Shutting down the line... Drill Sargeant or Big Softie?

[Sherry]

Where do you fall when it comes to shutting down the line?  Do you have no mercy if they resort to begging or pleading?  I think this only happens at big public events.  I was face painting at the Veteran's Day Parade this week and a fight almost broke out.  I must get a better system.  

I go through the line as it's getting closer to quitting time and let them know when I close and how many I think I can get to during that time.  Since people always come to my line later and often no one tells them the line will be shutting down, I decided to periodically repeat that the line will be closing.

I go back through the line to give them a heads up and when I ask who was last in line,  one girl says she was and I believe it was her because of her distintive hair.  Then they change their story and say no, this other girl was and she looks nothing like I remembered.  Then some lady that was off to the left and no where near the line says she has two kids who are also in line.  I ask where at in the line and she won't give me a straight answer, just waves her arm and says, "somewhere in there."  I ask again, "where at in there?"  And she waves her hand vaguely again and says, "somewhere in there." toward the line.  This really bugged me, so I decided I wouldn't worry about counting off the line or anything and announced, that my line was closing at 1:00 and I wouldn't be taking anymore faces after that.

I repeated this to the line every 15 minutes or so.  (I normally bring a sign, but hadn't had time for this event)  When it got to the end there was confusion and 2 mom's got in an argument over which child was next.  I agreed to take the ladies daughter who'd gotten pushed off the chair even though it would be a bit past closing time.  There were a few more kids there behind the chair.  I told them I could do something really quick on the cheek like a butterfly.  This would have made it 4 more kids to end the line.  then the mom who's son was in the chair said she had 2 more, making it 6.  The thought of 6 more kids was too much, so I decided to stick to my quitting time.  I apologized and let everyone know that the boy in my chair would be the last face, because there was no way I could do that many more.  I think I was a bit upset because the lady who said she had the two... her other child was supposedly off somewhere nowhere near the line.  ?

It didn't end well and that mom and her group of ladies became upset with the other mom saYING she lied and they ended up arguing back and forth over who was lieing.

It was kind of crazy.

[Party Picassos Facepainting]

Adults are the reason I do limited graphics work.
I enjoy face painting because of the kid.
But once again, the adults can make it a wreck.
I am NEVER growing up!

[sealmom]

I too am a bit of a softie... but when I'm doing large public events... when I'm 1/2 hour from closing... I go through the line and put a number on as many kids hands as I think I can get to in that last 1/2 hour.  After that... no number... no paint.   That being said... however... for some reason... there always seems to be one pathetic little kid, after all is said and done, that says... "but it's my birthday".  Seeing as how I'm the softest touch when it comes to kids... I generally tell the parent... I'll do that one last birthday kid... but I expect a really BIG tip!... and they generally pony up with some pretty good cash.  Yes... I can be bought!!!  LOL!!!

[smoothdansa]

Maybe it's just me but while they were arguing I would've quickly closed up my stuff and shut down and sat there and watch them argue.  I'm not a sargeant per se but I'm definitely not a big softie.  If I say the person in my chair is the last one I'm painting then they are the last one.  I have no problem turning someone away when I'm done but most of my friends would tell u that I'm pretty much a b***h anyway, lol. No I don't like to see kids upset and I'm a pretty fast painter so I honestly don't run into not painting everyone that often, then again for a big event I don't do full faces or masks.  I can do most cheek art in less than 2 minutes, while it actually takes me a little longer to do full faces (about 3 1/2 minutes).  Anyway, I usually pass out tickets about 20 minutes before I close the line.  Whoever gets a ticket gets painted, period.

[littleprecious]

I am terrible! I was the last person to pack up yesterday at an event.  Clearners where vacuming around me!

[Party Picassos Facepainting]

I can be a doormat. I love kids and I LOVE painting, so I can be a soft touch.
If I have somewhere to be after a job, I get out at fast as I can. Sometimes,
I need to remind myself that I have 2 AWESOME kids at home who can't wait
until I return and a terrific husband who probably needs a break!

[Wildcatfin]

Afraid i'm generally drill sarge! I'm an ex-teacher so all my queues get treated like schoolkids whatever the age and that seems to help a lot. Even the school-miss GLARE works sometimes.

Parties etc, fine, generally firm but soft works. But I mainly work big events with thousands of people, and soft does not cut it. You don't have the voice volume or the time to personally explain to each and every latecomer at the far end of the queue....You get some really horrible parents and kids, even had them pinch children to make them cry to try and get painted an hour after I shut the line.

Whats been working best for me after lots of variations, is keeping an eye on the q,and when I have 20ish in it, about an hour before my break or end of day, I dot all the hands in it, and give the last person a big rainbow flag thing on a pole with a big 'this is the last person I will paint'(before lunch added if not end of day!) sign velcro'd onto it. And I repeatedly announce that if they aren't in the q already and dotted, tI'm sorry but they can't get painted.

They don't seem to argue with the sign, kids/ shy adults are happier to hold it than tell new qrs they can't get painted, and its more noticeable than hats, neck signs etc.

Just make sure they don't wet & 'spread'/ pass on the dots, check they aren't place holding for multiple kids, and make sure you know who the sign holder was too!

Cat x

Cat x

[Psalmbook]

Just post a BIG sign on your tent. "Booth Will Be Closing at 0:00". Most reasonable adults will see the sign & say, "Sorry, they're closing in a few minutes."