Yes, we are tourists. And took the long haul to the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farms near Portland, Oregon. This isn’t the kind of wild space I would take my clients, BUT. It’s a story nonetheless. It’s the story of how no one wanted to see the tulips. No one wanted to smell the tulips. No one wanted to marvel at the tulips. And it showed.
Which brings me to…what to do when your clients feel the same way. Dads. I am talking directly to you. Boys age 8-15. I am also talking to many of you. And the answer in many cases is one of two things. Freedom and bribery.
First
We can start with the first, because, well it doesn’t require any effort other than leaving the humans free to explore and navigate their space (and feelings) and realize that “Hey. Deb isn’t that bad. And I sure don’t have to smile at her. And I sure don’t have to be uncomfortable and do weird poses. Cool.” This will work 95% of the time unless there is a carnival, and no one has even been to a park in over a year and they know mom has hand sanitizer in her purse and they promise not to touch anything. Which brings me to the…
Second
When freedom fails bribery is perfectly acceptable. Let me just say, I am not above it. Neither are most of my clients with small children because each one of them knows the power of an ice cream cone or piece of hard candy.
So really this is a friendly reminder to stop worrying how your kids might behave for family photos. To stop thinking they might embarrass you (They might. Mine embarrass me daily.) To remember that it’s your story to tell, and my job to tell it whether it’s a good day or a bad day. Those tears and frustrations are real moments and real stages of life too and deserve to be documented and remembered. If you appreciate the REAL and the HONEST and the love you carry for your people no matter what kind of day they’re having then get yourself a session! You can chat with me or book here!
