Is the mainstream ruining the magic?

[Ashe]

Guys, I came across an issue today and I'm feeling like it is kinda serious - at least among mers like us. This evening I was talking to a seven year old girl, sweet and innocent as can be, and decided to show her some pictures of myself in my tail. It was after she asked why I wear shells and things, so of course I told her I was secretly a mermaid. I showed her some really nice underwater shots and waited for her eyes to light up, but they never did.

She said "No you're not! I know because I saw a video and they were selling FAKE MERMAID TAILS!!"
she went on to talk about a girl she saw at the pool "lying and saying she was a mermaid because she had one".

I was was and still am shocked. I've never got this kind of reaction, and I'm worried. Now yes, I have a fabric tail, but the picture was from the same shoot as my avatar and my album. She wouldn't have been able to tell the difference if it was the best silicone tail you could find. I think that the fact that mermaids are becoming so mainstream is corrupting the magic and wonder for kids. Now that I think about it, we all have videos and pictures online about mers getting into their tails and opening them up for the first time, and kids are on the internet more than ever. There's commercials for tails on YouTube and now we have all these fantastic tail makers for kids.

It it never hit me until this evening. What are your thoughts? What can we do?

[Mermaid Kassandra]

Oh gosh!

Yes I know this is shocking but believe me it's not all internet fault!
Here in Italy barely few people knows about mermaids (I don't know if it's because of the language barrier our anything else) but last summer I went to a well known seaside and two little kids (I assumed they where 5 or 6) started pulling my fluke saying "you're not a real mermaid and we'll prove it taking away your tail" even if their grandma was saying to them that I was real.

Unfortunately nowadays kids are growing up too fast and this doesn't help us at all and it's really sad!

More once I met a little girl believing I was real and her mother kept saying to her that I wasn't I believe because she wanted her not to believe in this things..... I don't know why exactly.

Anyway this things happen a lot and I suppose it's only because of the society we live in!

[Echidna]

I don't take my validation for what I do and find fun from what a random kid/dude/whoever believes or says.
My love for the ocean, aquatic life and mermaiding is not influenced by what aforementioned people think, do or say.

I guess it could be a problem for mers who earn their money by doing kid's parties, though.
But the kids who want to believe in "the magic" as you put it, will still do so.
Those who don't will maybe prefer to get a tail themselves and rather have a swimming course than a normal party.

And those who are all about yelling "fake" and don't want to do either probably aren't going to want anything to do with mermaids anyway. :p

[BayouMermaid]

When I first started doing parties with my fabric tail, kids totally believed it. Now, it seems that everyone knows someone with a finfun tail, so I really can't use the fabric tail for gigs anymore. They still totally believe that the silicone one is real because it is markedly different from what they've seen before.

[Ashe]

More once I met a little girl believing I was real and her mother kept saying to her that I wasn't I believe because she wanted her not to believe in this things..... I don't know why exactly.
That's terrible! It's so strange that I grew up with mermaids and magic and the world was full of wonder. I still do today! I don't see that in kids these days.

[Elvenhaired]

This is just too sad :( However to pour some hope into your souls - Few weeks ago I was practicing in my bikini and monofin in the hotel's pool where I work. I had goggles on too, so I didn't even try to look like a mermaid haha :) Suddenly a girl, around 6-7 of age, started pulling her dad towards the pool and screamed "daddy, look, a mermaid!!" She was totally overwhelmed :) She then waved to me "Bye mermaid!" when they left the area. Super sweet <3 There is still magic out there.

[Mermaid Freyja]

I don't take my validation for what I do and find fun from what a random kid/dude/whoever believes or says.
My love for the ocean, aquatic life and mermaiding is not influenced by what aforementioned people think, do or say.
....And those who are all about yelling "fake" and don't want to do either probably aren't going to want anything to do with mermaids anyway. :p

^What Echidna said. The things is, when I was a little girl swimming around in my tied-together swim fins, or playing in my dry land mermaid tail, I would have run-ins with other kids that were *just like* the one Kalani described. The only mermaid trend we had was a slight bump in mermaid toys after the film Splash. Inconsiderate people like this of all ages have always been, and will always be out there.
The trick is to see that for what it is, and let it roll off you like water on a duck's back. Let them yammer, smile and nod, but don't give them anything else.
For every kid or adult like that, there are 20 more out there who still have an imagination and the ability to play make-believe.
xoxo

[AniaR]

I don't know, I found this stuff happening long before it went mainstream. From the start of my mermaid career there were always kids hell bent on ruining the magic. Whether they've seen commercial tails or not.

