Ugh! Touchy fingers!!

Hiya,
Have found another little prob seems to be reoccurring at the moment , what do you do and have you had the situation where the kids just come along and touch everything !
Had a busy week this week considering just started out on my own 2 months ago , 2 parties Allready and doing a big charity gig at the weekend , last night was a small group of girls , and when it came to doing tattoos they were sticking there fingers in all the pots of glitter and trying to apply themselves! In still using the pots apart from being annoying screwing off all the lids I prefer to puffer bottles, I was saying please dont do that sweetie I need the glitter for the tattoos , but was continuously ignored , seemed quite happy to let me get on and all adults congregated in other room , don't mind this normally , eases my nerves , but when they all become lil pickles what do you do? Also how do u display and let them choose tattoos etc ? I found a plastic book Wich is full of pockets designed for storing kids collectable cards etc , they fit in perfect and they can look through and choose what they want, now though finding giving them the book there taking them out hanging on to them trying to pull of backing paper etc ugh! Suppose I need some tips on kiddie control and how you get to work at parties etc, doing alone, if possible please xxx

I usually tell them that if they keep touching everything I will have to put it away and then nobody gets painted. This usually stops them.

However, I did have a sneaky little girl steal my mirror on Saturday. When another little girl saw her holding it, they got into a fight over it. Ten seconds later it was in pieces on the ground. So much for unbreakable mirrors.

If I am really having some problems with a specific child, I will tell the child's parent that if they do not stop they will have to leave the line.

Also, face painters are not babysitters. I make it a point to put this in my contract. I refuse to paint kids if there are no adults present nearby. I also put a sign up at pay per face gigs that says I will not paint children who are not accompanied by adults.

I agree with Pjhamel. I also have it outlined in contract that I don't do childcare. I use my spray bottle when the kids won't listen. I don't say "please don't touch" I say "DON'T touch" and then "thank you" when they comply. If they continue, then they get a squirt of water, then told to leave

Criss wrote:I agree with Pjhamel. I also have it outlined in contract that I don't do childcare. I use my spray bottle when the kids won't listen. I don't say "please don't touch" I say "DON'T touch" and then "thank you" when they comply. If they continue, then they get a squirt of water, then told to leave

Hi Jucy (I feel so obscene writing that),
I think the solution to your problem can be found by addressing a few areas:

SETUP:
As for glitter tattoo displays, look at the Glitter Tattoo section of the forum; there are tons of ideas that people have found wide success with for you to choose from.

Most children are part crow (the bird, not the Native American variety). Anything shiny and new will grab their attention. It's part of the draw of our craft for those shiney sparkly things to be on display, but it's not part of it for those things to be accessible to wandering fingers.

My glitter pots are setup in a Sephora traincase. Infact, everything BUT my stencils and display are in that case. I keep the glitter pots on the top shelves, and when I expand it out it reveals another set of compartments for my brushes, mica and glue tubes. My alcohol dispenser, wipes, free hand glitter glue bottles, cards, ect sit in the bottom of the case. When I'm working, the only thing that sits on the table is my brushes, the boring alcohol dispenser and my container of swabs (equally boring). I collapse the compartments so that only the glitter on the top level shows and when I'm not using the glitter (if I'm face painting and doing glitter tattoos at the same time) and there are a lot of misdirected curious faces around, I close the lid to put a damper on temptation. It also helps that the box sits on the table which puts access to the glitters at about 8 inches (20cm) off the table. Everything about that setup says, "Don't touch, it's important".
Here's a picture of my traincase:


If you're working with your materials spread out on a table without any type of barrier, you're asking for curious hands and fingers.

How are you orientating yourself? Your supplies should be in an area that you can survey with ease. That means never behind you and never amidst a sea of children. I'm right handed so my table is always to my right (up against a wall if possible) and I set my director's chair up along side the table with my supplies setup (as condensed as possible) on the table (to my right) between where I stand and the end of the director's chair. I also form a barrier of boring stuff around an accessibly side of my setup. Wipe containers, brush holders, sponge cases, water containers all serve as excellent barriers that curious fingers have a hard time getting past. Even if I can't get a wall, the wall of "Stuff" usually serves it purpose.

