How do you deal with annoying kids when you are not performing/ on a gig?

[Talia]

Today is the first day of my holidays (yay!), and decided to celebrate by taking my tail and going to the pool. I had some girls asking questions, and voicing loudly that I was not real, because "my mom said so" (really, mom?). Although when I told them I knew Ariel they started to be delighted and began to believe I was real. They were OK in the end.

But when I was on my last swim before leaving a boy started following me everywhere I swam. I have had kids unexpectedly coming from behind and grabbing my waist/tail/monofin without asking, and I am afraid to hurt them without noticing if they surprise me, with all the legal ramifications it could have. I kept trying to be out of his reach but he persisted. Then I decided to jump off the pool and just sit in my towel until he lose interest. I did that, and he followed me and asked "Are you real?". I answered, "Of course I'm real".
"Mermaids don't exist".
"Well, I am here".
"You are just wearing a costume, your tail is not real".
"If you say so...".
"Where is your daughter?"
"I don't have any daugthers".
"Where is your mother?"
"I don't have one" (I do, but I was not up to explanations).
"Then, WHY were your born?" (uhhh, what?)
"Why were your born yourself?"
Silence.
"Your tail is not real, I can see your feet"
"I don't have feet".
"I am going to touch your tail". Leaves water and begins to kneel. Two giant buggers are falling from his nose. I thought "Ew".
"No, don't touch me".
"Why not?
"I do not want you to touch me".
"Why?"
"Because".
"It's just a moment".
"No, don't touch me!".
Keeps trying to touch me, and I kept moving my tail out of his reach. He persists until I threw my towel over my tail. Then he left.

Upon leaving, I realized my (fabric) tail has a tiny hole because of the rubbing against the floor. And now I am pissed.

Please, let my know your experiences in cases like this one.

[Mermaid Cecelia]

I had the same experience when I was working at the nursery at my church. I was taking pictures with the kids on my phone (it's the only way to keep them occupied, darn tech-obsessed kids), and when going through the pics I accidentally brought up a vid of me in my old crappy fabric tail. Theses kids are ages 3-10, and so a lot of them were in awe that their nursery teacher was a mermaid, but one of the older girls kept telling them that I was fake. I asked her why and she said that her mom had told her mermaids don't exist. This girl is TEN! Why would you tell this to your kid??
Then I showed them other mermaids like Raina, Iona, and Hannah Fraser, and they asked me why my tail wasn't like theirs. I just said that the older a mermaid gets the more changes happen and the tails look more fish than mammal. That seemed to help convince them along with me throwing out some mermaid folklore :P
When in doubt, just talk a bunch and ask them questions. They'll get confused and drop the subject :)

[Talia]

Today girls were definitely not even ten. Maybe 6 or 7, at the most. The father was more into the fantasy, the girl was asking him "Is she real?", and he said, "well, you have to ask HER".

At the end they were very cute. One just kept repeting how much she liked mermaids, and the other was amazed at the monofin (I guess the shape/ colors?). She asked that I moved it, and I just lifted it up a bit and let it go back to the floor. Since the fabric was wet, the monofin kept doing a sound like "splot", like when you drop a wet fish to the floor. She was like "WOW".

Your story about how tails change with years is brilliant! I'll have to remember that one :thumbs up:

[MarkF]

Never realized just how hard it was, sorry to hear of these problems.

[SINicallyTwisted]

I had a similar experience at a water park last year. A little boy, about 10yrs old, came up to me questioning me in a very similar way that you've had. He also wanted to touch my tail only he tried to not only touch my tail but he also tried to put his hand down into my tail from the waist. He also tried grabbing at my chest!

I. WAS. HORRIFIED!

As a reflex reaction, I looked over at the mother with such disgust on my face that she quickly came over and took him away. Didn't even apologize!

I figured that that was the end of it and I continued my day with the other kids, while my pirate group ran around. All and all it was fun BUT that darn kid came back around again except this time he had a water pistol that he stole from one of the pirates.

I'm sitting on the edge of the pool and all of a sudden I get sprayed with water. I look over and see the kid and he's just spraying me with water, laughing, and he wasn't just randomly spraying like my tail. He was trying to spray me in the face! I asked him politely to stop spraying me with water but he just laughed and refused. The other kids were also yelling at him to stop! Thankfully the lifeguard was keeping an eye on me, saw this and went flying over to the kid to deal with him.

The mother did nothing to FIRMLY correct him. All she would do was say "No, stop doing that." and the kid would *ahem* tell her off and she did nothing. Her parenting was just saying stop and that was it. My Captain also saw all this happen and he was so livid that he and lifeguard confronted the mother.

Needless to say, they both were asked to leave the park.

I'm thankful for my pirate family. We look out for each other in situations like this. Since that happened, one pirate member is to be with me, or within earshot of me, at all times now. I've never had a problem like that since. ;)

[Mermaid Cecelia]

Your story about how tails change with years is brilliant! I'll have to remember that one :thumbs up:

Thanks! It was totally just on the fly thinking, and it worked :)

[AniaR]

you really cant swim in public without this happening- which is one of the big reasons I dont take my tail with my unless I am willing to deal with, and another reason why I never seem to have time to practice. I go over behavioural issues like this in my workshop recording about working with kids, but really there's no cut and dry response that works for every kid, and all eyes are on you judging you it's no fun!

[SeaMansa]

This is really interesting.
While I A.) Don't have a tail, and B.) am not a "children" person and would probably pull my eyes out from annoyance just being around them, I think the questioning part I could handle. I write and have a lot of experience lying on the fly *cough* to my own parents *cough* So I really don't think there is anything I couldn't come up with to get them off my fins so to speak. I think the most terrifiying thing though is a kid actually tried to put their finger between your waist and the tale :eek: not only does that break the fantasy, that is just way too much in someones personal space. So I would probably wear something wrapped around my waist to prevent that or make it harder, like seaweed,shells, etc. I have seen some mers do that and it looks wonderful.
But alas. Some kids just need a nice firm fin to the face.

[Raayvhen]

Some kids just need a nice firm fin to the face.

Pretty sure hitting a kid is never an appropriate response.

[SeaMansa]

Pretty sure hitting a kid is never an appropriate response.

Course not, I was kidding haha

[Fun123joker]

to be honest. im surprise i wasnt the one who made this thread
i have only experience this once. i just used all the sience i learn in school to bore him.
"if you're really a mermaid then why would you be here?"
"diffusion is when a high soluble substance moves from a high concentration to a low concentration"
"What?"
"osmosis is where the substances move through a semi-permial membrane to equalize-"
"i dont know what you're saying"
"if you dont know what im saying how do you know if im a mermaid or not"
"becaus-"
"reverse osmosis is a popular system of filtration"
and keep on going until they get too confused and walk away or when you run out of things you remember from highschool

but thats not why i dont like kids. i cant handel them you know. they're too wild and too much of a handful for me. especially at beaches when the kids go to play with the mermaids the parents let thier gaurd down and depend on me to watch them when i have no expericence. im the youngest of the family, i never babysat or told to watch over kids

[Mermaid Cecelia]

Lol I do that but on accident xP

[Aquarianne]

I'm kind of coming from the opposite end, since I do princessing. I am ALWAYS around kids, and they have questions 24/7. I have to deal with "you're not the real Cinderella/Ariel/Belle/Elsa" every single day. Honestly, they're just curious, and a lot of times they WANT to talk to you, but they don't know what to say, so they say that because it's the first thing that comes into their heads. They're kids, they're not trying to be assholes. It's just the way they are. Although spraying you in the face is another matter and you should always tell them no, and give them a REASON why, so they understand. "Please stop spraying me in the face" doesn't work so well as, "Oh, don't spray people in the face, you can hit their eyes and really hurt them! Have you ever been hit in the eye with a squirt gun? Oh, it hurts so much!" Usually, the kid will then stop and think about how much it hurt when he or she was hit in the eye once, and it may get the point through to them a little better. Not always, but it helps.

