Going to get a haircut can be a very distressing experience for autistic kids due to sensory issues such as a sensitivity to noise and touch.

From an early age, Evan has had meltdowns and struggles with the haircuts. And no, it's not the typical response like little kids who are trying to figure out hair-cutting. We are talking about going to the bathroom because of being so anxious.

The sensitivity in the head region but also with the loose hair touching any part of his body, we would see his skin turn pink right away. All haircuts were done at home because the barbershop environment was too much stimulus  for Evan.

We practice counting to a certain number (so that he knows when he is going to get a break and it is predictable), having quiet buzzers or scissors, switching locations of the house, using an iPad to distract, giving M & Ms for a reward after a certain number, letting him sit in our lap, letting him cut the adult's hair (daddy it papa), reading books on hair-cutting, doing play-dough hair cutting practice, using a visor to "catch the hair" above his eyes, using a mirror and hair duster to get off hair on the neck, laying out a blanket in the middle of the living room and taking our time and going slow, etc.

You get my point. We have tried many things.

Autism teaches you to be patient and to have to take your time. This means that a haircut might be over a span of hours or days even. Going at Evan's pace, he has taught us to be present in the moment, and to not give up.

Years of practice and walking alongside Evan, he went into a barber recently for the very first time! Mr. Neil (the Barber) was very sweet and gentle with Evan. Evan has gone to the barber and watched Papa get his hair done multiple times, before Evan took the plunge to try himself! Amazed by my boys grit and determination to not give up.

I have learned from Evan that even though some things feel like they take forever to change or do in life, or it may feel like too big of a mountain, that really-one step in front of the other is moving. It's not stagnant. Whatever we are facing today, let's take Evan's advice with one step at a time, moving forward.