I've been face painting all week at our Vacation Bible School from 9 - 1 p.m. each day. There's something to be said for children who actually WANT to be painted! I'm having a lot of fun!
I don't know what it is that many adults think the tiniest children are the ones who want to get face painted.
It's the older children that want it, sit so much stiller for it and follow instructions. Since the children at VBS don't have their parents with them, I know that everyone who lines up for it, ACTUALLY want it! Many times at events I hear parents talking the children in to getting painted. It's either the parents trying to talk the kids into getting painted, or I hear the children trying to talk the adults into letting them get painted.
Anyway, back to the point... when I was first negotiating how we would do things, the Director was talking about the ages to be sent to me for painting and she started with the very young ones. I told her that young ones weren't very good candidates and that older children love face painting too and many times little ones are afraid and not patient enough to sit still for it. She agreed to that and we set a limit of ages 5 and up.
It's been great so far and I've been the hit of the event with a line all day, well mannered children (for the most part), they're patient, etc.
Why do people continue to think these little bitty ones are the best candidates, I wonder? I had one teacher bring her room of very young children over to me. They looked like they were 2 or 3. She must not have known about the discussion I had with the Director. She waited in line for a long while and sat one of the little boys up in my chair. I asked what he wanted and he shook his head no. I told her, I can't paint him, he doesn't want painted. She said he wanted painted earlier and then asks him herself. Again, he shakes his head no. We get him out of the chair and she puts another up. She says, once he sees her getting it done, then maybe he'll want to. I do a little cheek butterfly. Again she asks him. She asked him a few more times and each time, he shakes his head no. The little one is probably thinking, "how many times do I have to say no to this already?"
I'll try to post some picks sometime after I finish up this week.
