Little Kiddies touching everything in store

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Rozmataz

Rozmataz

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Jun 13, 2002
Posts
2,773
Loc
Fingerlakes Region of NYS
I don't know what to do.

This has happened on several occassions with the same customer and the 3 year old A.D.D. child.

I get so torn up inside but remain calm on the outside but she just about destroys my shop.

THis past weekend, the whole family came in - 5 in all. The two adults and two older children were just fine... but the little one - was out of control. My husband "tried" to entertain, distract, with no success... she touched everything - thankfully did not break anything... but I was a wreck once they left. My husband's face was a bit red (high blood pressure definitely was kicked up by this kid)...

So how to handle this very good customer with a very bad kid..... thoughts, ideas, signage, small electric chair appreciated.

Thanks, Roz :mad:
 
Install a TV and VCR and turn on the cartoons when they come in.

Put a Michael Jackson manikin in your store.

[ 02-12-2003, 05:54 PM: Message edited by: lessafinger ]
 
Toybox...full, of course. Puppets are good for all kids; girls like dolls and boys like things with wheels.

Children's books for all age groups.

Coloring books & crayons -- but only if you're brave, and only for the kids you know to be well-behaved & parentally-supervised. CAUTION: Some kids would prefer to color your walls, framed art & other customers' property.
 
We have a toy box and the kids love it. Even the ADD's. Sometimes, one of us has to sit down and play with the kid.

I tell the mother's what the kid can touch in the store and if he/she isn't listening, I put a stool up next to the mother at the counter and sit the kid on it.

Older kids, even the ADD ones, I involve in the framing process, getting their ideas and educating them on conservation framing.
 
Dogzilla is retired now from active duty, but he was a store dog for six years and was infinitely patient with children - who seemed to find him irresistable.

Yes, I know there was always a risk that he would snap when some hyperactive munchkin pulled his tail or sat on him but, honestly, there was always a much greater risk that I would be the one that would bite.
 
Simple: I put a sign up on my door when i started my business bakc in '82:

NO KIDS ALLOWED (in 2" red letters)
unless 101% controlled (in 1/4" black letters) :mad:

They take it as a "hint" when they walk in... i VERY rarely ever have any problems.

;) (Ever here the story about the BAD, REALLY BAD little kid? This little kid was so bad, the mama and daddy sent him to the store to get a loaf of bread, and before he got back home, they MOVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!) :D

[ 02-12-2003, 10:21 PM: Message edited by: FrameItEtc ]
 
ouch,
a problem I recognize a bit too well myself.
Especially at saturdays.
The problem with having toys around is that you "invite" people to come into your store with kids.
I think framing art is a serious business and one should leave their kids at home or come to the shop when they're at school.If you are going to an auction house to try to get a hold on that piece you saw in the cataloque,would you bring your 4 year old ?
 
We have had a Lego Table for about 7 years and the kids now come runing into our store when the parents do not have any intention of coming in.

The table is in the back part of the store so when the parents come in after their child, they have to go at least 3/4 of the way into the store and many times they stay for a few minutes.

We also have books but the Lego Table was the best investment we have made, brings parents into the store and keeps them there once they are in.
 
To expect people in the U.S. to come into a store without their kids, these days, is unrealistic. To expect them to behave is also, unfortunately, unrealistic. The best thing that any shop owner can do is to have something/someone to entertain the kid while the parent works with the designer. I have always talked to the kid along with the parent, and rarely have I ever had problems. However, you also have to remember that I was a school teacher in a previous life, and my daughter always said that my "school teacher's voice" could "scare the scales off of a snake". I'm quick to tell the kid "no", when little fingers go for things that they shouldn't, but, then, unless the kid is a babe in arms, I tell them why it is a "no". You'd be surprised just how far that will get you with a kid. Most adults just don't take the time or make the effort to explain to them why they can or cannot touch something. When you do, only the most obnoxious little brats will do it anyway. Most of them will see the light, and do what you tell them simply because you took the time to explain just to them. Try it sometime.
 
Originally posted by fttom:
...Most of them will see the light, and do what you tell them simply because you took the time to explain just to them. Try it sometime.
Click to expand...
The same goes for the parents, too.
 
Dear framer / babysitter,

Ive found that the best solution for this is to give the kids a few crayons (color safe) or markers around and let them dabble (draw) art onto paper, anykind. Most of the time they feel like artists and are excited when they show you their work, it keeps them pretty busy for most part. Also since they are in a frame shop chances are they might want their "piece" framed and there is a chance the parents will frame it adding to the sale. Good luck!

ceosteveo@aol.com :cool:
 
I keep razor blades all over the shop, so they will be handy when I want one.

