School photos tomorrow. Your daughter’s fringe is in her eyes. Your son looks like a sheepdog. The hairdresser closed at 2pm Saturday (of course they did).
Welcome to Sunday night panic mode.
Three years ago, I discovered the solution that’s saved me roughly $700 per year: cutting my kids’ hair myself the night before photos. Not a full haircut. Just the bits that make them look less feral in photos that’ll haunt them forever.
Why I Started DIY-ing It (Apart from Being Tight)
My breaking point came when Just Cuts wanted $45 for my son’s basic trim. Then another $20 for my daughter’s fringe. For literally 12 snips that took under two minutes. I stood there watching her do it, thinking “I could definitely do that.”.
Spoiler: I could. Sort of. Eventually.
The thing is, school photo hair doesn’t need to be perfect. It needs to be neat. There’s a massive difference, and once you realise that, the pressure’s off. You’re not creating the next Vidal Sassoon masterpiece. You’re just making sure your kid doesn’t look like they’ve been raised by wolves.
Let’s Talk Money (Brace Yourself for This Table)
| The Annual Hair Reality | Professional | DIY at Home |
|---|---|---|
| 2 primary school kids (6 cuts each) | $600-870 | $0 |
| Equipment/scissors (one-time cost) | $0 | $100-150 |
| Total Year 1 | $600-870 | $100-150 |
| Total by Year 5 | $3,000-4,350 | $100-150 |
That’s over four thousand dollars saved. Enough for that Queensland holiday you keep promising them. (If you’re looking for more family money-saving strategies, MoneySmart has some brilliant budgeting tools that actually work.).
How To Give Your Kids A Fresh Trim
First things first, gather stuff you actually need and no it’s not your kitchen scissors!! I tried using mine and it was like trying to cut hair with a butter knife. My poor son sat there for 20 minutes while I sawed at his hair like I was trying to escape prison.
I ended up getting proper scissors from the same Japanese brands hairdressers use – turns out they make affordable home versions too. You can also find quality home hair cutting scissors from other Australian suppliers . Not the $800 professional ones (I’m not insane), just the basic sharp ones that actually cut hair instead of chewing it. Under $100 and they’ve lasted three years so far.
Other essentials:
- Spray bottle (the fancy hairdresser kind makes them feel special)
- That comb from 2019 that’s somehow survived
- Kitchen stool they can spin around on between sections
- Phone with Bluey downloaded
- Their favourite snack for afterwards
- Wine for recovery
The Actual How-To Bit for Boys
My boys are easier because let’s be honest, boys’ hair is more forgiving. Here’s what works:
Sunday 6pm Setup: Stick him on the kitchen stool. Towel around shoulders. Spray his hair damp but not dripping. Let him choose what to watch on the iPad – amazing how still they sit when they’re engaged. And obviously, follow basic child safety guidelines – keep the scissors up high between snips and never leave them unattended with sharp tools.
Step 1: The Fringe Situation
- Comb it straight down
- Hold sections between your fingers where you want to cut
- Cut BELOW your fingers, not at them (learned this the hard way)
- Point cut (snip upwards into the hair) rather than straight across
- Looks more natural and hides wonky bits
Step 2: Around the Ears
- Pull the hair down over the ear
- Cut in a slight curve following the ear shape
- Don’t go mental – just remove the fuzzy bits
- If you can see his entire ear, you’ve gone too far
- Leave the sideburn area alone unless you want him looking like a mini accountant
Step 3: The Back Neck Bit
- This is where I stuffed up most
- Don’t try to create a new hairline
- Just snip the wispy bits that stick out
- Follow what’s already there
- When in doubt, leave it fuzzy
Step 4: That Sticky-Up Bit Every boy has one. Usually at the crown. Wet it, cut it slightly longer than everything else because it’ll spring back up like a jack-in-the-box. Accept that some battles can’t be won.
