Picture getting a haircut for the first time from the point of view of a toddler: a stranger is touching your head, coming at you with a scissors, spraying your hair with water, maybe revving up a buzzer that makes a startling noise.
It’s no wonder parents say their goal for a first haircut is for their child not to be traumatized as they tackle this milestone of childhood. The first haircut is often attended by family members and memorialized with before and after photos. Some hair stylists award parents a “First Haircut” certificate and present them with locks of hair in a small plastic bag as a memento.
“She’s a COVID baby. At the time, I didn’t take her out much. Her interaction with people was minimal.”
Eliza Yaghoubian Megiddo, an optometrist from Great Neck, recently took her son, Eytan, 3, for his first haircut to Zippity Doo's Cuts for Kids in Roslyn Heights, where cuts are $29 and children sit in elevated race cars with steering wheels and watch movies on screens in front of the cars.
Eytan’s hair hangs past his shoulders as Megiddo lifts him into a red “Lightning McQueen” car. “It’s part of our custom as Jews. We don’t cut boys’ hair until they are 3,” Megiddo says. “It’s symbolic. When we plant fruit trees, we are not allowed to pick the fruit for three years. We want the boys to grow tall and strong like the trees and be fruitful.”
Eytan is initially cooperative but soon is trying to climb out of the car. Megiddo gives him a chocolate bar while stylist Christine Cook works on his hair and Megiddo and Eytan’s grandmother, Nahid, also of Great Neck, take photos. “You weren’t supposed to finish that so fast,” Megiddo jokes as Eytan finishes the treat and then needs to be entertained with a book. Eytan’s aunt and uncle and four cousins show up to be part of the event.
“The tough part is getting them to sit still, and mom or dad not to be upset if they cry,” says Zippity Doo's owner, Gayle Scalisi. Sometimes, it’s the mom who sheds a sentimental tear as the child sheds his or her hair — that is the case for Megiddo, whose eyes well up multiple times.
Some hair stylists come to the client’s house to do the first haircut. Tarin Laine, 43, an attorney from Massapequa, hired Kamoe Smith of Dessi Mobile Barbering Service to cut her son Jalen’s hair when he was 5.
“It was his preschool graduation and I wanted him to look nice,” Laine says of Jalen. During the pandemic, Jalen had gotten hold of a pair of school-style scissors and took a chunk out of his own hair. “My husband had to shape it up, but my husband isn’t a barber,” Laine says. She wanted someone who would put Jalen at ease during his first professional haircut, and she saw recommendations for Dessi Mobile Barbering on the Black Long Island Facebook site.
Smith has been doing mobile barbering for about eight years and says everyone knows him as Barber Dessi. He charges $23 to $30 depending on style of cut and age of child, and there’s an additional travel fee of $15 for Nassau locations and $25 for Suffolk. He brings his hairstyling tools and uses a chair from the client's house for the child.
"I'm cutting them in the comfort of their own home," Smith says. “The most important thing is patience. Sometimes, you have to step out of your shoes and do cartoon characters and jokes to make the kids feel comfortable.”
Jill Cuyar, of Centereach, was also spurred to get her son his first haircut because of an upcoming event — his first birthday photo shoot. “It was long and plastered to his forehead,” she says of his hair.
Cuyar, 32, a communications officer, and her husband, Kyle, 35, a Port Authority police officer, took Raphael to Jack Abrakhmov at Bruno’s Barber Shop in Holbrook, where kids' cuts are $17 — Abrakhmov has nine grandchildren with a 10th on the way. “He’s just so calm,” Cuyar says.
“My husband sat in the chair and my son sat on his lap,” Cuyar says. “Sometimes, if they sit in a big chair by themselves, it’s a little scary. They put a 'Toy Story' cape on my son. The barber let him hold a little comb. It was a really sweet first experience that everybody enjoyed.” Cuyar says it is important that the first experience go well, because it can set the tone for future haircuts.
