B!TC# IT OUT!

[Imogen Finnly]

You guys are the besties

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[KateyMermaid]

OK, I have had at least THREE GigSalad leads that have either lead me on to finally say no, or ghosted on me. They get all offended when I quote them my travel fee.
I had a lady that was over 200 miles away and was upset that the travel fee was more than the party fee. Like, sweetheart, I am the closest mermaid to you, and I'm going to be driving six hours to do a 1hr pool party. Of course my travel fee is more than the event cost! yeesh! The whole point of running a business is to MAKE money. (I would like to point out that in no way is mermaiding paying the bills. I'm lucky if I break even for a party or event. At best my profit is MAYBE $20. I'm not talking crazy fees here)

I esp love the clients who tell me their daughter/son is so excited and that they already told them I was coming, and didnt realize what my costs were. Like, what? How is that my problem? I am happy to send a gift or letter for a small fee, but I am not responsible for the fact that you promised your child something before it was confirmed.

-headdesk-
Some people.

[Shimmer Mermaid]

"Hello, my child's birthday is coming up, and I'd like to hire you to swim with the kids and play games. How much would an hour or two cost? I'd like you to be able to bring her a special mermaid gift as well, how much would all of that be?"

*quotes price* (mind you, I am not expensive at all, because I live in a small farm town. Like you, I have to cover travel, and I would have to cover the gift.

"Are you SERIOUS? I figured like $20 an hour! Is there a way for you to lower the price? I'll give you exposure. "

😑

Have had a few this summer like that.

[KateyMermaid]

Yup. Gotta love those people.

I had a woman who got seriously angry at me when I said I was not going to give her SIX year old daughter a mermaid tail the mother had bought on etsy. I explained that not all tails are safe and I only support certain tails for kids (none of which this tail was) and how I was uncomfortable telling her 6yo daughter she was a real mermaid, and giving her a questionable tail with no mermaid lessons.
(I teach swim lessons irl. Most 6yo kids cannot put a tail on and go.)
This lady blew up and started insulting me and how I thought I was special and "some kind of expert" (8 years of mermaiding. Also swim instructor)
Apparently the mom decided her friend (zero mermaid experience. Never swam in a tail) could do a better job.

Tried to at least tell her to hire a lifeguard or have adults supervising the party. She told me where i could shove that piece of advice.

I haven't heard from her. I hope no one died.


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[Sabrina the Selkie]

Yeesh. I don't envy you.

As excited as I am to get myself to a place that I can start gig-ing, I am not looking forward to that.

[Saelyyia]

That is just wrong (on the moms behalf) I see it all the time with princess gigs too. People always try to pull the "you're getting free exposure" and they don't want to pay. I way undercharge for my services and people still pull that and then get indignant an insulted. So I just use this picture to break things down for them and walk away. I know it says princess ing but just pretend it says mermaiding....

**Photo from a fb princessing group. I did not create it.**

[Shimmer Mermaid]

Some people really just don't get it. For us, safety is our main concern, it keeps us able to swim in public pools, public places in our tails. When a story goes up of how a woman put her young daughter in a questionable tail without ANY experience, WE take the fall, because then everyone pulls the whole "no mermaid tail is safe, even with experience!" so our fins and tails are banned from pools and beaches.

[Shimmer Mermaid]

The free exposure thing is bologna when you're told to stay for a few hours, deal with 10+ kids, (i have dealt with pervy dads at more than one gig), bring a special custom mermaid present, essentially feed yourself (as most don't offer, and get offended when you ask, so unless the kids think it's fun to "feed the mermaid" or you state in your contract that it's part of the deal to be fed, you've gotta wait), smile-smile-smile, and try to keep the kids from ripping either your tail-top-or feelings to shreds.

[KateyMermaid]

Pretty much.

I wish I could say that elitist parents are exclusive to entertainment. But they're not. I see it at my lessons all the time. Parents who think their child is perfect.