As for kids saying "you aren't real," it's just a fact that the reality cut-off is usually around 7-8 years old, because after that, they will question you on whether you're real. We rarely do princess parties for girls over 6 because of this. They just see through the facade. But there are ways to get around it. One time I was hostessing at a party and the little birthday girl was FASCINATED by the Snow White we brought. But unfortunately, her mother invited all the neighbor girls, some of whom were like 9 or 10. Way too old. I was painting their faces and one girl whispered, "she (birthday girl) DOES know that's not really Snow White, right?"

"No, but don't say anything. She's having so much fun! We GROWN UPS know the difference," I said back, which made her kind of proud to be referred to as a grown up. Then my phone rang in my bag and I checked it and put it back. When she and another older friend asked who it was, I said it was just my agent (I have a book agent, not an acting agent).

Their eyes BUGGED out of their heads. "YOU HAVE AN AGENT?!?" they shrieked. "ARE YOU FAMOUS?!?!?!"

"Ahahahahaaaa. YES," I said.

So for the next hour, while the little kids were entertained by the princess, the older kids were all agog of Aquarianne and her magical Hollywood Agent, who took Hollywood Agent Phone Calls and did Hollywood Agent Paperwork and knew Famous People. I told them I'd met Justin Beiber and Lady Gaga at parties, and anyone else I could think of that they might like. Hell, if you're gonna lie to kids and tell them you're a magical mermaid from under the sea, or a princess from an enchanted kingdom, how is it any worse to lie and say you've met Top 40 celebrities? It's just another kind of fantasy, one that older kids love. it may not be as whimsical to us, but to them it's just as wonderful. The older girls loved it so much that they wanted to know EVERYTHING about me...what kind of car I drove, where I lived, how many times I'd been to Hollywood, if I had ever been on TV. They actually followed me out of the house at the end of the party and chased my CAR down the street, waving as we left! That was a first for me at any party.

So when I'm in public and off-duty as a princess, and an older kid says they don't believe I'm so-and-so, I tell them in a confidential whisper that I just SAY I'm that to little kids, but they're obviously MUCH smarter than the other kids, and that I'm actually an actress and I'm getting used to my costume (sub in tail here, if you wish), because we're making a TV show about fill-in-the-blank and next week I'll be flying out to Hollywood, so I want to get some practice in first. Or I just got back from a PHOTO SHOOT for a MAGAZINE and I'm relaxing before I go home to change. They will NOT call you on that. Because to them, it's more believable. Why else would you be dressed like this in public?

It's all about adjusting the fantasy to fit the kid. And honestly, I HATED kids before I took my job as a princess, and now I love them, because I realize they're not trying to ruin your day when they poke and prod your costume and call you fake. They're just curious and they don't know calling you fake annoys you. They're kids, they don't always understand boundaries. And they just want to say something and interact with you, because they're trying not to look shy or nervous. Even the most standoffish kid, if you're kind to them, will end up yelling and waving goodbye to you as you leave, until their arm falls out of its socket. Kids get fed bullshit by parents and grownups EVERY day (eat your dinner or the easter bunny won't come, we're going to the park SURPRISE IT'S ACTUALLY THE DENTIST, you can't stay up late because, uhhhh....your hair will fall out if you don't get enough sleep!) so it's not their fault if they don't want to be lied to. They just want you to be straight with them, and if you talk to them like grownups, they will absolutely love you for it. Even kids who have seen through my princess get up at parties and don't want to play the games or talk to me, will still end up running to me for a hug at the end of the party when I leave. They like you, they just don't understand and they're a bit bewildered and not sure how to react or what's really real.

At that Ariel party I did for friends, when I had a really hasty fabric tail that was pretty unconvincing, there were a few little boys who refused to join in the Ariel worship with the girls and ran around making jokes, saying they were going to cook me on the grill and eat me in a fishstick, and that I wasn't real, etc etc. But when I sat down next to two of them while we were eating hot dogs, they warmed up to me and chatted just fine. One little boy shyly looked around at the others, leaned in and said, "I swam with some dolphins in Florida once," like that was something that would interest me, some common ground that we had. Kids are just kids, they're not trying to be mean, even when they're squirting you with squirt guns (which these kids did, and right in my face...always in the face, isn't it?) They just want to play with you and interact, but they don't know how and they can be kind of rough. The trick is to be kind but firm and let them know that what they're doing is hurting people, and distract them by engaging them in conversation. Ask them if they've ever swam before, or taken swimming classes. Ask what their favorite thing to do at the pool is, or if they've ever been to the beach. They WANT to talk to you, they want your attention, but if you curtly dismiss them with short answers, they will resort to squirt guns to try and attract your attention, because they don't understand that's not cool.

Anyway, hope that helps a little. When in doubt or if you're being questioned too much, turn it around with a question. Usually that disrupts their train of thought and gets them thinking along other lines, until they forget their questions. That's like, 80 percent of what I do as a princess.

"You're not a real mermaid."

"Well, I think you're not a real human! I can see the zipper on your back! Are you a bear in a human costume?"

"WHAT! Nooooo, I'm not a bear!"

"Well you could've fooled me! Have you ever SEEN a bear? I've never seen a bear, have you? Have you seen one at the zoo? What's the zoo like?"

Just keep going til you hit a question they want to answer in length, usually about things they've done or seen. You'd be surprised how much you enjoy talking to them! :)

Also, if they become too much, get a friend to go talk to the parents quietly and let them know that you're a PERFORMER (adults are easily impressed by this word too, quite often) and you're actually here to do some practice for your work, and you feel bad that you can't watch their kids any more, but you need to focus. Even if you're just sitting there doing nothing, just say you're focusing. Don't be mean and be like "GET YOUR GROSS KIDS OFF ME" just let them know that their children are DELIGHTFUL but you're afraid you have some work to do, and could they go get them? Usually they'll comply. Some parents (most of them) just see someone in costume and assume you WORK there, even if "there" is the beach. And that you're staff. or that you love kids and are delighted to watch them while the parents get five minutes to themselves. Just be kind but firm and let them know that you're there for work or practice or you just got off a gig and you're tired and it's a real shame you can't spend more time with their kids, but you just don't have any more energy. Like kids, parents are more compliant if you give them a reason, and "work" is always a great reason.

Also SIN, you totally did the right thing getting that family to leave. Some people just DON'T respect boundaries, and never teach their kids to, either. Sorry you had to go through that!


EDIT: oh geez, sorry for the giant wall of words!!! D:

[Seatan]

Aquarianne, that's a great response. Very similar to what I was going to say.