If I'm lucky, I have the children line up behind the chair and I put up a clear "sneeze sheild" (aka clear document holder/stand) at the end of my table so that even if the next child in line gets to my table, they have an acrylic barrier between their noses/fingers and my kit. If I have children line up behind me I establish a "zone square" that encompasses the table, the makeup chair and a small space behind where I stand where they can't enter (tell them that if you step backwards you'll step on them and it'll hurt, A LOT", that usually keeps them away). My paints are pretty much positioned in the same position; in my line of sight and out of their reach.

CONTRACT:
I only work with contracts. In that contract it clearly states that there must be an adult supervising the children who will be painted and that I am not a glorified babysitter (okay, I word it better than that). My contract also indicates that my requirement to provide the services are rendered void if I'm placed in any type of environment that poses a threat to my safety or that of my supplies. If you have that in your contract then you reserve the right to herd all of the misbehaving children to the room where all of the responsible adults are and announce to said adults that you can't continue to paint/provide tattoos unless one of them agrees to assist you with controlling the children who are insisting upon destroying your kit.

Mama 'Tude
I am a mother. I have an attitude problem that rears it's head in the face of overly entitled children who've never been taught boundaries. I also have a "look" that comes complete with a slight eyebrow raise that usually stops kids in their tracks. I'm unapologetic about employing all of my tools and I'm not afraid of a staredown. When a child starts intently staring at ME instead of the child in my chair, I know that they are looking for a good moment to sate their curiosity, and that's when I turn and ask them if they need something or strike up a conversation.

I also have a spare table cloth. It comes in handy, though I've only had to use it once or twice in the beginning. My table cloth comes with a warning system:

1st Warning: I bring the tomfoolery to a halt and explain to everyone that if they all want to be painted/tattooed they have to follow a couple of rules, the first being that they CAN NOT TOUCH MY SUPPLIES. I explain that they are expensive and most importantly mine and that if they are ruined, spilled or messed with, I can't continue painting/tattooing until I clean them and that means that we'll run out of time before everybody gets painted/tattooed.

2nd Warning: I stop painting/tattooing and start closing up any open lids. I then bring out my tablecloth and drape it over the whole blasted table. When I'm asked if I'm going home I explain that I don't want to, but now I have to clean up my kit before I can start painting/tattooing again. When asked about why I covered the table, I explain that I need to see an adult (usually the client) and there's always one kid whose willing to go get her. When the client comes and sees the table covered up, one child in the chair half painted and me standing there it doesn't take a lot of explaining to get her to see that the children were getting out of hand and that I had to protect my kit from them. Don't be afraid of being THAT guy...the one who has to tell the adults that they need to be the adults. Usually the client opts to either stay in the room or brings the majority of the children into the main room leaving me with just a handful.

3rd & final Warning: Doesn't exist. If the children continue to misbehave and the adults don't want to cooperate, I pack up. I've never come to this point before but I'm pretty sure that I will have little problem folowing through; the money means a lot (but since I often get paid upfront it's usually not an issue) but my ability to continue working (i.e., with a functional kit and without being late for my next gig) means more.

At parties, I avoid a lot of the milling around by having the host write the name of each child to be painted on slips of paper that I provide. If the children can spell their own names, I have them do it (pulls them away from my setup while I paint the first child). All of those names go into a bag and the child in my chair pulls the name of the next person to be painted. All of the other children are sent off to play or otherwise entertain themselves. When the next child gets in my chair, he/she pulls the name of the next child and the child who just left my chair (or the few lookie loos who insist on sticking around) then goes and finds the next child for painting. No fuss, no muss and most importantly, no "I'm next" arguments.

MOST IMPORTANTLY
Your working kit is important. You have to protect that kit and it doesn't matter what you're being paid, the client has no business expecting you to sacrifice your kit for thier children. The first step to having your clients take you seriously is taking yourself seriously and sometimes that means putting your foot down and being the bad guy. I don't feel obligated to grin and bear it or to offer coos and platitudes to children who are misbehaving. I've warned children that they will be the last one to be painted for misbehaving and somehow they believe me. You don't want to be the threatening, repeating painter any more than you want to be the threatening repeating parent. Like I said, I'm a mom, a no nonsense military veteran mom, my children know that they needn't worry about anyone throwing them under any bus because if they have earned a tossing, I'll be the person at the head of the line with catapult in tow. Just remember that you are still an adult and a business woman and just as no plumber would allow your kids to play in his toolbag for the sake of a check, you shouldn't be expected to allow children to disrespect you or your kit.

