The Power of Bribery
Session day can be a very, very stressful time for parents. Finding the right outfit and a date that everyone is available on. Once you have that down, everything is smooth sailing, right? You have prepared everything to be perfect, and then your worst nightmare happens – your child won’t cooperate. Even after you’ve coached for the past two weeks and the entire car ride leading up to the session, they still just are not having it. You’ve tried all the usual tricks and nothing is working. Are you wondering if it's okay to bribe your child?
I know some people frown upon this, but they probably haven’t tried to get a 2, 6 and 10-year-old to sit in one position together, look at the camera, and smile. It's an uphill battle. As a photographer, I’m going to give you the green light and tell you that it’s okay to bribe your kids for the sake of good photos.
We have very limited time to get all the photos that you need, and I don't want you to be stressed out and crunched for time because little Timmy is having a meltdown, is hiding behind his hands the entire session, sticking his tongue out at me. I accept bribery. Sometimes it's helpful to bribe a 1 or 2 year old with a little treat just to get them to sit still for a few seconds.
When it comes to bribery, each child is different. They all have different interests and personalities. Some children are motivated by candy or ice cream. You just have to find out what works best for your child.
To Bribe or Not to Bribe - If You Decide to Bribe
- Candy or fruit snacks
- Dinner at their favorite restaurant after the session
- An ice cream cone
- Later bedtime
- Extended play time
I thought I would give you some ideas for how to get your child to cooperate. I don't think bribery works with all kids. You need to know your child's personality. And we don't want them to think we need to bribe them just for anything.
I like to give rewards like Smarties or Fruit snacks after the session, because they are not messy. I don't need to tell you that chocolate is a bad idea!
It's important to remember that you will never get this time back. Kids grow up so fast and time flies by before you know it. Whether you bribe or not, no judgment here. You don't want to let a grumpy kid ruin your fun family session!
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Just remember that kids will be goofy and show off at a session, maybe even embarrass you. Try not to take it too seriously. It shows their personality, which we want in photos. I will try my best to make it fun, by playing games and getting them laughing and engaged. Sometimes, for young ones, it just takes a toy they've never seen that can help them sit still and smile.
