, he's not with mom and dad, so maybe it will be a good thing.

It went FABULOUSLY!!!

They sent us picture when he was done and he looked so adorable.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago. Picture day was coming up and Nathan deeply needed a haircut. It was so long.

We would ask him if he was ready. He would say no. So the day before picture day, I put him in the car and took him to the barber. I was waiting for the meltdown...it didn't come.

He walked in and sat down while we waited. I could tell he was anxious. I talked him through it. He started stimming--flapping his hands, jumping up and down. He was actually excited.

He sat down and got his hair cut.

There were some stipulations on his end. No clippers. He does not like the noise. He also would move every time he heard the clippers from someone else. But we got through the haircut successfully.

He got to go to the store afterward and pick a treat.

My handsome boy faced his fears and anxiety. I have learned to just keep trying. It might take 1000 times for Nathan to do something, but on 1001 we can praise the milestone.

I am so proud of my little boy!!!

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