Girls Are Trickier (Everything With Girls Is)
My daughter has opinions. Strong ones. About everything. Especially her hair.
The Negotiation Phase (5:30pm): Show her photos of what you’re planning. Let her “help” by holding the spray bottle. Tell her she looks like Elsa. Whatever works.
Step 1: The Fringe Drama
- Section the fringe from the rest (use her favourite hair clips)
- Cut it dry if it’s straight, slightly damp if it’s wavy
- Start longer than you think – you can always cut more
- Cut vertically into the fringe, not straight across
- The middle should be slightly shorter than the sides
- Creates a soft, face-framing look instead of the ruler-straight nightmare
Step 2: Split End Patrol
- Twist small sections of hair
- The damaged ends will stick out
- Snip ONLY the sticky-out bits
- Makes hair look healthier without losing length
- She can’t complain you cut too much off
Step 3: Face Framing Layers (If You’re Brave)
- Pull sections forward at a 45-degree angle
- Cut upwards at an angle
- Start with tiny amounts
- Creates movement around the face
- Hides any wonkiness from the fringe
Step 4: Evening It Out
- Have her shake her head like a dog
- Whatever’s obviously longer, carefully trim
- Check from front, both sides, and back
- Remember: photos are from the front, nobody sees the back
Disasters That Taught Me Everything
The Great Fringe Disaster of 2021: Cut my daughter’s fringe wet. It dried two inches shorter. She looked permanently surprised in every photo that year. Now I cut fringes dry or barely damp. Lesson learned.
The Bowl Cut Incident: Tried to follow a YouTube tutorial for a “textured boys cut”. My son looked like someone put a bowl on his head and cut around it. Because that’s essentially what I did. Stick to basic trims.
The Teenage Meltdown: Touched my 13-year-old’s hair without permission. She didn’t speak to me for a week. Teenagers are off limits unless they specifically request help and sign a waiver absolving you of all responsibility.
When to Admit Defeat and Call Professionals
Some things are beyond us mere mortals:
Curly hair: Each curl has its own postcode and they don’t communicate with each other. One wrong snip and your child looks like they’ve been electrocuted.
Undercuts/Fades: You need clippers and actual skill. This isn’t happening with scissors in your kitchen.
Major length changes: If they want to go from long to short, or need proper layers, book the salon. This is beyond school photo touch-up territory.
When they’re genuinely upset: If your kid is already stressed about photos, adding a dodgy home haircut won’t help. Sometimes the $45 at Just Cuts is worth their confidence. Or splurge on a $15 fringe trim if that’s all they need.
The Unspoken Truth About This Whole Thing
Here’s what nobody tells you: those slightly imperfect home cuts become part of your family story. My son’s Year 3 photo with the slightly wonky fringe? We laugh about it now. “Remember when Mum cut your hair and you looked like a startled hedgehog?”
The money saved (over $2,000 and counting) went straight into swimming lessons and that overpriced school camp. But honestly, it’s the memories that matter. Sunday nights in the kitchen, hair everywhere, kids giggling as I pretend I know what I’m doing, the victory dance when it actually looks decent.
Last week my 10-year-old asked if I could trim his hair before school athletics. “You’re getting pretty good at it, Mum,” he said. Nearly cried into my coffee.
Ready to Save Some Cash?
Next time that crumpled photo notice surfaces from the black hole of their school bag, don’t panic. Look at what actually needs doing. Usually it’s just:
- Fringe out of eyes
- Fuzzy bits around ears
- General neatening
Sunday night after dinner, set up in the kitchen. Start with the smallest amount possible. You can always cut more, but you can’t tape it back on (I’ve considered it).
Give it a go. Worst case? Hair grows back and school photos are terrible anyway. Best case? You save hundreds of dollars and gain a weird but useful life skill.
Plus your kids will have a great story for their own kids: “Your Nanna used to cut our hair in the kitchen the night before school photos. We looked ridiculous but she saved enough money to take us to Movie World.”
Worth it.