One little boy said to his parents I was either a liar or a fraud lol.

[Mermaid Freyja]

One little boy said to his parents I was either a liar or a fraud lol.

Haha! Wow, well on his way to becoming an embittered adult, just like his parents I suspect :thumbdown:

[Theta]

I think there are definitely still people out there who can see the magic and the fun in it. Hell, at one party I did a few of the adults thought I was actually a mermaid. (Which was actually very weird and slightly uncomfortable.) I wouldn't worry about one kid too much. Frankly, they're either going to be jerks who love to ruin fantasy for everyone, like that one kid in third grade who gets the biggest kick out of telling the other kids that Santa isn't real, or they're not. I feel like mermaids are going mainstream the way princesses did- maybe a three year old thinks that the girl in the ball gown is a real princess, but once they get a little older they find out otherwise. The ones who enjoy fantasy and pretend games run with it :)

Tbh I'd rather deal with kids that know I'm a fake and still play along or the ones that know I'm a fake and well... know I'm a person in a costume. Generally you can pull them aside and ask them not to destroy the illusion for others because it's all a fun pretend game. The worst thing in the world is when you get one of the really cynical kids who spends three hours telling you that you're not a real mermaid, but when you take your tail off, their face falls because deep down they were hoping against hope that you were. That's pretty brutal.

[Ciriun]

Someone who is an expert on children would probably know better than me, but I feel like some kids go through this phase where they don't want to be seen as "little kids" anymore, so they try to assert their maturity by proving they aren't as easily fooled. Seeing anyone in a costume is a chance for them to prove how smart they are, or a reason to be offended at the adults trying to trick them. Not all kids go through this, and the age is definitely going to vary a lot. But I think some kids are just going to be like that no matter what, and seeing costume tails online is just an added bit of evidence for them, not what crushed their dreams in the first place. A child who wants to believe won't give up that easily.

[PearlieMae]

My daughter is a children's party clown... CLOWN... and there's always one smart-assed kid trying to pull her wig off, or grab her nose... and it's crushing to see the little little kids' faces when they see her real hair, or that her red nose is just a prop. It cracks the magic and plants a doubt.

I think it's what Ciriun says, the cynical kids just don't want to be seen as 'little kids' anymore.

[Ashe]

That's awful, Pearlie :( I know I was sad when I found out that certain things didn't exist, but I was never one to create a stir.
I was about to ask how long do these behaviors last, but I see kids just years younger than me commenting on all sorts of mer videos with 'You're not real!' or 'All of you are dumb this is fake'. It's really frustrating.

[Mermaid Kassandra]

That's awful, Pearlie :( I know I was sad when I found out that certain things didn't exist, but I was never one to create a stir.
I was about to ask how long do these behaviors last, but I see kids just years younger than me commenting on all sorts of mer videos with 'You're not real!' or 'All of you are dumb this is fake'. It's really frustrating.


I agree this happens a lot!
And I found it frustrating too also because we just want to share our happiness and magic after all the bad things we see in our world.
Also I find that a committed mermaid with environment is a way to tell them that we can hope in better things and magic and fantasy, that the world isn't just what we see.

[Mermaid Alea]

I got back from a trip to Vortex Springs yesterday and there were a lot of people there. The really small kids thought I was real and one little girl couldn't even say anything (I guess she was too shy) but her parents asked if she could touch my tail so I swam up the steps and she got to touch my fluke. A lot of the little girls thought I was real and were staring. Some little boys thought I was real too. No one was really saying I was fake, although some older kids said, "Oh I have seen those tails before and I want one" or something. The ones that knew it was fake still thought it was cool and some were asking me about what the tail was made of. There were a lot of adults who thought it was cool. There was a group of adults and pre-teens to teens who were asking me to show them how fast I could swim so I took off swimming and they thought I could swim pretty fast. I never encountered any disrespect or anyone yelling that I wasn't real.