Back at Zippity Doo's, Eytan’s haircut is finishing up. “You’re a different boy,” Megiddo murmurs. “It’s a big change. It’s very emotional because I’ve been looking forward to this day since the day he was born. My husband, Eytan’s father, passed away soon after he was born. It’s a bit painful that he’s not here in person, but he’s definitely here in spirit.”
As for Eytan, Megiddo predicts that he will be relieved to have his long hair gone. “It was really becoming very annoying for him. It was getting in his face when he was eating. It’s an amazing milestone, and we’re ready for the big-boy stage.”
Picture getting a haircut for the first time from the point of view of a toddler: a stranger is touching your head, coming at you with a scissors, spraying your hair with water, maybe revving up a buzzer that makes a startling noise.
It’s no wonder parents say their goal for a first haircut is for their child not to be traumatized as they tackle this milestone of childhood. The first haircut is often attended by family members and memorialized with before and after photos. Some hair stylists award parents a “First Haircut” certificate and present them with locks of hair in a small plastic bag as a memento.
I was more nervous than she was.
- Riddhi Bera, 35, a pharmacist from New Hyde Park, of the first haircut for her daughter, Suri, when Suri was 2.
“She’s a COVID baby. At the time, I didn’t take her out much. Her interaction with people was minimal.”
Suri Patel, then 2, with her parents, Riddhi Bera and Malay Patel, of New Hyde Park, after her first haircut in 2022. Credit: Riddhi Bera
FIRST HAIRCUT TEARS FROM KIDS — AND PARENTS
Eliza Yaghoubian Megiddo, an optometrist from Great Neck, recently took her son, Eytan, 3, for his first haircut to Zippity Doo's Cuts for Kids in Roslyn Heights, where cuts are $29 and children sit in elevated race cars with steering wheels and watch movies on screens in front of the cars.
FIRST-CUT TIPS
How to make the first haircut go smoothly, from Gayle Scalisi, owner of Zippity Doo's Cuts for Kids in Roslyn Heights:
- Watch “Nana Cuts Daniel’s Hair,” a “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” episode on YouTube, with your child to introduce him/her to the idea of getting a haircut.
- Schedule the haircut for a time when your child is most calm, perhaps it’s just after nap time or after he or she has eaten.
- Dress him or her in long pants and consider a turtleneck as well. “A lot of kids have sensory issues,” Scalisi says. “They don’t like when the hair falls on them.”
- Bring a favorite toy for them to hold or play with during the haircut; bring a special snack that they don’t get to eat very often to distract them.
Eytan’s hair hangs past his shoulders as Megiddo lifts him into a red “Lightning McQueen” car. “It’s part of our custom as Jews. We don’t cut boys’ hair until they are 3,” Megiddo says. “It’s symbolic. When we plant fruit trees, we are not allowed to pick the fruit for three years. We want the boys to grow tall and strong like the trees and be fruitful.”
Eytan Megiddo, 3, gets his first haircut, at Zippity Doo's Cuts for Kids in Roslyn Heights on March 24, as his mom, Eliza Yaghoubian-Megiddo, looks on. Credit: Steve Pfost
Eytan is initially cooperative but soon is trying to climb out of the car. Megiddo gives him a chocolate bar while stylist Christine Cook works on his hair and Megiddo and Eytan’s grandmother, Nahid, also of Great Neck, take photos. “You weren’t supposed to finish that so fast,” Megiddo jokes as Eytan finishes the treat and then needs to be entertained with a book. Eytan’s aunt and uncle and four cousins show up to be part of the event.
“The tough part is getting them to sit still, and mom or dad not to be upset if they cry,” says Zippity Doo's owner, Gayle Scalisi. Sometimes, it’s the mom who sheds a sentimental tear as the child sheds his or her hair — that is the case for Megiddo, whose eyes well up multiple times.
