During a recent Sweetwater County Head Start Family Care Night event, attendees were treated to self-care tips, free haircuts and styling advice for any student who wanted them.
According to Erin Barbuto, Head Start family and community partnerships manager, about 60 to 70 parents and Head Start students attended the Family Care Night event, which took place January 28 at the Rock Springs Head Start facility.
“We’ve done some variations on this event before,” Barbuto said.
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However, over the years the event has evolved due to input from parents, volunteers, the Head Start Policy Council and employees.
Barbuto said the first version of the event was called “Daddy Hair and Nails” and was geared toward helping dads learn how to help with their kid’s hair, especially if they had daughters.
“We had some volunteer stylists who helped by giving tips and free styles and cuts to the kids,” Barbuto said. “We’ve done similar events since then, each with a different slant, but featuring free haircuts given by volunteer stylists.”
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Cassie Gale, independent stylist, Julia Freitas and Amber Scheuerman, both from Great Clips, are all busy cutting hair. Courtesy photo
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Stylist Katie Warner from Great Clips in Rock Springs gives Tucker Schiess a trim. Courtesy photo
This year, the event was focusing on trying to help parents receive tips and tools to teach their children self-care skills.
“Parenting is hard even when things are going well and you know exactly what to do, which rarely happens,” Barbuto said. “Knowing when and how to teach children self-care skills can be tricky. Each child learns and develops somewhat differently, so even when it is your third child, there can still be curve balls in the process.”
Barbuto said it’s important to support each other as parents and as a community so parents can learn from each other. Barbuto was impressed with the amount of people willing to volunteer and help plan the program. The teachers and parents worked together to create stations, which were used to teach children self-care skills.
“Everyone can’t be an expert in everything, and parenting kind of demands that you are,” she said. “When families and communities come together to share their skills with each other, everyone wins.”
Even though the event focused on self-care skills, hair stylists were on hand to give free haircuts, which was appreciated by the families.
“There were so many stylists who volunteered their time and skills,” she said. “Salons and schools donated goods and services to be given as door prizes. I was touched by the giving spirit that was shown.”
About Head Start
Head Start is a unique program that was designed to help children and parents by serving the entire family. Not only is Head Start a free, high-quality, early childhood education program, but it is also a family service program that works to support parents and families in their needs, interests and goals. Head Start is a national program that was designed in the 1960s to help families out of poverty by addressing early learning, health and nutrition, and family well-being.