By Betsy Fischer, M.Ed.
Is being a parent a prerequisite for being a great children’s entertainer?
In my opinion the answer to this question is a definite “NO!”
Does it help? You bet! But it might actually be an asset not to have kids of your own in order to keep a bunch of children happily entertained.
Read on to understand my logic.
You’ll Need Sensitivity, Patience and Understanding
Being a parent might provide you with the assets needed when faced with the varied situations that can arise at a children’s event (e.g., someone is crying because they were out in dance freeze, got a green give-away, not a red one, or is angry because of the way you judged Coke and Pepsi).
When these things happen, being a parent might make it easier for you to deal effectively with the kids involved. Having faced similar situations with your own kids could potentially make it easier to deal with the children of others.
I find that being a parent myself helps me to have a better understanding not only of the kids behavior, but of the behavior of parents and grandparents, as well.
Adults Behaving Badly
Often times I am irritated by the behavior of adults who act inappropriately over the silliest things. For example, it drives me crazy when I am out on the dance floor, passing out some type of give-away as a motivational tool to get the kids up and dancing, and then some adult pushes his/her way towards me, butting ahead of the children, insisting that I give the item to them for a child/grandchild who has not waited for it along with the other youngsters or isn’t even on the dance floor!!
While this type of behavior irritates me, as a parent I can sort of understand it – and of course I must use restraint and be polite to rude and inistent adults.
The Benefits of Not Having Kids as an Entertainer
Sometimes, though, as I am getting annoyed with adults behaving badly, I think about my assistants and young fellow DJs who don’t have their own kids. I often think to myself, “Wow, I’m sure this stuff doesn’t even bother them!”
I do believe that not having kids can also be beneficial in the world of children’s entertainment. It could mean that an entertainer has all the patience in the world, not having been annoyed or irritated by one’s own kids previously. There is definitely something to be said for being young, fresh-faced, and filled with patience and caring!
Just because an entertainer does not have kids does not mean that he/she can’t deal with children. On the contrary, the fact that an entertainer is childless may well work in their favor. They can dance and engage with children with excitement, enthusiasm, and an extreme amount of patience, especially in light of the fact that they are not going home to deal with their own kids.
So, in summary, I believe that while having one’s own children might help an entertainer when dealing with kids, not having kids might be an asset, too. Experience is always a plus, yet in this case, having no experience might be a help, too!
Whether or not you have kids of your own, “Party on!” That’s what it’s all about!”
If you have any thoughts to share on this subject, do tell!
Betsy Fischer, M.Ed. – Girls with Gigs
Betsy Fischer, M.Ed. is a DJ, Event Planner, Dance and Zumba Instructor, Choreographer and Entrepreneur. She is the 2010 winner of the “Best New Dance” and runner up “Entertainer of the Year” at the “DJ of the Year” competition held at the International DJ Expo. She is also the proud owner/operator of Betsy Fischer’s Groove Lounge, a dance and party venue located in southern NJ. Her mobile DJ business, Party Dancing with Betsy Fischer, LLC, entertains at a variety of events throughout NJ and PA. Betsy is a member of NJDJN and NAME. She is a graduate of Rutgers University and is a NJ State Certified Elementary Teacher and a Teacher of the Handicapped. Betsy received her Master’s Degree from Temple University, where her studies focused on including handicapped children in the performing arts. Betsy’s website is GrooveLounge.net and you can email her at [email protected].