Instantly as kids appear I show the adult a razor, and tell them they're everywhere.

The kids have to go, or sit at our feet and behave.

The razors get message across.
 
I always keep a couple of harnesses and leashes at the front door and when I see them get out of the car with the little *****, I hand them one for each and show them the nice hitching post out front of the store. A small dish for water is always a nice touch. :eek: :eek:
 
"UNRULY CHILDREN WILL BE GIVEN A FREE KITTEN"

Then keep a box of kittens in the shop for the unruly kids.

Gets rid ofpesky kids and still more pesky kittens.

reminds me of the WC Fields question: "how do you like children?
Sez he "All depends onhow they're cooked"

God I loved that man.
 
This is very rare, but if I get to the point that I can't handle the sale because I have to watch the kids, I honestly tell the person that they need to comeback alone if they want me to work with them.

A frameshop with workshop is not a normal retail store. I've seen kids run into the shop. kick finished orders. Put small things into their mouths from the floor.

The one thing I've learned is no one sale is worth a child getting hurt, this is what I try to say to the parent. Plus the damage they will do if not under control, what I don't say.

My Cents
framer
 
Framer's right.

I once had two kids rough-housing in my shop when one of them fell against a finished order and broke the glass. Neither the child nor the art were damaged but - of course - I had to replace the glass and it could have been much, much worse.

On another occasion, a toddler wandered into my workshop and, when we found him, he had a handleful of razor blades. I nearly had a stroke, but the mother was eerily calm. I suspect she was on medication.

I rarely have small children in my shop. I guess I'm lucky that most of my customers recognize a death-trap when they see one.
 
The best advice I've ever seen on this subject came from Judith Martin (aka Miss Manners).

Grasp the child firmly by the hand and say, "Don't do that, dear. You could get hurt."

Done properly, this technique conveys the message that you are the one who is going to hurt him.

Kit
 
True story.

A woman came in with two small children, who amused themselves by digging in the potted plants, and scattering the dirt. Their mother saw this, but didn't react. (The framer who was waiting on her thought: at least they are not breaking anything.) There was a lot of cleaning up to do.

Later, when the woman's order was ready, we called her, left a message on her machine, and made a note on the order slip, "4/16 left mess."

The lady picked up her order, and while paying for it, noticed the note on our copy of her order slip.
She pointed to it and asked, "Do I have to pay for that?"

Hah! She knew! We should have told her it was $50 to have the carpet cleaned.
 
We are polite but firm. We tell the mother that this is going to take some time, and if they want to be happy with their choice in the framing, then perhaps they should come back without their children... or at least with someone to watch their children.

We also have some of my daughter's old books, and puzzles (9 piece) for the kids to use.

If the parents decide to come back later, we offer to hold the artwork for them in a safe place, so they don't run the risk of damaging it taking it home and then back here. :D (Kind-of forces them to come back to us.)

We also talk to the children... TO the children, not AT the children. They know that we understand that they are there, and can see what they are doing. This works especially well if you learn their name. "Tommie, please don't touch that... you could get hurt. How about if you come back to the table and look through a book?" And don't forget your manners... "Thank-you Tommie." Just because we are adults, does not mean we can treat the kids like they are not worth respect.

The nicest thing I have heard was a little kid telling his mom, "I don't want to leave yet... I'm not done with this puzzle." His Mother stayed and let him finish it. :D

Enjoy the kids you can, politly ask the others to leave.
 
Today this lady came in the shop with her two rug rats, all she wanted is for me to rematt a piece to match her newly painted bath. I'm a lone Framer, no one to help me keep that extra eye on them little tykes, Then crash I hear and look the little girl tiped over a picture off the easel. I looked and I was freeken out! I was very very happy the kid didn't get hit. anyway the picture got really banged up, the mother offered to pay if it was damaged and I just played it off, But let me say I was very disturbed by it, Thinking what if?... if that girl got a busted head, Law suit maybe ? who knows these days. Good Grief!!!
 