STYLISTS MAKE HOUSE CALLS
Some hair stylists come to the client’s house to do the first haircut. Tarin Laine, 43, an attorney from Massapequa, hired Kamoe Smith of Dessi Mobile Barbering Service to cut her son Jalen’s hair when he was 5.
“It was his preschool graduation and I wanted him to look nice,” Laine says of Jalen. During the pandemic, Jalen had gotten hold of a pair of school-style scissors and took a chunk out of his own hair. “My husband had to shape it up, but my husband isn’t a barber,” Laine says. She wanted someone who would put Jalen at ease during his first professional haircut, and she saw recommendations for Dessi Mobile Barbering on the Black Long Island Facebook site.
Top: Raphael Cuyar, 1, in the lap of his father, Kyle, at Bruno’s Barber Shop in Holbrook. Bottom: Jalen Laine, then 5, gets his first professional haircut done at his home by Kamoe Smith. Right: Suri Patel, 2, gets her first haircut, from Anna Deng at Zippity Doos Cuts for Kids in Roslyn Heights. Credit: Jill Cuyar; Tarin Laine; Riddhi Bera
Smith has been doing mobile barbering for about eight years and says everyone knows him as Barber Dessi. He charges $23 to $30 depending on style of cut and age of child, and there’s an additional travel fee of $15 for Nassau locations and $25 for Suffolk. He brings his hairstyling tools and uses a chair from the client's house for the child.
"I'm cutting them in the comfort of their own home," Smith says. “The most important thing is patience. Sometimes, you have to step out of your shoes and do cartoon characters and jokes to make the kids feel comfortable.”
'SWEET' FIRST EXPERIENCE
Jill Cuyar, of Centereach, was also spurred to get her son his first haircut because of an upcoming event — his first birthday photo shoot. “It was long and plastered to his forehead,” she says of his hair.
Cuyar, 32, a communications officer, and her husband, Kyle, 35, a Port Authority police officer, took Raphael to Jack Abrakhmov at Bruno’s Barber Shop in Holbrook, where kids' cuts are $17 — Abrakhmov has nine grandchildren with a 10th on the way. “He’s just so calm,” Cuyar says.
“My husband sat in the chair and my son sat on his lap,” Cuyar says. “Sometimes, if they sit in a big chair by themselves, it’s a little scary. They put a 'Toy Story' cape on my son. The barber let him hold a little comb. It was a really sweet first experience that everybody enjoyed.” Cuyar says it is important that the first experience go well, because it can set the tone for future haircuts.
Back at Zippity Doo's, Eytan’s haircut is finishing up. “You’re a different boy,” Megiddo murmurs. “It’s a big change. It’s very emotional because I’ve been looking forward to this day since the day he was born. My husband, Eytan’s father, passed away soon after he was born. It’s a bit painful that he’s not here in person, but he’s definitely here in spirit.”
As for Eytan, Megiddo predicts that he will be relieved to have his long hair gone. “It was really becoming very annoying for him. It was getting in his face when he was eating. It’s an amazing milestone, and we’re ready for the big-boy stage.”
KIDS' CUTS
Looking for a first-cut? Here are some of the many salons that cater to kids:
Zippity Doo's Cuts for Kids, 398 Willis Ave., Roslyn Heights; cuts are $29; 516-625-3730, facebook.com/ZippityDoosCutsforKids/.
Dessi Mobile Barbering Service, based in Rockville Centre, travels throughout Long Island; cuts for children range from $23 to $30 depending on style of cut and age of child, and there’s an additional travel fee of $15 for Nassau locations and $25 for Suffolk locations; 516-858-9086 or 516-503-4956, dessibarbering.com.
Bruno’s Barber Shop, The Plaza at Holbrook, 317 Union Ave.; barber shop doesn’t take appointments, $17 for haircut through age 11; 631-981-5735.
Beth Whitehouse writes about families, parenting and great things to do with the kids on Long Island. She’s been a Newsday editor and shared a 1997 Newsday staff Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the crash of TWA Flight 800.
