Haircuts and Son2 - handle with care!

For most mums, going to the hairdressers is a treat. It makes you feel better, walking out of the salon knowing your hair looks good.
The same cannot be said for many children, especially those on the autistic spectrum.
For our boys, haircuts have always been a major undertaking often accompanied by teeth gritting, hand clenching and when they were younger writhing and screaming.
Now they're older they can cope better- but only if the haircut turns out to have been an imperceptible half an inch off. For a start they don't like having their hair touched by strangers and for seconds, the anxiety of it going wrong is almost too much to bear.

And Son2 isn't the only one
who hates haircuts...

When they were small we used to do it ourselves with clippers, but that usually ended up with everyone in tears, covered in hair and red in the face. Now they have longer styles and the clippers won't cut it, so to speak.
But unfortunately at times a haircut is unavoidable. I'm such a coward I make my husband take them to the local barber with instructions that it has to be out of their eyes.
Last weekend the haircut did not go well for Son2 and he still hasn't got over it. Neither has the barber who subsequently refused to do Son1's hair after the trauma of cutting Son2's
Son2 meanwhile has worn a furry Russian hat ever since, even in his bedroom. He only takes off inside at school because he is required to. I have no idea how long this will last - perhaps until it grows back into his eyes, which might be the summer. We may have to cover the mirrors - even catching sight of it in the reflection of the window is enough to spark fresh angst.
We can't go back to that barbers, I don't think. I'm now looking for a mobile hairdresser who is experienced with dealing with special needs kids. If you know anyone in North Surrey or North Hampshire give me a shout!