While some kids already knew it was fake, they still found magic in the tail and the same goes for teens and adults. It is just a different kind of magic - a magic where you realize that you too can be a mermaid or a merman and it isn't something un-obtainable.

[MerShellly]

That's awful, Pearlie :( I know I was sad when I found out that certain things didn't exist, but I was never one to create a stir.
I was about to ask how long do these behaviors last, but I see kids just years younger than me commenting on all sorts of mer videos with 'You're not real!' or 'All of you are dumb this is fake'. It's really frustrating.
Ikr! I'll see youtube comments where freakin 20 yr old people will write- "This is fake." And I'm just like "...uh...duh.....and you have brought no contribution to the comment section whatsoever."
I stopped believing as late as 11 years old I think. I even saw the video on how h2o mermaid tails are made and I STILL refused to believe they were fake!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaVh5cRwWtg

I think everyone is making valid points. There are a lot of variables for the overall reason why kids won't believe mers are real, but yeah Kalani youtube ruined the magic for me too!!! :'(

[Ashe]

Yep, that H2O behind the scenes video is definitely a killer. With both my mother and my father working in the special effects industry, I never thought the H2O girls were real. In fact, I love watching that video because I enjoy seeing how the tails are made and how everything comes together!
It was when I looked in the comments and I saw that about six kids were all fighting on whether it was real or not was when I realized that it isn't as clear to some people. Its just so sad when kids' hearts get crushed by things they see on the internet, especially cause it usually leads to fighting and tears :(

[AniaR]

Haha! Wow, well on his way to becoming an embittered adult, just like his parents I suspect

Actually his parents are wonderful. He's the brother of the little girl in the hospital we've been visiting. i think his outlook in life comes a lot from coping with having a sibling so sick all the time.

[AniaR]

Someone who is an expert on children would probably know better than me, but I feel like some kids go through this phase where they don't want to be seen as "little kids" anymore, so they try to assert their maturity by proving they aren't as easily fooled. Seeing anyone in a costume is a chance for them to prove how smart they are, or a reason to be offended at the adults trying to trick them. Not all kids go through this, and the age is definitely going to vary a lot. But I think some kids are just going to be like that no matter what, and seeing costume tails online is just an added bit of evidence for them, not what crushed their dreams in the first place. A child who wants to believe won't give up that easily.

*is expert. Agrees*

lol

[Ashe]

Actually his parents are wonderful. He's the brother of the little girl in the hospital we've been visiting. i think his outlook in life comes a lot from coping with having a sibling so sick all the time.

He's the brother? Well I hope he isn't trying to push this belief onto the little girl. That would be too bad!

[AniaR]

he's a 6 year old boy. lol don't over think it folks.

[MerShellly]

More once I met a little girl believing I was real and her mother kept saying to her that I wasn't I believe because she wanted her not to believe in this things..... I don't know why exactly.


It could be for religious reasons. I went to a religious private school 2 years ago and a good 50% or more of the students said they had never experienced the tooth fairy, easter bunny, or even santa as a kid. One family even thought Christmas trees are a sin!

[Ashe]

It could be for religious reasons. I went to a religious private school 2 years ago and a good 50% or more of the students said they had never experienced the tooth fairy, easter bunny, or even santa as a kid. One family even thought Christmas trees are a sin!
I've heard of mers being verbally attacked for sinning because 'they were pretending they were one of the devil's creations'
Okay...

[Keiris]

I've heard of mers being verbally attacked for sinning because 'they were pretending they were one of the devil's creations'
Okay...

Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!!! :jawdrop: "The sin never dies..." Famous quote from the whack job mother in the original CARRIE.
The ocean is calling my name...time to put my tail on and go for a sin.

[Ashe]

Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!!! :jawdrop: "The sin never dies..." Famous quote from the whack job mother in the original CARRIE.
The ocean is calling my name...time to put my tail on and go for a sin.

Go for a sin :lol:

Raina I was thinking maybe he was maybe ten. In that case its kinda cute haha

[Mermaid Alea]

That is pretty radical. Well the preacher and his family saw me swimming in my tail this weekend at the church's college group trip and now his daughter wants one, the son might want one, and the mother was talking to me about how she used to own a princess party business and how mermaids would be a cool addition to a party business and I told her about Halifax Mermaids. Next week I will bring my tail to church camp and swim in the pool with it. None of the people from our church have had an issue with it, but I can think of at least one local church that might verbally attack me for being a mermaid because they are usually very radical.