I keep a box of tootsie pops in the gallery! I know, you are thinking - is she nuts!! BUT, what I do, when people come in with kids, I engage the kids in a conversation and ask them if they would like a tootsie pop - they usually say yes - I tell them there is one condition... You have to be good and you have to wait until you leave to eat it! They agree, they get a tootsie pop and they have something in their hand to hold onto and it generally helps keep their hands occupied so they don't touch anything. In warm weather, the kids have asked their parents if they can go outside and sit on the front steps and wait and eat their tootsie pop :D I'm not saying this works with every kid, but, I've had pretty good luck in the last year with it. It is harder when we are working on framing, when I'm the only one in the store. We have gallery/gifts/framing and it can get crowded but not always enough to warrant two people working. But I would still say the tootsie pop helps keep the cap on the kid.

I could always quote my husband... When a kid is really acting out, my husband will say just loud enough to be heard, "Now I know why lions eat their young" :D I don't think that would keep my customers coming back though!!

my 2 cents

Elaine
 
For after the piano lessons I teach, I used to give out suckers, like Tootsie Pops. But then I found out if a kid got hurt on the stick, I could be sued. After that, I got lollipops with safety sticks. The kids were just as happy.
 
You also need to be careful with the size of the candy on the stick. Some of them are just the right size that, if the kid bites off the candy, it will completely close the wind pipe, and they can choke to death. I quit giving out suckers at Halloween for just this reason, after we got a warning at school about this very thing. Suckers are one of the most dangerous things that you can give a kid.
There is also an imported candy, from the Orient, that is made of a potato starch, but looks like jello. It is in a small container, and the kids like to dump the whole thing in their mouths at once. When it gets wet, it gets slimy, and will slide part way down the throat. It, too, is just the same size as the throat. It can't even be melted by boiling water. It won't come up, and won't go down due to the vocal cords. Several kids have died from this one, as well.

The candy is a great idea, but Ya'll be careful what kind you buy!
 
Jeez-O-Pete!!

A kid just can't really enjoy BEING a kid anymore. They can't have a teddy bear because the eyes might come off and choke somebody, they can't have suckers because the stick might hurt them or the sucker might hurt them, can't have this because the parts are too small, can't have that because the parts are too big, can't do that because they don't have a helmet, can't go there because they might catch something or get into something, I'd like to know how a kid is expected to ever grow up normal anymore!!

I know, I know, the parents will sue for this and sue for that but, danged if I'D want to be a kid under the circumstances that a kid has to grow up with these days!!

Is a kid allowed to go barefoot in the summer anymore? I'm just asking because my kids are grown and I really don't know what the "rules" are nowadays for that sort of thing. I had so danged much fun when I was a kid and most of what we all did back then would be either illegal, dangerous, unacceptable, or abusive by today's standards. But you know, we all lived through it and aren't that much worse as a result of what we did as kids.

Yet, today a kid has to start out life riding backwards in the back seat of a car strapped to a plastic safety seat so he/she can't move nor see anything around him/her. They wear sheets of plastic wrapped toilet paper for at least a year or 2 until they learn to use the potty. They get old enough to stand and they are thrown into a harness with a leash hooked to their backs. As they get older, they progress through various plastic toys that are supposed to represent the big peoples' toys, plastic Jeeps, plastic motorcycles, plastic guns, and then, when they DO get old enough to have the real thing they find out that these "toys" cost the equivalent of a new house and 20 acres or there is a law saying that you cannot carry one without a special permit. We condition our kids to emulate what the big people do at such young ages when all they really NEED is to be a kid for a few years!!

Sorry for the rant, but those posts about the suckers and all the bad things that can happen to a kid who eats a sucker just got my dander up!! Give the parent the sucker and let THEM give it to the kid!! Then you can skip all the paranoia and, if the kid ruins his/her life by falling on the sucker stick, you can honestly blame it on the parent!

Framerguy
 
by the way... I usually ask the parents if the kid can have the tootsie pop! With their permissin the kid gets one. Some parents even want one!! Guess there's the "old fashioned" kid in everyone!!
 
Tom, believe it or not, I agree with most of what you said. I guess I've just become a lot more cautious about kids and things that can hurt kids, since I found out how bad it hurt to lose that kid. My kid ate suckers, rode in the front seat, and went barefoot in the summer. I just don't anyone else to have to deal with the kind of pain that comes with attending your own child's funeral. It's not a fun thing to do.
 
I invented something for little kids to do. I was quite bored and feeling somewhat wierd... So i made a puzzle.

You know those catalogues you can get from Mill Pond Press or Hadley House they send you when a new artist or picture comes out?

Well, i chose a cute picture (5"x7"ish) of a little chipmunk and cut it out then drymounted it. I cut it into little different shaped pieces.
I have a duplicate picture of it and the kid has something to do.
 
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