One other thing you can do if you want to get rid of the ones who ask you if you are real is to say, "No, I am not real. It's just a costume like for Halloween. Only you can't buy them, you have to make them." This heads off the "Where do I get one?" question and they will probably wander away. After all, it is not your job to play to their fantasy, and if you want them GONE, the best way to do it is not to play along. It won't kill them to know you're in costume. Then don't actively communicate with them after that. Shrug or nod or shake your head to anything they have to say. Yes, it's kind of rude, but if you talk to them and show them pictures and tell them stuff... How are they supposed to know you don't want to talk to them? They're just kids--they don't take subtle hints well.

[Aquarianne]

Seavanna, that's VERY true! As a princess, I'm pretty conditioned to NEVER ruin the illusion, even if I'm not being paid to entertain that particular child. Makes it hard to get a slushie after a job when you're in costume and some little girl at the Wawa is getting a slushie too. Ask any princess and she'll tell you we just can't NOT be in character for kids, it's in our blood.

But if you're a mermaid and you're trying to relax and you're not on a gig, you do NOT owe them the fantasy. It's perfectly OK to tell them you're in costume and you just want to relax and no one should feel bad about doing that. And that's a great idea, saying you have to make your own tail, so they don't ask where to get one!

I'm very lucky that my local Y where I swim now is so cool about mermaiding...they're apparently OK with my tail as long as I bring it in for them to look at first and then swim early in the AM when few people are around. It helps me avoid being seen by kids as I practice. But if you can't help it, just telling the kids you're wearing a costume because it's fun is fine, and maybe keep a book handy to grab and pretend to read after that (and if they interrupt, say "shhh! you shouldn't talk to people while they're trying to read!"), no one should feel bad about that. :)

[Talia]

Guys, thanks SO MUCH for your responses! They were really, really helpful.

See, I am not good with kids. I pretty much never know what to say to them, so maybe that added to the problem.

SIN, what happened to you was awful. Probably the kid wasn't as much to blame as the mother, who saw it all and never did anything to correct him. Here in Spain the concept of "personal space" is not taught to the kids (or adults); in fact, when I came back from the US and demanded my personal space after someone invaded it they looked at me funny. I don't have a problem with people touching me; I do when I do not give permission and they try anyway.

Rania, I know this is bound to happen every time I am in public with my tail. The thing is, if I don't use public pools after the 9 to 5 timetable in which I hold my job, I would never swim. I live very far from the sea, no lakes, no rivers, and the only pool I had is public. I know interaction is something that happens. I just handled it better in the winter pool, where kids were taught lessons and just saw me from afar. Now the winter pool is closed, and the summer pool is just for fun and splashing and moms lying in the sun and forgetting they have kids to watch.

SeaMage, I am with you in "not a children person", LOL.

Fun, yours is the best response ever!! :lol: I will definitely have to try that some time... One of the kids said that "mermaids became extinct long ago". I can confuse them with marine biology!

Aquarianne, thank you very much for the big wall of words! It was really helpful, and has some points that I could very well use. :hug: Having a friend nearby is not an option, because I go to swim by myself. But the thing about having them talk and asking questions to them is something that I can do. Also, it never occured to me that the parents could think I am part of the staff.

Seavanna, yours is a really good response too. Funny thing is, the ones that come to ask where they can get one is always the adults. I usually tell them "I bought it through the internet". For some reason, they never ask where, or the name of the company, so I just assume they are trying to make conversation, but they are not really interested, so I don't push the issue. People are not really into buying online here, they are very much afraid of scams and thefts. If they cannot get it in a shop, is no good. Only once a woman asked for the URL of the website, and I was more than happy to give her a card - I keep them in my bag! -, she said her son's girlfriend would like one.

[Fun123joker]

I dont remeber who or where i saw this but i was told "if you dont know how to handel kids, they are pretty much like little drunk people and go from there" this is advice i follow

[Mermaid Narina]

The only issue I have ever had is with 15/16 years old guys who happened to be near the river where a friend and I were doing a mermaid photoshoot. They made fun of us and then walked away but I was pretty intimidated/shy because I was a few years younger than them at the time. Has anyone else had issues of teenagers/adults mocking you or being immature? How did you handle it? Sorry if this deviates from the original thread a bit >.<

[Echidna]

If I'm not paid to entertain the kids/people, I usually ignore everyone unless they're nice and friendly, in that case I play along.

Rude or annoying children or teenagers?
I eat them for lunch.

Especially easy while in water. I can be very intimidating :cthulhu:
and I have no compunctions in dunking someone under if they harass me :p

[Aquarianne]

Narina:

Teenagers and adult hecklers can be VERY difficult to handle if you're a naturally shy person who doesn't like confrontation. I hate confrontation and arguing, even though I'm extremely outgoing and extroverted! I can hold my own and tell people off, or ignore them, but it still makes you feel bad inside that you had a confrontation at all, and it sucks the fun right out of your photo shoot.

The best way that I know of to diffuse a situation like this is utilizing something I learned in psychology class, called the actor-observer bias. It bears a bit of explaining...basically, this bias, which most people naturally have, means that when you do something unusual or negative, such as sitting at a green light in traffic and holding everyone up, you tend to think of as perfectly reasonable ("I dropped my contact lens, my shoe is stuck on the pedal, I have something in my eye, STOP HONKING AT ME, OTHER CARS! Can't you just WAIT a second?? I have a reason for this!") Since YOU know the reason you have for doing it, you don't see it as that much of an affront.

But when we observe OTHER people doing stuff like that, we assume they have NO reason, simply because we don't see the reason. ("Why is that idiot sitting at a green light? ARE YOU STUPID? ARE YOU BLIND?? I bet you're texting or you're just a bad driver, GO ALREADY! HONK HONK!!")

This happens ALL the time. Once when I was a kid, my mom picked me up at the mall and as we were leaving, a woman in a full-length sparkly evening gown ran out of the mall and to the parking lot. My mom's usually a very reasonable person, but she said, "Oh LOOk at that, some people don't know how silly they look in public. What a silly thing to wear in the middle of the afternoon."

"Mom, she probably has a reason for it," I said.

"No honey, some people just don't have any idea what's appropriate," my mom countered.

I thought for most of the ride home and then suddenly it hit me. "Mom, there's a PHOTO STUDIO on that side of the mall!" I said. "She was probably getting her portrait taken! That's why she was dressed up!"

My mom was quiet. "Oh...Ok," she finally said.

Point is, when people see you doing something unusual in public, their first thought isn't to cut you some slack and assume you have a reason. Most of the time, they just think you're being an idiot and have no sense of decorum. So when some teen or adult makes fun of me or assumes I'm crazy (yeah, I'm dressed as Snow White in this 7-Eleven cuz I'm CRAZY lady, not because I have a good reason!), often times just GIVING them a reason diffuses the situation.

If someone older is laughing at you for mermaiding in public, wave them to come over and talk to you. Usually, this is enough to make them go away, because a lot of people are brave enough to laugh at someone from a few yards away, but not enough to do it to their faces. But if they do come over, just say, "Hey pal, what's the matter, you don't like music videos? I'm a propmaker and I need test shots for this prototype tail a customer ordered. What band? Hell if I know, I just take the orders and make the stuff. We got another order for a half man, half SHARK for the same video. Yeah, it's gonna be badass." No, you should never HAVE to lie to make people leave you alone. In a perfect world, we could say "Hey I like being a mermaid in public, you got a problem with that?" But in the real world, it causes more taunting and will just make you upset inside. And giving a job-related reason will legitimize your work in their eyes, so if they come across another mermaid in public someday, they'll assume it's for the same reason, and leave THAT mermaid alone. So you're not only helping yourself out, you're helping other mers. I like the music video excuse cuz it's easier for ordinary people to swallow, but just saying, "What, you don't like the aquarium? Haven't you ever seen the performing mermaid shows at the aquarium or the circus? I gotta get some tests shots of this new tail I made, I'm in the performing prop business," works well too.