I do think that the H2O tail creation video is pretty easy to find for those kids really obsessed with H2O. When I first watched it I had the same thought that kids finding the video might be pretty disappointed. Once you watch a few mermaid videos it will pop up in the video recommendations list.

[Mermaid Freyja]

Actually his parents are wonderful. He's the brother of the little girl in the hospital we've been visiting. i think his outlook in life comes a lot from coping with having a sibling so sick all the time.

Sorry, I didn't realize since I didn't know the facts. What Ciriun said makes perfect sense, though; when kids don't want to be seen as "little kids" in front of older kids or adults.

[Mermaid Kassandra]

It could be for religious reasons. I went to a religious private school 2 years ago and a good 50% or more of the students said they had never experienced the tooth fairy, easter bunny, or even santa as a kid. One family even thought Christmas trees are a sin!


We'll actually here excuse was that I shouldn't tell her that I was real because doing so then she wanted everyone to think that....
In two words I think she didn't want her daughter to believe in magic because it's something not logical...

[Mermaid Momo]

I've heard of mers being verbally attacked for sinning because 'they were pretending they were one of the devil's creations'
Okay...
religious people imo will find anything to condemn as sinning or something to do with the devil. No lie, I was eating crepes with my lolita comm and some guy threw a cross at us and started shouting that we were sinners and going to hell for being vain and adulterers. Then someone else told me I was going to hell because I was mixing races by being with my hispanic boyfriend. I was also recently called a wicked gay lover because I posted on my facebook page in favor of the equal marriage thing :P hey, at least If I'm going to hell I'll have a first class ticket because of all the sinning i've been doing haha.

But in my experience, teens (by teens I mean late high school and early college age) love merfolk more than younger kids! I remember my first day of uni and a guy who was in my group for introductions announced to the rest of the class that I was the mermaid and he was so freaking happy, and the class got so excited lol, they all came out to see me swim when they saw me walking out the dorm to the pool..( the news traveled so freaking fast haha, I was out the door and turned around to see everyone following me with their swimsuits and stuff) and I got a lot of people asking me to bring my tail to the dive in movie of the little mermaid the university was holding. (I didn't make it though, I got embarrassed of my tail because I thought it wasn't up to par with all the attention I was getting. Like If I was going to be known as the mermaid across campus, I better be the best dang mermaid the campus has ever seen tbh)

[AniaR]

ugh I have been the receiver of the religious bashing mers. lol

[AniaR]

but there are also super religious mers I've seen bashing others. Which OK, you know, you can have your religious freedom but our community has enough drama as is before people start ACTIVELY bashing LGBQTA etc...

[Ashe]

Mers are doing this? Honestly I have no idea how you can be homophobic in a community full of mermaids and mermen...
I feel like this can be discussed in another thread though

[Mermaid Momo]

Mers are doing this? Honestly I have no idea how you can be homophobic in a community full of mermaids and mermen...
I feel like this can be discussed in another thread though
Yep, I've seen it happen lots. While I think it would be best discussed in another thread, I doubt the thread would get much replies. I've tried opening discussions up about the problems within the community itself before (like elitism, race issues, homophobia, etc) but the community just shies (sp?)away from any talk about things like that and the discussion goes ignored.

[malinghi]

On the subject of the original question, I don't think kids knowing that you can buy mermaid costumes will mean the end of kids believing in mermaids, anymore than the availability of Santa costumes means the Santa they meet at the mall isn't the real thing. Sure some kids do probably try to call mall Santa's out. But that's a minority.

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[malinghi]

Also, I'm no expert on child psychology, but as far as kids believing in mermaids, I always assumed that between the ages where they totally, 100% believe the mermaid they meet is real, and when they know that mermaids don't exist, they pass through a gradual transition of becoming more aware, rather than achieving awareness in a moment of realization. If it was the latter then mermaids and Santa would forever remind them of a heartbreaking, traumatic memory.

