Buzz Fix: Punishment Haircuts

Are punishment haircuts the 21st century’s answer to the no-spanking rule? We find out more on this bizarre parenting tactic…

There is a new trend emerging in the world of parenting: punishment haircuts. Yes, parents are using clippers and razors as a method to reign in their child’s bad behaviour. The idea originated in Snellville, Georgia, where a barber has made a name for himself by horrifying young kids with “old man” haircuts. The psycho’s barber’s philosophy, in his own words, is “If they want to act grown up, I will make them look grown up”. Um, come again? Has this man never broken the rules? Since when did six months at beauty school make someone an early childhood psychologist? Better yet, what kind of parents are letting their kids anywhere near this wacko and his scissors?

Well, the trend has certainly caught on. Upon first glance, yes, it seems funny. But lets keep in mind that these kids still have to go to school and face their classmates. Do you not remember what it was like to be a fifth grader with last year’s kicks? Never mind having a hairstyle that matches your 80-year-old gramps!

But mortification and shame are precisely the point. Mom, Dad… have you really exhausted all other forms of punishment? Is this a last-ditch effort in improved behaviour before the kids are sent off to boarding school? If your answer is “No,” you may want to re-assess your parenting skills. Emotional punishment can be just as bad as physical, and the act of humiliating a child is proven to have lasting effects that will likely lead to even worse behaviour in the future.

These “parents of the year” are uploading photos of their horrified offspring all over social media. Kids, listen up: The next time mommy has too many glasses of wine, grab that video camera! Since we are in the era of public shaming, some Youtube/Vine/Snapchat evidence of your parents’ alcohol-infused shenanigans might come in handy when they are threatening you with the buzzer.

Could your child ever behave so badly that you would consider a punishment haircut? Share your thoughts in the comments section below or tweet us @ViewTheVibe.