You won't believe how fast people's attitudes change when you just give them a reason. I've had people go from sneering disapproval at my princess gown and heavy makeup in the grocery store, to immediate delight and smiles when I tell them it's my job. Just give them a reason, preferably a job-related reason, and they're suddenly fascinated. People do this for a living? You can earn money doing this? Wow, that's a job I'd like to have!

People calm down and stop taunting when they realize you're not doing it to attract attention and be weird in public on purpose, but for a legitimate reason. And this is all just advice for people who are shy and easily upset by confrontation and want a quick way to diffuse the situation. Some days I'm not in the mood to play nice, and the only explanation a passing car full of hooting teens is going to get is both my middle fingers. :)

And yes, everything I post is a giant wave of words. I'm sorry! It's so hard for me to be concise! :( I'm working on it!

[Ashley]

oh no allow your giant wave of words to fly, because it allows people to better understand where you are coming from and gives them the explanation that they desired when they asked the question. It is a lot of great information that is extremely useful thank you!

[Seatan]

Teenagers may also just enjoy being cruel. It is best in my opinion to ignore them completely. Any example if being upset will fuel them. Teenaged boys being cruel about my tail was the start of the downward spiral that led to the loss of my teaching job. I would not talk to then at all if I were you--they are also prone to sexual harassment. All that tends to matter to boys at that age is looking cool to their friends. It's not that they are inherently bad but rather that at that age they are do narcissistic that they honestly don't think about how their mean actions effect others--they are too busy worrying someone will think they're less than cool. If you give no response and pretend you don't even see them, they will usually go to pick on someone more gratifying.

i know this post makes me seen like a teen boy hater, but I really do love kids! That's why I am a teacher. I just know that during those hormonal years many kids will be more cruel and spiteful than they ever will for the rest of their life because their brains are not yet developed enough for them to truly 100% understand the kind of effect their actions have on others. They are too consumed with their own insecurities to even acknowledge others. As I like to say: hate the behavior, not the kid. Otherwise I would hate a good 50% of my freshmen students!

[Mermaid Narina]

wow this was so helpful!!!! thankyou aquarianne!! :hug:

[Mermaid Narina]

Rude or annoying children or teenagers?
I eat them for lunch.

Especially easy while in water. I can be very intimidating :cthulhu:
and I have no compunctions in dunking someone under if they harass me :p

bahahaha :P you're on brave/sassy mermaid!

[Mermaid Narina]

Teenagers may also just enjoy being cruel. It is best in my opinion to ignore them completely. Any example if being upset will fuel them. Teenaged boys being cruel about my tail was the start of the downward spiral that led to the loss of my teaching job. I would not talk to then at all if I were you--they are also prone to sexual harassment. All that tends to matter to boys at that age is looking cool to their friends. It's not that they are inherently bad but rather that at that age they are do narcissistic that they honestly don't think about how their mean actions effect others--they are too busy worrying someone will think they're less than cool. If you give no response and pretend you don't even see them, they will usually go to pick on someone more gratifying.

i know this post makes me seen like a teen boy hater, but I really do love kids! That's why I am a teacher. I just know that during those hormonal years many kids will be more cruel and spiteful than they ever will for the rest of their life because their brains are not yet developed enough for them to truly 100% understand the kind of effect their actions have on others. They are too consumed with their own insecurities to even acknowledge others. As I like to say: hate the behavior, not the kid. Otherwise I would hate a good 50% of my freshmen students!

this is a very good point! i never even thought about i that way! :)

[Mizuko]

Everything you've said Aquarianne is totally spot on!! I was in a burger place yesterday dressed as Ariel after a gig and the amount of glares I get in costume is ridiculous. People just dont THINK- they assume you're crazy!

[Aquarianne]

Everything you've said Aquarianne is totally spot on!! I was in a burger place yesterday dressed as Ariel after a gig and the amount of glares I get in costume is ridiculous. People just dont THINK- they assume you're crazy!


UGH, I know! it's like what, you think I dress like this for fun, in the middle of the day? I usually shrug and loudly comment to the counter staff, "Haha, birthday party gigs, amirite? So glad it's over, i got climbed on by soooo many little yelling kids!" so everyone else in the joint can hear me, and then the rest of the customers often get that "OHHHH she gets paid for this, I get it, she's not crazy" look across their dumb faces and stop glaring. Jesus, give me the benefit of the doubt for ONCE, people! I know you've seen character entertainers before, or at least heard of them! This can't possibly be the most offensive thing you've seen in public!

The worst is when they're treating you with disdain or asking rude questions, and when you tell them your job, suddenly they're all happy and smiling and OHHH how CUTE, what a fun job! like they don't have to apologize for being rude to you in the first place. Now that they KNOW what you do for a living, you have their personal approval, and the fact that they were just rude to you shouldn't count!

I had my makeup on but no costume one time...came home, changed, forgot I was out of makeup wipes, threw on some sunglasses to hide my face and walked across the street to get makeup cleaner at the grocery store. Some old lady comes sidling up to me in the aisle and says, "You know honey, you may think you look pretty with all that makeup on, but you just look like trash."

I told her I was a birthday party princess and just got off a gig, and suddenly she's all happy and "ohhh, how adorable! Do you do that for a living?"

"No, I look like TRASH for a living, remember?" I spat and stormed out. They NEVER apologize for being rude to you first. They're just like, "oh,now that I know the reason, I'm happy and you have my approval, which is clearly all that you wanted, right?" No, I wanted to go about my day not being rudely commented on, but thanks. When I point this out, they'll say the standard, "Well I didn't KNOW."

This is basically humans in a nutshell. I didn't KNOW your reason, so it's perfectly acceptable for me to be rude to you, because I thought you were doing it to be crazy, or get attention. I don't have to be polite to you unless you give me a REASON for your strange actions.

A reason always shuts people up. And they get offended that you call them rude for not giving you the benefit of the doubt, because literally nobody does that, although they expect everyone ELSE to give THEM the benefit of the doubt, because they clearly know that they personally have a reason. Actor-observer bias. I hate it.

edit: words words words again. Sorry, I just go on a rant about these things. XD It just bugs me when people won't give others the benefit of the doubt...they know that phrase, but they rarely understand what it means. It's the reason I never honk at people in traffic or yell at people to hurry up in line. They probably have a reason!

[Mizuko]

haha, I like your ranting!! It makes total sense and puts to words exactly how I feel about it all too! XD It takes guts to wear any kind of costume outside- whether it be for fun or work or just because. I find mermaiding to get the least 'eww what a crazy person' reactions, only because if its at the pool they will see me swimming and that seems to change their minds? Almost like if they suddenly see you switch into character!

[Aquarianne]

haha, I like your ranting!! It makes total sense and puts to words exactly how I feel about it all too! XD It takes guts to wear any kind of costume outside- whether it be for fun or work or just because. I find mermaiding to get the least 'eww what a crazy person' reactions, only because if its at the pool they will see me swimming and that seems to change their minds? Almost like if they suddenly see you switch into character!