Mind you this is my totally unprofessional assumption. My point is that I think perhaps kids are able to believe in something even after they've been given the evidence to disprove it because they want to believe in it, and when you're a kid it's acceptable and even encouraged to use your imagination to make the world what you want it to be, rather than strictly what it is.

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[Ciriun]

I've heard of mers being verbally attacked for sinning because 'they were pretending they were one of the devil's creations'
Okay...

http://myths.e2bn.org/mythsandlegends/origins15638-the-mermaid-of-zennor.html

In case anyone doesn't want to follow the link, the short version is that sometimes mermaids represent bad things, and other times they represent the dual nature of Jesus as both mortal and deity. But I still suggest following the link because it has other cool stuff, too.

[Mermaid Mystery]

but there are also super religious mers I've seen bashing others. Which OK, you know, you can have your religious freedom but our community has enough drama as is before people start ACTIVELY bashing LGBQTA etc...

I remember one time when someone did this. like seriously? do you even know what you're getting yourself into? this community is full of LGBTQIA mers.

and every child I've met totally thinks I'm a real mermaid, with the exception of my partner in crime. I always worry since my tail has a gap between the scales and the fluke but I haven't had a problem yet. I've found that adults think it's either the coolest thing or they think I'm crazy.

[AnnaAbyss]

I think it's perfectly okay for kids to not think you're a 'real' mermaid. If I was wearing my tail in a pool or the ocean and a kid came up to me and told me they don't think I'm a real mermaid, I'd tell them that theyre right and I'm not trying to fool anyone, it's just a fun hobby and the closest thing to being a real mermaid. I wouldn't be mad! In fact I'd be happy that they questioned something they saw. But either way if a kid thought I was a real mermaid or not I'd be happy because it's interesting hearing the opinions of small kids and seeing how they think! LOL social experiment much. :D

[AniaR]

thanks, just pass them on to me, don't give out my address haha thanks

[Theta]

It could be for religious reasons. I went to a religious private school 2 years ago and a good 50% or more of the students said they had never experienced the tooth fairy, easter bunny, or even santa as a kid. One family even thought Christmas trees are a sin!

It could also be for safety reasons, especially with little kids. People breathing underwater, or "real" mermaids, might lead to a kid trying to imitate and drowning or getting into trouble. I remember when I really got into mermaids my mom sat me down and very decisively explained that mermaids were not real and not to swim beyond my limits. I was a very imaginative kid and very gullible, so if someone gave me a 'magic shell' or something I may in fact have taken the pretend game too far. Not saying this is what happened with the above kid, but it's the lines some parents might think along. If I had kids, I certainly would.

[Princess Pearl]

It could also be for safety reasons, especially with little kids. People breathing underwater, or "real" mermaids, might lead to a kid trying to imitate and drowning or getting into trouble. I remember when I really got into mermaids my mom sat me down and very decisively explained that mermaids were not real and not to swim beyond my limits. I was a very imaginative kid and very gullible, so if someone gave me a 'magic shell' or something I may in fact have taken the pretend game too far. Not saying this is what happened with the above kid, but it's the lines some parents might think along. If I had kids, I certainly would.

That actually happened in my first ever swim. I told a little girl that mermaids can breathe underwater (though I couldn't do it in the pool because of the chlorine) and her response was that SHE could do it, then dove under! PANIC!


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[Mermaid Alea]

What I came up with is to tell kids I am only half mermaid. It helps explain away certain things because I don't have all of the ability that a full mermaid has.

[MerMaisy]

Mermaiding hasn't really become a thing in my area. There definitely are mermaids, but not enough of us to be mainstream. Basically no one has heard of professional mermaiding. My little sister has pretty much taken up my backstory and loves convincing all her friends that I'm a real mermaid.

[selinaannrose]

When I am asked if I am real, I say no. I say that I enjoy pretending and meeting wonderful little girls and boys like yourself. None of the kids I have told were disappointed. They tend ask me more technical questions like how long can you hold your breath and can I see under water.

I always tell them that anything is possible with imagination.

I had one girl ask me why I dress up. I just said because playing dressing up is fun. Then I asked her what her favorite costume is.

I never lied to my own children and won't lie to other kids.