Okay...since I've written yet another unpublished novel here on the forum, I think I'm done for the day.

Good Luck!

You need to be firm, that's the main thing. I infuse humor into my firmness. But every once in a while, I have to stop what I'm doing and give a really serious look to the child(ren) who are not minding my simple rules. I have occasionally squirted my water bottle at a child or two as well. I also have gently whacked a kid over the head with my empty paper towel roll (ALWAYS keep one in my kit!) BUT, I think you have to do that in a fun way while still insisting on them obeying you.

This is what I do at public venues. I've never had a problem at a private party as far as nobody listening to me.

Thank you all !! Lol at the water spray idea! Inlove it but don't think I would have the courage yet ! And thank you lady jadyde, lots of helpful info and your soo right ! I do love the table cloth idea wi pack one in my kit next time!
Think I just have to toughen up!!! Lol the last 2 gigs though had the worst set ups to they were at people's houses , so didn't think I would need to take stools and table etc , only to get there and find I had no where to set up so had to make do with being on a sofa and chd stood infront with my kit all around me ! Big lesson learned ! Will make sure this doesn't happen again by checking before , and think ll have a play later setting my kit up in different ways to create some Walls thanks again ! X

You're welcome. The only reason I don't do the water thing is 1) I'm part masochist and I'll start spraying kids for blinking out of cadence and, 2) There are some kids who'd like it and see it as a challenge...then they'll get bolder and bolder and then we'd have mortal kombat real life edition at a birthday party.

My favorite question to ask a touchy kid is, "Do you like that finger?" and then give them the Wolverine eyebrow. It's usually enough.

I keep the lids on my starblends... My Ben Nye Lumiere's are safe in their case, my individual colors are in a large case that I close when I'm finished with a color, and I carry along a small piece of clear acrylic plastic that a lay on top of my rainbow cakes in their notebook case to keep nosy fingers out of. my automatic tip jar sits in the upper left corner of my fat max table, so if the kids crowd in TOO CLOSE to my paints/brushes, it's gonna "ding" and get my attention.

Hammer!

leapinglizards wrote:Hammer!

I've also had that question before, i think it was Perry who also said she used the spray on the kids, I tried it - it works!

or the hammer of course...

Or you could bark at them...everytime I have been barked at I scat!lol

I don't do ppf events very often any more for health reasons, but I feel that I should also mention another tactic that I have used in the past. At one event I had a little girl who kept trying to grab my stuff and wouldn't listen to anything that I said to her. The mother actually got angry when I told her that she would have to leave the tent. My response to the mother was that her child was being disruptive and her actions could damage my supplies. If she didn't want to be billed for any damages, she needed to get control of her child. I then proceeded to pull out a piece of paper and ask her for her name and contact information. Needless to say, she got her little girl out of there as the other parents applauded me. The point is, if the parents think that they are going to have to pay extra because of their children's behavior, they will get them under control.

leapinglizards wrote:Hammer!

If I had a hammer, I'd smack your little fingers....LOL

Sooooo wrong

i usually tell the mother or an older child that knows the touchy child. usually they stop.

Criss wrote:I agree with Pjhamel. I also have it outlined in contract that I don't do childcare. I use my spray bottle when the kids won't listen. I don't say "please don't touch" I say "DON'T touch" and then "thank you" when they comply. If they continue, then they get a squirt of water, then told to leave

Criss,
I have read your spray them in another thread and it still makes me laugh out loud! So funny!

hey it works for cats..

I haven't had issues with the kids, but parents touching things. I hate that more than if a kid would get curious. The kids don't know better. The adult should. I wish I had a good response for them.

If a kid gets too curious I just calmly tell them to back up and set up an imaginary line with my arm...or keep asking where the kid's parent/sibling is until they are no longer a threat. Usually, I'm lucky and ask the other kids in line for help. They don't mind helping keep th peace.