Maybe because it's water related, and the pool is where they expect to see water things, that sort of thing maybe? A princess at the Sonic Burger is less expected. Maybe people get more upset when they see things that are more unexpected and strange. Humans don't like to be made uncomfortable, I guess. :P Dumb humans!

[MerGrrl]

Aquarianne, both your answers were fabulous. Thanks.

[Sherielle]

Aquarianne, I love your stories! I have worked as an interactive actor at a local renaissance festival and I get the same reactions sometimes when I play a fairy. "Those wings aren't real!" "You aren't a real fairy" "Why don't you fly away?". Since I play my fairy mute, I have fun trying to tell them without speaking. But as other characters, we have the same problems with disbelievers.
If I'm at a paying gig, I, too, don't spoil the illusion. But if I'm just out and about, or cosplaying at a convention then I just tell them about my costume. It IS hard not to play to the kids, though. It is terribly ingrained in you when you have been doing this for years.
As far as the first question, that's one of the reasons why it's really important to have helpers on the scene with you. My first job was as a costume character at Six Flags. One year I was Daffy Duck and we couldn't speak in costume. I had one child grab my bill and hold on to it. My escort had had to run an errand for a very short time, but it was long enough for this little girl to hold me hostage. She was shorter than me and the head of the costume was on a bicycle helmet so I was screwed. Then she looked into my 'character' eyes and said, "I'm not letting go" complete with evil grin. Since I couldn't talk, there wasn't much I could do except hold onto the bill to try to keep her from shaking my head around. After what seemed an eternity, but was only a few seconds, my escort showed up and got the little girl off of me. Of course the mom was no where to be found. I have many a tale from those days, lol.

[Odette]

When not performing? Find a private pool. lol I haven't had many bad experiences before. The squirt gun thing though, I have had that problem and pulling on my fins. Got 3 holes in my tail last month from a private party.

[SINicallyTwisted]

When not performing? Find a private pool. lol I haven't had many bad experiences before. The squirt gun thing though, I have had that problem and pulling on my fins. Got 3 holes in my tail last month from a private party.

Aaaargh the pulling on the fins! That was one of the things that ruined my tail from that water park event. :mad:

[Odette]

Aaaargh the pulling on the fins! That was one of the things that ruined my tail from that water park event. :mad:
Right? It's a real pain that's why we need our handlers to pay CLOSE attention.

[SeaVixen]

I had a similar experience at the VBS I did recently at a church. The problem wasn't the kids but the mentally challenged adults they began including since last year. There's more of them than kids now. Parents have stopped allowing some of the kids to come because they don't feel comfortable having their children around mentally challenged adults. That's how there's less children. My problem was 2 of those adults. One was so obsessed he followed me everywhere and had 100 pictures of me on his phone and stared at them the entire time when he wasn't staring at me. He was always in my personal space and once he even grabbed me. I had to inform my handlers to keep an eye out and keep everyone at a distance so this doesn't occur again. Then I had another the last day make her way to me and she was kissing me profusely and it was so gross and so uncomfortable! My handlers weren't paying any attention and I wasn't going to scream out. I kept trying to distract her by offering new ideas for her to do somewhere else but she just kept touching me and kissing me. I had no way to escape. I lost my best handler. The first day my handler did a fantastic job of detouring people away without me even having to tell him but he had to leave on a trip for the rest of the week and his younger cousin took over and did poorly. I thought this was an all kid event when I signed up. These kids were polite and observed from a distance only occasionally coming up giving hugs and asking a few questions and talking to me not in my space. I only felt uncomfortable with those 2 people who liked me a little too much. It was so bad even the little old ladies of the church noticed and started spreading word down the grapevine about it. I got very unwanted and unexpected attention from those 2. I don't think they understand the concept of personal space but the rest did. There were about 50 of them there and none of the other 48 did that. They did what the kids did. I guess I just need to be sure my handlers are coached and on top of their game before wheeling me out!

[maressa]

Aquarianne don't apologize for your walls of words! Not only are they incredibly helpful, but your stories were cute and funny and honest. It's like mermaid Hyperbole and a Half. Thanks so much for sharing!

[Odette]

I had a similar experience at the VBS I did recently at a church. The problem wasn't the kids but the mentally challenged adults they began including since last year. There's more of them than kids now. Parents have stopped allowing some of the kids to come because they don't feel comfortable having their children around mentally challenged adults. That's how there's less children. My problem was 2 of those adults. One was so obsessed he followed me everywhere and had 100 pictures of me on his phone and stared at them the entire time when he wasn't staring at me. He was always in my personal space and once he even grabbed me. I had to inform my handlers to keep an eye out and keep everyone at a distance so this doesn't occur again. Then I had another the last day make her way to me and she was kissing me profusely and it was so gross and so uncomfortable! My handlers weren't paying any attention and I wasn't going to scream out. I kept trying to distract her by offering new ideas for her to do somewhere else but she just kept touching me and kissing me. I had no way to escape. I lost my best handler. The first day my handler did a fantastic job of detouring people away without me even having to tell him but he had to leave on a trip for the rest of the week and his younger cousin took over and did poorly. I thought this was an all kid event when I signed up. These kids were polite and observed from a distance only occasionally coming up giving hugs and asking a few questions and talking to me not in my space. I only felt uncomfortable with those 2 people who liked me a little too much. It was so bad even the little old ladies of the church noticed and started spreading word down the grapevine about it. I got very unwanted and unexpected attention from those 2. I don't think they understand the concept of personal space but the rest did. There were about 50 of them there and none of the other 48 did that. They did what the kids did. I guess I just need to be sure my handlers are coached and on top of their game before wheeling me out!
Jeez! You poor thing. You shouldn't have to go through that. So sorry that happened. Just yell next time. This stuff is why I want to be a mermaid handler. Show how it's done. It's a lot more work than anyone seems to understand.

[SeaVixen]

Jeez! You poor thing. You shouldn't have to go through that. So sorry that happened. Just yell next time. This stuff is why I want to be a mermaid handler. Show how it's done. It's a lot more work than anyone seems to understand.
I just volunteer for free at event like this. I don't get paid to do what I do and I utilize whatever free help they have to help me in and out of my chair and to my posts. Since I don't get paid I have no money to pay others unfortunately. Once I get my new tail I'll weigh quite a bit I'm sure too. I weigh 128 without the tail. That part seemed to be covered but I just needed them to pay attention to obsessed people getting too close for comfort. I never knew this was a problem for many and it never dawned on me it would ever be a problem. I didn't mind the hugs and talks (out of my bubble) but grabbing and hanging on me and kissing......no no. Some people could be sick or something and I don't want it lol. Last year I heard one girl was sent home because she had lice......O_O I didn't think of that either. I wasn't there last year though luckily. Amazing some of the things mermaids might go through and do go through wow!

[Vixy]

You won't believe how fast people's attitudes change when you just give them a reason. I've had people go from sneering disapproval at my princess gown and heavy makeup in the grocery store, to immediate delight and smiles when I tell them it's my job. Just give them a reason, preferably a job-related reason, and they're suddenly fascinated. People do this for a living? You can earn money doing this? Wow, that's a job I'd like to have!