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[Mermaid Sabie]

I just try to keep it fun! If a kid asks me directly if I'm a real mermaid or if my tail is real I ask them if they're a real human and if I can touch their leg lol. If they play along then I go with being a "real" mermaid, if not then I just say I'm a mermaid in training :) Those are usually the ones that really want to know how you got your tail cause they want one too! Then just seeing how fast I can swim or wanting to take pictures is fun.
I haven't had a rude kid yet, lucky me!

[IllynReaver]

My niece who's turning 18 saw me swimming with my monofin and her eyes got really big and the biggest smile on her face and said I was a real life mermaid. :) still hope and belief even in the older kids.


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[OceanWhisper]

hahaha :D

[MermaidSaph]

My niece who's turning 18 saw me swimming with my monofin and her eyes got really big and the biggest smile on her face and said I was a real life mermaid. :) still hope and belief even in the older kids.


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I hope that if I ever have kids/nieces/nephews that they'll still have that "hope and belief" when they get to that age...

[PearlieMae]

Along the same lines, but not mer-related...my mom was a teaching assistant for middle schoolers and one kid kept going on and on about Santa was going to bring him this and Santa was going to bring him that...My mom asked 'You're 13, aren't you a little old to believe in Santa?'

He said "When you stop believing in Santa, that's when all your Christmas gifts turn into clothes."

Smart kid.

[malinghi]

Haha, that kid's got it all figured out.

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[MerShellly]

My mom always told me "when you stop believing, he stops coming."

[Ashe]

I hope that if I ever have kids/nieces/nephews that they'll still have that "hope and belief" when they get to that age...
I'm fifteen and if there is ever a second in my life where I'm not filled with hope and belief, someone needs to seriously fin-slap me in the face.

[Ashe]

He said "When you stop believing in Santa, that's when all your Christmas gifts turn into clothes."

Okay, that is hilarious :lol:

[Mermaid Ciela]

Speaking from the college-age demographic, I personally got WAY MORE EXCITED about mermaids when I found out that there were ~professional mermaids~ out there. While I know that mermaids aren't real, it's fun to entertain the possibility and imagine what their lives are like and how they might interact with humans... To see that people have made careers out of this got me really excited because I could actually experience swimming like a mermaid and so on and so forth. I got my first monofin for this past Christmas and I have most of the materials to make a tail with, I just need to actually make it! So if anything, the internet has - in a weird way - strengthened my belief in the concept of mermaids, as opposed to crushing my childhood hopes and dreams when I somehow found out they weren't real. What malinghi said about slowly becoming more aware and choosing to believe anyways - I would say that's what happened to me.


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[Princess Kae-Leah]

I personally am all for mermaiding becoming more mainstream. I mean, yes granted it becoming more well-known means making it less easy to fool children into thinking you're a real mer, but I think the benefits of it becoming more mainstream outweigh the drawbacks for the most part. While my mom has always been very supportive of my mermaid passion, my dad still thinks it's a bit weird. Like we were talking of taking a little family vacation to the ocean for a weekend and I said that it would be a terrible shame to visit the real ocean and not bring my tail along and do a little mer-shoot in front of the ocean, but my mom warned me that my dad isn't "into that". I loved by sheer chance meeting a stranger, a student nurse practicitioner(sp?), who happened to own a Mertailor tail and was FB friends with Iona/Winged Mermaid. In short, I think having it be more mainstream means it's easier to get family and friends on board with your hobby without thinking it's crazy or weird, which is a very good thing.

[PearlieMae]

Take your tail. You're wearing it, not your dad!

I can see your point in wanting it to be more mainstream, though, and at the rate things are moving, it will be trending for a while, so maybe he'll come around when he sees how popular it is.

Personally, I'll be glad when it eventually fades from the mainstream, but look forward to hearing all my non-mer friends who will be able to say "hey! I knew you before this was a thing!"

[MerShellly]

Take your tail. You're wearing it, not your dad!
The word "perfect" isn't enough to describe how true this statement is!!!
I would also enjoy it if it becomes more mainstream but at the same time I would imagine it'd be tough on people who do mermaiding as a business?

[Mermaid Strega]

I think the idea that you can actually "be" a mermaid is more magical than mermaids physically existing. Tails themselves are magical, beautiful, and strange (in the good way). I think that can create excitement among kids "too old" for belief in the literal existence.

