Disclosure- This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hair Cuttery.  I was compensated for this post but opinions are 100% my own.

Has your child ever played hairdresser and given himself or herself a haircut?  Normally kids try this when they are 2 or 3 years old.  For some reason my daughter started late and has given herself several self inflicted bad haircuts between the ages of 8 and 10 years old.  You would think she would have learned after the first time.  Luckily most of the time she has given herself these “bad haircuts” we’ve been able to brush most of her hair over to cover it up.  Now we have a rule in our house that if my girls’ bangs or hair starts to get too long and they want to get a hair cut they tell me and I will take them to get a professional haircut.  Yes, we had to make this a RULE.  Please tell me we’re not the only ones!

Now that it is almost time for my girls to go back to school, it’s also time to get back to school haircuts- FROM PROFESSIONAL STYLISTS, not a 10 year old.  LOL  I am so excited that Hair Cuttery is doing their 15th annual Hair Cuttery Share-a-Haircut.  Throughout the month, for every child up to age 18 who purchases a back-to-school haircut at Hair Cuttery, one will be donated back to an underprivileged child in the communities of Hair Cuttery’s almost 900 locations.  Hair Cuttery’s goal this year is to donate 125,000 haircut certificates throughout the month of August.  To date, the Share-a-Haircut cause has reached more than 800,000 children with haircut certificate donations, valued at $12 million.

“Share-a-Haircut is about the ritual of preparing for a new school year,” said Dennis Ratner, Founder and CEO of Hair Cuttery. “A new haircut symbolizes a new start and new possibilities. We want kids to associate feeling good about themselves with getting ready for back to school.”

Hair Cuttery surveyed* moms of school-aged children on self-esteem and school performance and found:

• 88 percent of moms believe haircuts help their child feel good and more confident about themselves;
• 86 percent of moms say that having more confidence allows their child to perform better in school;
• And nearly four in ten moms believe a haircut boosts their child’s performance in school.

*Survey conducted using the online omnibus services of Ipsos from April 17-25, 2013, among a national sample of 574 moms of school aged children (5-18)

A new haircut and style can really go a long way to help a child’s self-esteem.  I love that with this program my girls can get a great haircut and also give back to a child in need who wouldn’t otherwise be able to get a back to school haircut.  It teaches children about giving back to the community.

Hair Cuttery works with 150 local governments and community organizations to determine the areas of greatest need to donate the haircuts.  Nearly 900 salons nationwide will participate in this year’s event.  Find a participating Hair Cuttery Salon near you.

Hair Cuttery has an established history of charitable giving including such charities as the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, American Red Cross, The National Network to End Domestic Violence, American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Girls on the Run.