Truer words spoken. I was chatting to a lady in an airport and I mentioned that I dress like a pirate in public. First her reaction was awkward and one of disgust 'Rather you and me' were her words and it would of ended there with her thinking I was strange an weird because I dress like a pirate!

But as soon as I mentioned it was a charity based job that we dress like pirates for charity and raising money for different charities.

She completely changed her tune, was engaged with the conversation and started asking questions and was generally interested in it.

[SINicallyTwisted]

This has happened a few times to me as well as other members of our group too! It amazes me (and kind of disgusts me at the same time) that as soon as you mention the word "charity" they change their attitude in a flick of a tail fin! :rolleyes:

[Echidna]

...am I the only one who doesn't give a hoot when people disapprove? :$

I mean, if someone seems truly interested, I'll talk to them, but I sure won't bother giving explanations and "reasons" otherwise.

[Aquarianne]

whoops double post!

[Aquarianne]

I think it's because people don't have a frame of reference. Dress up in public? Ewwww are you one of those weird "alternative liftestyles" people I seen on the TV daytime talk shows? Gross, they was crazy people, the host said so.

Oh wait, CHARITY event? Oh yeah, I've seen those, people dress up in costume for those, OK that's fine then. That's like a job or something, that's legit. As long as you ain't one of them freaky people who don't know how to dress DECENT in public like DECENT people.

I swear, from the moment you say boo about your stuff to the moment you say it's for a JOB or charity, people's face go from disgust to delight in about .2 seconds.


...am I the only one who doesn't give a hoot when people disapprove? :$

I mean, if someone seems truly interested, I'll talk to them, but I sure won't bother giving explanations and "reasons" otherwise.

i personally don't care either way, but the moment you give someone who was previously biased a REASON to accept it, that's the moment they stop potentially giving hateful glares at every other mer/pirate/princess/character in public. Cuz now they know the reason and they're more accepting. I like to think I'm not so much excusing myself, as I am making like easier for some other mer or character down the road who might run into this person.

[Aziara]

...am I the only one who doesn't give a hoot when people disapprove? :$

I mean, if someone seems truly interested, I'll talk to them, but I sure won't bother giving explanations and "reasons" otherwise.

This is what I aspire to. Many times the fear of disapproval from strangers and acquaintances keeps me from doing what I want.

[Talia]

...am I the only one who doesn't give a hoot when people disapprove? :$

I mean, if someone seems truly interested, I'll talk to them, but I sure won't bother giving explanations and "reasons" otherwise.

I am one of those that doesn't mind what people think. Being a goth and dressing the part, I have had the stares, the glares and all the other stuff. If I am in a bad mood day, I just ignore them. If I am in a good mood day, I wave at them, just so they know I have noticed the stares and they don't bother me at all.

It pisses me off when people say "You are just doing it for the attention". :gah: Excuse me, I am doing it because I like it, I enjoy it, and I am comfortable within my own skin to do as I please as long as it is not hurting others. You don't like my corset? Look elsewhere. You don't like my tail? Look elsewhere.

Aquarianne, please keep those stories coming!

[Echidna]

the stares, the glares and all the other stuff.

indeed.
I couldn't even go swimming without tail or monofin if I let that bother me, because for some inexplicable reason, people here disapprove of swimming underwater.

unless you don scuba gear, then it's suddenly cool.

[Talia]

indeed.
I couldn't even go swimming without tail or monofin if I let that bother me, because for some inexplicable reason, people here disapprove of swimming underwater.

unless you don scuba gear, then it's suddenly cool.

How in the world people can disapprove of swimming under water?

???????????

[Echidna]

no idea!
maybe people feel less secure and relaxed (...) when they know someone's swimming in plain sight of their submerged parts?

I've never gotten complaints from couples making out though, it's mostly elderly people who feel offended as soon as someone dives.

[MarkF]

Generally most people know nothing of Monofins. When swimming with the mono fin people ask why? If you ask them if they read anything of diving or swimming, of course they haven't. I tell them that the Speed record is Monofin, the Depth record is Monofin and he Distance record is monofin.
Once the tails completed, when they ask of the scales I'll tell them "I was born that way" :)
I'm also a cert diver, that's the costume.

[SINicallyTwisted]

I generally don't care either. Most of the time I'm completely oblivious to the stares, glares and what not. It's the ones that get into my personal space that urk me. I do try to keep in mind that they are just curious but it is hard to keep your composure when they invade your space. Especially the ones that try being a smartass and say things that I swear are simply just to impress their friends.

[Fun123joker]

but what if it is for fun! i like getting icecream or coffee or stuff after anime or comic cons and im a cosplayer. like omg its just a white suit is it so bad that i get ice cream in a white suit when thats just the tip of the iceburg of cosplaying.

[Aquarianne]

Just develop a thick skin. I've been cosplaying for fifteen years and at first, I was super nervous to be seen in public. But after a while, I just stopped caring. If someone stares, just look confident and wave at them, like you belong there. People generally stop staring if you wave, because they didn't realize until that moment that they were staring rudely.

One time I walked the streets of Savannah Georgia dressed as Mana. Blue dress and violin mana with the big yellow wig and all the makeup. We were on our way to a great location for photos. Some fat shirtless dude rolled by in a truck and said, "Wut the daaaaamn?" as he passed me.

Another time we were doing a photo shoot in a graveyard (in Savannah again, I went to school there) and interrupted a drug deal. Nuff said.

You'll always attract stares, so just learn to ignore it. Don't hang your head, just look confident. And remember that they're staring because it's unusual for them to see, not because you're WRONG to do it!

Fer real tho. Georgia. In this. And it was hot as hell. And before people knew what cosplay was. I don't know what I was thinking.

22973

[Fun123joker]

oooo you look so pretty! with a pic like that its worth it

[Aquarianne]

Haha thanks, but I think I look pretty silly XD it was a looong time ago and I wasn't very good. A billion years ago in the far-off land of 2002.

[Chrissy]

I don't care what people think. I have one chance on this earth and if people want to look and point all I ask is "what are you doing so cool with your life? Do you make kids smile and keep their dreams coming true?" They usually don't know how to answer that, now when I am done with a gig and I still have the make up on and they look at me when we stop for food or something I just point at myself smile and say mermaid entertainment and they usually nod back at me!

[Raayvhen]

I'm no stranger to "Give no fucks" I used to be into Lolita and that sure got some stares. After a while you just develop thick scales.

[Mermaid Cecelia]

Man I really wish I could have y'all's mindsets! I'd be waaaay more comfortable in my life, sadly I have social anxiety... But I'm working on it and y'all are totally my role models now :) I've been wearing one of my sisters old shirts that says "confidence" in really big letters, and I don't want to become a walking irony, right?! :P I hope someday to be so confident while wearing a tail :)

[Lorelei]

Man I really wish I could have y'all's mindsets! I'd be waaaay more comfortable in my life, sadly I have social anxiety... But I'm working on it and y'all are totally my role models now :) I've been wearing one of my sisters old shirts that says "confidence" in really big letters, and I don't want to become a walking irony, right?! :P I hope someday to be so confident while wearing a tail :)
I'm the same exact way :) I really envy everyone here who can go out in a tail and not care about the looks. Even with my anxiety I try to ignore the stares, but most of the time I can't shake them and I talk myself into leaving my swim early. It's awful >< There are some times I'll get really positive reactions though (mainly when I go swimming in the river and I can here all the kids start freaking out from the shore).
My friends often want to go in our cosplays to the mall on random day, but unless we're at an anime convention, I can never get myself to do it. :( I wish I could say "it's my job," but I honestly just do it because I love it and I have the most fun doing it than anything else in my life. Hopefully I'll get the courage to one day go down to our apartment's pool and swim, but there's always so many people I get anxious. Grr! :mad:

and Aquarianne, I seriously love all the stories you post :) They're really helpful.