While I admit I don't want mermaiding to become toooo popular, I do love how excited and inspired people become when they think about getting involved and finally get the confidence to do so.

[Mer-Crazy]

I think the idea that you can actually "be" a mermaid is more magical than mermaids physically existing. Tails themselves are magical, beautiful, and strange (in the good way). I think that can create excitement among kids "too old" for belief in the literal existence.

While I admit I don't want mermaiding to become toooo popular, I do love how excited and inspired people become when they think about getting involved and finally get the confidence to do so.
^THIS^ I agree with everything here! Plus it got my heart racing a little as I got excited about getting my new tail ^_^

I have to admit that, mainstream or not, I think meeting a mermaid, whether I believed they were real or not would be such a magical experience. I mean I found out about mermaiding through looking at monofins, but if I hadn't known about it beforehand and just saw someone swimming around in a tail somewhere, that probably would have been one of the best things ever, even for 20 year old me :D

[-Annwyn-]

Sounds to me like that kid is quite the critical thinker. It's a good thing. No 'man behind the curtain' for her.

Perhaps with kids like that, the mermaid 'trend' is a good thing. It would be fun to play off the "Oh.....come on, you know mermaids don't exist! You can buy mermaid tails on the internet! Yeah kid....glad you see it's just a costume...." And breathe a sigh of relief that they really didn't realise you're an actual, bonafide, legit mermaid!
Your secret is safe once again!

[Spindrift]

I think the original issue of this thread would have still happened even if mermaids weren't going "mainstream". The challenge is how to deal with it. Disney characters have to deal with this too. And there have always been stories going around where parents like their children be horrible to costumed characters - kicking or punching Goofy, for example.

[Merman Dan]

My mom always told me "when you stop believing, he stops coming."

"Seeing isn't believing. Believing is seeing." - The Santa Clause

[Celaeno]

I don't really have any interest in trying to make kids believe I'm a real mer if they're skeptical. The little ones who still believe in magic, I will absolutely be "real" for them. But the older ones who are starting to question things and think critically, I'm going to be on the level with them. "You're absolutely right, I made/bought my tail so I could swim like a mermaid. You're very clever for figuring it out! But do you think you could keep it a secret from the little kids for me? They're having so much fun believing!"

[MerShellly]

I think the original issue of this thread would have still happened even if mermaids weren't going "mainstream". The challenge is how to deal with it. Disney characters have to deal with this too. And there have always been stories going around where parents like their children be horrible to costumed characters - kicking or punching Goofy, for example.
Damn if someone's punching Goofy they need a chill pill. Like for real tho

[Mermaid Mystery]

Damn if someone's punching Goofy they need a chill pill. Like for real tho

I think it happened to tigger and they definitely needed a chill pill

[midwesternmermaid]

And the mythical creature becomes a commodity...

[Kesra]

I'm part of a group called Causeplayers and what we do is dress up in recognizable cosplays and visit children's hospitals. I've been Elsa the last couple times I went and I honestly don't think the kids really believed I was Elsa coming from Arendelle to visit them. What mattered was I showed up as one of their favorite characters and played along with them. I don't think most kids really do believe in mermaids or that Disney characters are visiting them. But they love playing along. Especially in a game where adults are playing too.

Of course my hubby has these two cousins and whenever they have a birthday party I show up as Elsa. I have the oldest convinced that Elsa and I are besties. I bring her gifts 'from Elsa' all the time. She won't believe it forever but it's a fun game.

My hubby is part of a group of Ghostbusters (who work with the Causeplayers a lot) and they do a 'Ghostbuster training' session at conventions for the kids. Once when one of the 'ghosts' came out, one of the kids shouted "That's not a real ghost!" One of the ghostbusters pointed at him and said "Don't be that kid." And he shut up and let the other kids have their fun XD

I've never gotten the chance to be a mermaid just yet but I imagine it wouldn't be too different. Particularly when you get kids that figure out you're a mermaid. I think you can appease them with "I'm as close to a mermaid as there is which means anyone can become a mermaid" which kind of plants this seed of 'Oh I could be a mermaid too!' in their heads. Even if they don't appreciate it yet.