I have a kid who is severely adhd in one of my classes and often has to sit on the side of the pool because he endangers himself when I'm working with other students. The dad is in denial about this and yells at me after every class for ignoring his kid (none of the other kids in the class have listening issues and are happy to follow direction)
I have another boy who is12 and can't swim at all. He's in a class with 5yo. Mom wanted him to move up because "he'll be embarrassed".
Nope. Your son can't swim. He gets to stay with the little kids until he progresses. I don't care if his ego is wounded. I'm not going to move him up in a more advanced class when he's not ready.

Some parents suck.


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[AelianaNympha]

I see the same stuff all the time teaching. And it doesn't stop. I teach high school. I have students who straight up tell me they didn't study for a test and then their parents email me and insist that their student earned a higher grade than that. The parents completely ignore how little their kids are actually trying. They're entitled and aren't shy about it.


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[KateyMermaid]

And I hear you on free exposure. Parties are NOT exposure.
You just want a free mermaid.

I don't think I've broke even in what I've pocketed as a mermaid vs what I have invested in it. I run a BUSINESS. Insurance. Taxes. Payroll. Fees. There's a reason I charge what i do. I will always try to work with a client within reason.

I always wonder if these people argue with their mechanic or Doctor, or whoever over their prices as well lol


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[Shimmer Mermaid]

The fact that you deal with this so often because of you being a swim instructor, and still manage to keep your cool makes you a super hero.

I have the hardest time dealing with rude parents.

[KateyMermaid]

Parents are the reason I drink.

I just sigh, explain my case, and occasionally tell them they are welcome to go elsewhere.
I am lucky enough to work with management who are safety oriented and don't tolerate entitled parents.

And don't get me wrong, so many of my students (and their parents) are just lovely and awesome and agreeable.


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[mermaid_selene]

i am so upset, my friends and i were going to go swimming with our mono-fins at the beach but i totally forgot about the surgery i had to get. i got my tonsils removed and i cant go swimming for another 3 weeks *sigh* my throat is killing me and ive already gotten sick of ice cream. there could be worse surgeries though i just really wanted to swim.


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[Sabrina the Selkie]

Ouch. No fun, being land locked.

[mermaid_selene]

i hope to make a speedy recover, but as a teenager getting them removed i have the risk of my throat bleeding and i cant have that happen. being a landlocked mer isnt fun but ill try my hardest to recover


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[Sabrina the Selkie]

Good luck

[Mermaid Alea]

i am so upset, my friends and i were going to go swimming with our mono-fins at the beach but i totally forgot about the surgery i had to get. i got my tonsils removed and i cant go swimming for another 3 weeks *sigh* my throat is killing me and ive already gotten sick of ice cream. there could be worse surgeries though i just really wanted to swim.


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Well, you are not alone in missing out on swimming. I have been talking with some local mers about meeting up this weekend and one mermaid who I really wanted to meet dislocated her knee recently and can't go. I am really sorry for you mers I know it is really sad to miss out on swimming, but I do hope you recover and you can find something to preoccupy yourself while you heal.

[mermaid_selene]

Well, you are not alone in missing out on swimming. I have been talking with some local mers about meeting up this weekend and one mermaid who I really wanted to meet dislocated her knee recently and can't go. I am really sorry for you mers I know it is really sad to miss out on swimming, but I do hope you recover and you can find something to preoccupy yourself while you heal.

aw thanks


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[Mermaid Jaffa]

Well, you are not alone in missing out on swimming. I have been talking with some local mers about meeting up this weekend and one mermaid who I really wanted to meet dislocated her knee recently and can't go. I am really sorry for you mers I know it is really sad to miss out on swimming, but I do hope you recover and you can find something to preoccupy yourself while you heal.

Same here. Two weeks before May, I caught a bad cough which made me so ill and weak, and I had to sleep for two weeks in between puking my guts out. Even though I'm much better now, and just when I think I can go swimming again, I get a little sniffle which sucks. I feel so dry and like I'm missing out on something very important!

I hate winter!