[Kishiko]

Lol Gem stone and I went to comicpalooza as Mystique (me) and She Hulk and afterwards went to get dinner at Olive Garden. (I was the original mystique so I had the white dress that was open all the way up the sides with panels in front and back) but I was painted blue and gem was green. We had the "I do not care what you think attitude" and most people just thought it was really funny I have found that people are more accepting of what you do as long as you OWN what you do. So be proud of your mermaid tail/stage makeup/cosplay/other unusual attire.

[AnnaAbyss]

It's sad that it's easier and more convenient to lie about how or why you're dressed a certain way rather than just tell people the truth. :/
I'd rather just be honest about it and not try to hide it. I don't own a tail so it's not fully possible for me to know the feeling, but I can empathize.
Dunno how you guys deal with annoying kids all the time... -__-. I'm not a kid person. And thank gawd the beaches around here are mostly deserted or
only have a few people on them at a time (mostly, just not in Summer).
Yeah I think I'm babbling. ._.

[MermaidCoralie]

Usually I'm pretty good with not letting people get under my skin. But a few weeks ago I was doing a pirate photoshoot at the beach and there were two guy probably about 20 and they keep walking past us and going "arrrgg" which I just ignored them but then they continued to get in the back of the shots and for about 30 minutes of our shoot we had to deal with this guys who couldn't take the hint to buzz off!

Although I am in the same boat as a lot of you. I only recently learned how to just ignore people that are rude, give stares and whatnot.

[MermaidCelesteFL]

How do you guys typically handle it when you have the starry-eyed kids that totally believe in mermaids gathered around you, and then the teenagers that love your tail so much, they ask you (in front of the kids) how much your tail cost and where you got it?

I normally try my best to either postpone the question until I can get the kids out of earshot, or handle the kids first- because they're normally really confused by what the big kids just asked. It annoys the big kids/adults that I'm treating them like little kids- but I want to preserve the magic more than tell some adults that my tail costs way more than they think.

[Aquarianne]

I'd probably say in my best princessy voice, "Oh, I got my tail by being born under the sea! If you'd like to ask me about it later, I'd be happy to tell you!' Might give them the hint to come back, but it still keeps the fantasy preserved for the smaller kids.

[Mermaid Wesley]

That's actually a super simple way to do it and actually sounds pretty effective!

[Little_Orca]

While I was at faerieworlds, I had some children that were like this. When they would start to get negative, they lost my attention. I would swim away from them, go in a circle in the pool, then pick another child who was waiting to see the mermaids and spend time with them. The negative children soon learned that at least one mermaid was not going to give them the time of day of they were innapropriate. Sometimes the parents attempted to help and talk to the children about pretend and having a good time. I really didn't have to ignore that many children when I was there.

When they would tell me I was not a real mermaid, I would ask them if I looked like a dragon. They would tell me no and I would tell them I had to be a mermaid then. Some children that actually convinced. :D

[SeaMansa]

If a kid tries to challenge your existence, wouldn't it be funny if you challenged theirs? Example:
Kid: You aren't a real mermaid.
Mer: Maybe you aren't a real human.
Kid: Your just a person wearing a tail.
Mer: Perhaps you are just a mermaid wearing human legs.
Kid: I can see your legs.
Mer: I can see your scales.

Or is my sense of humor just weird because I could honestly go on and on like that until someone lost interest :P I do something similar with my sister all the time

[PearlieMae]

If a kid tries to challenge your existence, wouldn't it be funny if you challenged theirs? Example:
Kid: You aren't a real mermaid.
Mer: Maybe you aren't a real human.
Kid: Your just a person wearing a tail.
Mer: Perhaps you are just a mermaid wearing human legs.
Kid: I can see your legs.
Mer: I can see your scales.

Or is my sense of humor just weird because I could honestly go on and on like that until someone lost interest :P I do something similar with my sister all the time

She must be a little sister because a big sister would just pound you into the dirt. ;)

[Nana]

Another way to deal with the "you are not real" debate is to just agree with them.
But make it obvious that you are hiding something. After all we are a hidden community under the ocean and I don't wish for the word to spread.
Never did that though.. its just a theory.

My usual approach is to just ask them why they think so. Just be creative with developing a story, Kids are smart and love it if you see them as such.

Sadly my little cousin is the only kid I don't know how to develop a story for cause we know each other quite well. Any suggestions or just straight tell her the truth?

[Mermaid Wesley]

Nah just tell her the truth. If you tell her you're a real mermaid you may never have a normal conversation with her again. Kids don't run out of Questions lol

[Mermaid Cookie]

On my first swim, I got my hand-sewn fins ripped out by two over-eager girls (aged 4 and 6) wanting a 'mermaid ride' and refusing to take no for an answer... their parents just watched indulgently.

http://i58.tinypic.com/210ewq8.jpg

Now I just put on the tail right in front of any kids so that they know that it's fake. I don't get paid to entertain them, anyway. And adults will leave you alone if you're accompanied by someone taking video because they'll just assume it's for school or something. :D

[Merman Chatfish]

Everything you've said Aquarianne is totally spot on!! I was in a burger place yesterday dressed as Ariel after a gig and the amount of glares I get in costume is ridiculous. People just dont THINK- they assume you're crazy!
See if I were to stare it would be you are awesome, would she fin-slap me if I asked if she wanted to hang out?

[Merman Chatfish]

Man I really wish I could have y'all's mindsets! I'd be waaaay more comfortable in my life, sadly I have social anxiety... But I'm working on it and y'all are totally my role models now :) I've been wearing one of my sisters old shirts that says "confidence" in really big letters, and I don't want to become a walking irony, right?! :P I hope someday to be so confident while wearing a tail :)


I agree, you guys are awesome for being able to do that. I have social anxiety to the point where I once had to leave the cafeteria at college because there were too many people (10) and to sit with my friend I wouldn't have my back to the wall. Pills help but my self-concious level in public can be really high.
Though now that I think about when I am teaching kids how to swim or DJing, I am quite conferrable being around people and acting "weird". But then I always was good with children and bad with peers.

[Coradion]

Just shove them underwater until the bubbles stop.

[Merley]

Lol Billy, I saw your comment under the activity feed and I died. I <3 you. Also guess whose tail is in the mail? This girl's! :yay:

[Vrindavana Starfish]

I dont remeber who or where i saw this but i was told "if you dont know how to handel kids, they are pretty much like little drunk people and go from there" this is advice i follow
Bwahahahahaha! ...yeah they are.

[Vrindavana Starfish]

If a kid tries to challenge your existence, wouldn't it be funny if you challenged theirs? Example:
Kid: You aren't a real mermaid.
Mer: Maybe you aren't a real human.
Kid: Your just a person wearing a tail.
Mer: Perhaps you are just a mermaid wearing human legs.
Kid: I can see your legs.
Mer: I can see your scales.

