Memorizing Names

At birthday parties, I try to have all of the names memorized during the face painting part, so that I'm able to use them when I'm doing balloons - points earned! At events, I usually don't even bother - they're only there for a few minutes and then they're gone. Or rather, I will try to ask names, but I won't worry about remembering them.

At any rate, memorizing during parties = pretty easy. (Unless they're all unusual names...then everyone's "sweetie," haha)

I do feel funny sometimes when I have a repeat client or a referred client and I don't remember the child straight off the bat - especially if their parent who booked me mentions something about how Darling Dana has been talking about me ever since she saw me at Lucky Lucas's birthday 4 months ago, and I haven't a clue which child Dana is.

I know it's not a requirement, and that after doing dozens of parties with hundreds of children (thousands if you count events!) no one really expects you to remember EVERYONE's name (besides maybe repeats...I did a picnic Sunday where a family who's party I've done for the last 3 years was there, and while I recognized the mom straight away, I had just asked the child in my chair what her name was - and realised I knew her. Bunk! Luckily mom wasn't right there...haha), but do you?

IE...how's your memory!? When you go to a referral's party, can you pick out the birthday child from the 6 minutes you focussed on her 6 months ago?!

I don't ask, because it takes time, get the child to talk (and then they are hard to make stop talking so you can paint) and then they don't expect me to remember the name. I'm really bad at that. Managed to go to school with a guy - the same class - for two years, and I still had trouble remembering his name *lol*
If they ask my name, I will ask them for their name, and try to remember =)

I'm terrible with names... if I happen to remember one, they're lucky! Besides... despite telling them MY name repeatedly and being the only clown there, they still usually call me "hey clown!"

You're kidding right? I hardly remember my own name. I do recognize kids... if they did something or were exceptionally interesting for some reason.

I remember Elliot - a little girl who when she was 3 at her sister's birthday party (don't remember the birthday girl) wanted to be a wolf, and then made her dad get painted as a pink pig so she could blow down his house... He was adorable!! LOL... I see her now when I'm painting at events and I always know her - but that's because she has a white streak of hair on one side!!!

What kills me is kids who hop in the chair and say "I want what you painted on me/Billy Bob/Susie at their birthday two years ago/last year/last week at the fair...."

Sure kid.... let me just scan through my memory bank

Well.......I STINK at remembering names. Yes some seem familiar. I'll usually say........if they remember me..... "well sweetie - what did I paint on you - I remember painting you but i don't remember what". I just joke it off, or if the parent is standing there - I'm honest. I don't have that BIG of a rolodex. Given some kids just STAND OUT and I tend to remember their names real well.

I remember faces. I usually recognize kids I've painted before. But names!....erm not!

Unless they have a really unusual name, like, Adora. I remember this little girl because she really was Adorable!

Haha, phew!

I think it's easier for me overall to remember names - at least short term, ie that party) - because of my theatre background. Hey, if I can memorize 6 pages of text in a day, I can (usually) memorize 12 names in 2 hours!

Maybe it's the fact that I have two referral client birthdays this weekend - and I can't for the life of me remember who either of the children are. Being told "you made her a ballerina balloon and she loved it!" doesn't help, especially when that was in March at a trade show

Before I became a supervisor, I did homevisiting and would spend over an hour with a pregnant woman. We would talk about all kinds of things, what she thought about her pregnancy, her drug history, how she felt about her childhood, even how she plans to discipline the baby that isn't here yet. I imagine that after an hour I would know more about this woman than most of her friends (only because I asked) and I could never remember her name because I only used it at the front door!

Maybe try giving the kids nicknames... maybe based on what they are wearing or something you notice about them.

I am really rotten at remembering names too...and sometimes the kids will dive at you and hug you because they remember you.

The faces are familiar most of the time. Man if I added up the precious faces and names I've painted my brain's rolodex would definitely explode!!!

Kristal, I am impressed! I don't try to do much more than remember the birthday child and paying client's name(s) so I can thank them, and give them a little extra attention.

Yeah, I TRY to remember the birthday child's name for the duration of the party... it's often gone as soon as I leave But there have been a couple of times when I hadn't found out the birthday child's name ahead of time and just couldn't even hear them right to get the proper pronunciation even. Usually when booking though, I get the name of the parent booking and the name of the guest of honour.

I did a party yesterday where a child was named Daniya. I called her everything but her name .. Diana, Dana ... and it became a joke. I also like to use what they are wearing. If they have on an princess shirt, call them "Princess". But my favorite is one I have discovered lately, and works at festivals too. The kids are in a line .. you ask "who's next?" A kid replies they are ... and you say, "Okay, but that's a funny name you've got." It takes the pressure off to actually get their name & gets a chuckle from those standing around.

I always ask what the birthday child's name is and take note of it while filling out my "booking info sheet", which I take to the party with me. It has the mom's name, BD child's name/age, and any other info that I ought to remember. I am MUCH better at remembering a name if I have seen it written down (and refreshed myself a few times!).

Look for a book called "The Memory Book" by a man named Harry Lorraine. It will teach you how to remember names and most anything else.

I need this book cause I have CRS disease. (Can't Remember Sh*t) LOL

-Meitna

LOL! I have the same disease Metina! I can't medicate because then I get IDGAS syndrome (I dont give a S***t)

Metina wrote:I need this book cause I have CRS disease. (Can't Remember Sh*t) LOL

-Meitna

I see what you mean about names......I can't stop laughing. Did anyone else notice this???

Metina you are toooooo funny, Thanks for the laugh, it did me good.

Jenny

Can I join the CRS support group too?