Planning Family Pictures is hard enough as it is, especially when you're a busy mom just trying to keep the family afloat..
And even though we LOVVVEEE our kids, let's face it, sometime's they're just plain wild. I get it. As a mom, as a family photographer, booyyy do I get it. But don't worry mama! Below, I'm going to give you five very simple and fairly pain free ways to help keep your kiddos from loosing their sh*t during your session!
ONE.
Choose a time that works best for your kiddo! Often times, especially in the early days, this may look like a sunrise session. Yes, I get it, it can be painful for us to look put together first thing in the morning, but sometimes we have to pick our battles. I find kiddos tend to have the best attitudes when we work around THEIR schedules, and not just our own.
TWO.
Full tummies and rested bodies. I feel like this one speaks for itself, but just in case: just try to keep your kiddo well fed and rested before the session. As we moms know, hungry and tired babies = cranky babies. Actually, this is a great tip for your husband too!
THREE.
Bring a comfort item or stuffie if your kiddo needs it. Sometimes we have extra sensitive kiddos or extra sensitive days (even as adults, am I right?). If your baby needs a bit more reassurance, it's perfectly fine to bring a comfort toy or blankie. More than likely, by the end of the session, they wont even want it anymore! However, even if they do, I promise you it will bring out a lot of fun conversations when you're going back through photo albums with your kids future spouse one day, and get to share all about how "James just loooovvveeedd his stuffed elephant, he wouldn't leave the house without it!".
FOUR.
Gentle reassurance is always more helpful than frustrated pleas. Okay, I have to admit, I am not the expert on this topic in my personal life with my own kid. HOWEVER, as a photographer, I can promise you that staying calm and relaxed while offering gentle reassurance is worth the restraint.
FIVE.
And now for my favorite: let's have fun! One HUGE help is hiring a photographer that is experienced at incoorporating fun and games into their session. There's a few benefits to this: for one, it helps keep the kids involved and having a fun time! It also helps capture those "candid" images that you'll love for years to come. Below, I have listed some of my favorite prompts to get the crankies out of the kid, and create those lasting memories you will cherish for a lifetime.
MY TOP PROMPTS TO KEEP THE KIDS HAVING FUN:
A. Dad throws the youngest child into the air while mom snuggles or dances with the older child.
B. Dad holds child upside down while mom tickles them and gives them kisses
C. Put kids infron of the parents and tickle them!