Or is my sense of humor just weird because I could honestly go on and on like that until someone lost interest :P I do something similar with my sister all the time


She must be a little sister because a big sister would just pound you into the dirt. ;)


My little sister: "I don't have a birthmark. What does that mean?
Me, the older, wiser sister: "Everyone has a birthmark."
Little sis: "I don't have one. Why not?"
Me: "It means you're not really alive. Go away."

She stopped talking for 2 weeks because she thought she wasn't really real. When my distraught mom finally got her to speak, she burst into soul-crunching hiccuping sobs and said, "She said I *sob* wasn't real *sob* really alive be*hiccup*cause I don't have a *sob* BIRTHMARK!!"

The way my mom's head turned around toward me in slow motion and the rest of her body stayed perfectly still and the way she wasn't blinking let me know I had about 10 seconds to live.

I wasn't trying to be an evil older sister, I just wanted her to stop bugging me and I thought she was smarter than to take me seriously. I did not mean to give a 5 year old an existential crisis.

[maressa]

Wow, yeah... that's kind of mean. Little people don't know any better.

I had to console my little sister at about that age when I was watching The Crucible for English homework and she thought all the actors were actually being killed. I had to explain to her that they were only pretending to tell a story, and then she was just shocked that someone would pretend to be hurt.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

I ignore them and continue with my exercise. I only engage kids if they show interest or want to have a chat. Then I stop and talk to them, answer their questions, even let them handle my fluke.

[Vrindavana Starfish]

Wow, yeah... that's kind of mean. Little people don't know any better.


In my defense, I was 6, and was not trying to be mean.

[Miyu]

:rotfl:

Vrindavana, that's freaking hysterical (looking back on it now, I'm sure it was very much the opposite at the time, LOL)

[Mermaid Galene]

What an entertaining thread!

I love having stream of consciousness conversations with kids. Their perspective on things is so original and often unintentionally hilarious.

[maressa]

In my defense, I was 6, and was not trying to be mean. Oh ok, well that's much different, LOL! My sister is 10 years younger than me XD and I did plenty of mean things to her :P

[Merperson Danny]

l don't know if anyone is still on this thread, but l have a question; l am 13 years old, so what would someone like me say if l was laughed at? l haven't been made fun of so far (l only had a girl my age ask if her little sister could see my tail), but l will be swimming with my tail on my holidays. Obviously, due to my age, l can't say that it is part of my job. Also, l have had younger kids try to pull my tail (While l was swimming! I almost drowned!) but if l told them to go away, their parents might complain that l'm being rude. What do l do?!

[Merman Chatfish]

l don't know if anyone is still on this thread, but l have a question; l am 13 years old, so what would someone like me say if l was laughed at? l haven't been made fun of so far (l only had a girl my age ask if her little sister could see my tail), but l will be swimming with my tail on my holidays. Obviously, due to my age, l can't say that it is part of my job. Also, l have had younger kids try to pull my tail (While l was swimming! I almost drowned!) but if l told them to go away, their parents might complain that l'm being rude. What do l do?!

Threads never die. They just wait for a new response. Being laughed at is not something you have to be worried about. Kids oohing and awning at you will when they start pulling your tail. For any situation have a story ready. Your swimming in the pool because your river/lake/sea/ocean is too covered in ice. If a kid pulls on your tail you tell them its like you pulling their arm or hair and it would be hard for them to swim if you were to hold their legs.

I suggested something similar at http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?9648-How-do-you-see-in-tanks-!-!&p=158841#post158841.

[Merperson Danny]

Thank you! l love making kids happy by doing sort of magical things, like writing a note to my little cousin from a fairy, so l guess l could tell them a little story. Thanks for replying, it really helped! l could tell them my home is filled with fishers currently, and l needed to move for a while. Thanks!

[Merman Chatfish]

Probably wouldn't work in the pool but a fairy performer, don't remember who, that when she had a problem with people she glitter bombs them.

[Merperson Danny]

Probably wouldn't work in the pool but a fairy performer, don't remember who, that when she had a problem with people she glitter bombs them.

haha staying in character while telling people, "Don't mess with me". :cool:

[Mermaid Sirenia]

I stay in character but when kids start irritating me I just become extremely sarcastic which I think annoys them into leaving me alone. Don't be afraid to talk to the parents if things get irritating. Even consider handing them a business card and say "I'm sorry but this is practice for me and I am not here to entertain children at the moment. However, if you wish to come to a public gig or schedule one yourself please contact me" usually they will understand and if you say something, they shouldn't just ignore you and let the kids continue.

[Seachelle]

One time my two mer-sisters and I were swimming at the YMCA when we were told nobody but a class of elderly people would be there... A huge group of daycare kids came in and all the children were very young. When the time came to leave, they were still there and were going to be for another hour.

We needed to hurry and leave and these groups of little girls believed so much that our tails were real. We couldn't break their hearts by taking the tails off in front of them (because they would NOT leave us alone and cried when the older kids said we weren't real, refusing to believe them) so we climbed out of the pool and had to scoot on our buts like a seal into the locker room, saying we had to get ready to go back to the ocean! Lol

[Merman Chatfish]

One time my two mer-sisters and I were swimming at the YMCA when we were told nobody but a class of elderly people would be there... A huge group of daycare kids came in and all the children were very young. When the time came to leave, they were still there and were going to be for another hour.

We needed to hurry and leave and these groups of little girls believed so much that our tails were real. We couldn't break their hearts by taking the tails off in front of them (because they would NOT leave us alone and cried when the older kids said we weren't real, refusing to believe them) so we climbed out of the pool and had to scoot on our buts like a seal into the locker room, saying we had to get ready to go back to the ocean! Lol

Time to have a wheely seat thing just in case. That can be hard on your tail.

[Merperson Danny]

One time my two mer-sisters and I were swimming at the YMCA when we were told nobody but a class of elderly people would be there... A huge group of daycare kids came in and all the children were very young. When the time came to leave, they were still there and were going to be for another hour.

We needed to hurry and leave and these groups of little girls believed so much that our tails were real. We couldn't break their hearts by taking the tails off in front of them (because they would NOT leave us alone and cried when the older kids said we weren't real, refusing to believe them) so we climbed out of the pool and had to scoot on our buts like a seal into the locker room, saying we had to get ready to go back to the ocean! Lol
Haha, but it was so nice that you kept in character for them :)

[Seachelle]

Haha, but it was so nice that you kept in character for them :)

A wheelie seat would've been so helpful lol we couldn't break their hearts! We were as careful as possible when scooting which was a workout in itself. We collapsed in the little area after the door closed and laughed, having to lay there for a while.

This on little girl, though, just kept hugging me saying, "I knew you were real!" It was so sweet. She was the only one that wanted a mermaid ride and she didn't touch my tail at all except when I was sitting on the side of the pool an she was so gentle about it cause she "didn't want to hurt me" lol my two pod members had a kid of their own following them around.

[Merperson Danny]

This on little girl, though, just kept hugging me saying, "I knew you were real!" It was so sweet. She was the only one that wanted a mermaid ride and she didn't touch my tail at all except when I was sitting on the side of the pool an she was so gentle about it cause she "didn't want to hurt me" lol my two pod members had a kid of their own following them around.
Aw! That's so sweet! <:3

[Mermaid Wesley]

<3 I love the little ones


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