Pamper Partys For Children

[mayad01]

Hiya everyone

My friend and I do pamper nights and just lately we have being asked by a couple of clients if we would consider doing mini pamper parties for their daughters. We are talking ages from 7 to 12 years old. (Therapies include Reiki, Aromatherapy/Massage, Reflexology & IHM)

Just wondered if anyone has done pamper parties for children, if so what do you do, and legally what is required ie. paperwork, am sure we will need parental consent and do we need the parents there while their children arehaving the treatment or will the hostess of the party be enough?

Love Angel x

 

[Stargal_2000]

This may be a tricky area. You would definately need written permission and chaperones. It could be a minefield.A couple of years ago I helped out at a fundraiser for a local Brownie Pack - it was an evening of treats for thier mums and the girls- it was an administrative nightmare for the Brown Owl, so much so that they decided it would never happen again. Would the event be held in a private home, or a public venue such as a village hall? So much to consider! If it going to be a private home, then I don't think you would have to comply with too much red tape. Hmmmm.....

 

[Tims32]

The event would be held in a private home. I was thinking about the minefield, I am a little wary as some of the young girls have shown an interest in the back massage, but with all the wrong doings in this world today, I am a little apprehensive about how a child would interpret a massage.

Love Angel x

 

[littlebear<3]

Hi Angel[/align][/align]Generally speaking all children need a guardian with them at all times during the treatments, the guardian also needs to sign the consent form, this is for your protection although it is put to the guardian that it is for the child's [/align]

 

[mgm]

Hiya Paul

Thanks for the advice, I will get the consent forms drawn up ASAP.

Love Angel x

 

[Felix Brewster]

Hi Angel, personally I would find it in bad taste to have pamper parties for children.

The children themselves would not know how to interpret what is happening to them really. They may think it feels nice (the potential benefits are beyond question) but they would not really see it for what it really is (as a health care system, if this is what you actually use the therapies for).

I think the parents are more interested in creating a 'mini-me', by which their children have the same 'pampering' as their parents. I think the children will see this as being accepted as an 'adult' when clearly they are not, which causes a host of potential problems (children acting like adults at a young age etc).

If you do decide to pander to the parents wishes (and please do not do it just because they ask, consider your reputation first and foremost), make sure that the parent or legal guardian is present at all times during the treatments (and have another person present too i.e. your partner) and that you have a consent form signed by the parent/guardian. Make sure the consent form states that they confirm they are the legal parent and guardian of the child.

While it may be benificial to the children, if the parents have concerns about their child's health for which they would seek therapies, they would come to you without the novelty of a pamper party.

If you are professional therapists, I would advise against the pamper parties. It will harm your reputation in the eyes of those that may need you the most.

 

[I <3 Pomeranians]

i am doing a pamper night for my daughter who is nine these days children enjoy being given facials mini massage and other treatments in idia children recive ihm from being born we do baby massage so why are we afraid to touch our children of course i would get a parents consent before giving any treatment and i would outline to the parent what the treatment is the parents of the children that have been invited are all in favour most of them have had a massgae before and would like their children to experience it too
they would not really see it for what it really is (as a health care system, if this is what you actually use the therapies for). does that mean we should give any therapy to those who do not understand what it is all about because there is an aurful lot of people out there do not understand it apart from it makes them feel good and their health improves i dont know maybe we should all work in back street shops cos we cannot really touch anybody sorry to go on but i feel these days we are afaid to touch each other incase it is not correct and children are growing up in a world where you are not allowed to cuddle a crying child what has gone wrong

 

[Karamore(:]

My daughter was asked to do something similar for a brownie pack and decided that the simplest thing and non intrusive or embarrassing for any of them was to give them a fun talk about looking after themselves skin hair healthy eating etc..and then to do hand massage and teach them how to give a hand massage followed by a nail polish for those who wanted it , she also took along some quizzes and colouring exercises in case any didn't want to do the hand massage
her session was very popular

 

[Kiya*~]

Hi crystal, the issue is not about touching the child. Everyone needs to have human contact, whether this is cuddling or a gentle touch.

When I said that children would not see it for what it is, I meant that they would only see it as a bit of fun as opposed to actually having a benefit on their well being (can you imaging a child saying 'that neck massage really loosened the tension'?).

It is fine to touch children (in a non sexual way), in fact I positively encourage it. The issue I see is that the children will see it as a novelty in the same way that some adult pamper parties allow clients/participants to consume alcohol before treatments!

Children do not need facials/manicures etc as this is just the parent imposing their ideals onto the child. Children look up to their parents and will of course jump at the chance to have treatments like what their mum has.

I know it sounds negative but I believe we should educate our kids to be independent and capable of making their own free decisions.

Children need love and therapies as much as anyone else, but not to make a party out of therapies.

 

[Maiciania]

I do pamper parties for children and in response to the post about it being unprofessional, I have to say that at all times I am professional; I ensure a parent is around at all times.

Girls loved to be pampered and have treatments done; what is wrong with painting someone's nails or applying make up or showing the young adults how to properly look after their skin?

However, I do not do massage or IHM on girls younger than 16. I tend to stick to the beauty side of it as this is more popular. Again I have to say maybe the girls' don't understand what is happening and may not follow after care advice.

It's about education ina fun environment and it is also very popular; there are companies that I am subcontracted toto do work for and make a very healthy living out of it.

I make sure I get parental consent before any treatment is performed.

 

[lovin_him]

Beauty queen, girls do love to be pampered because this is what society has shown is needed to feel better or be relaxed. Unwittingly you are undermining the girls confidence to be themselves by giving them props to make them more confident/feel better and are conditioning the next generation of girls to subscribe to the 'got to look beautiful to feel good' mentality.

Applying make up etc is making them feel like they should be wearing it and looking around nowadays parents have little morals in letting their children wear make up from young ages rather than letting them just be the way they are. Kids are very perceptive and soon relate that they must wear make up to look better and this implies that there is something wrong with them the way that they are. It is psychologically damaging for them but many do not see this. We see this in the extreme of those who wear tonnes of make up and artificially alter their body to look and feel better as this is what they have been taught is the way to do it. Many kids are going the same way and are developing eating disorders too as a direct result of being told 'how to look' to be beautiful/successful etc.

If you really were to show them how best to look after their skin, you could start by informing them about their diet, stresses, environmental factors (like cold, heat etc) and about proper hydration rather than resort to make ups and moisturisers (although natural moisturisers such as unprocessed avocado do help the skin immensely).

It is very popular and I do not doubt that you make a great deal of money out of it but just stop to reflect on what you are doing and do some research into the effects that such things have on young children before telling me that it is about education in fun environments. Have a good read about the psychological damage done to children and let me know what you then think.

Darren

 

[Wendy b]

I think it sounds like a lovely idea and there are some good suggestions here. I've done a reflexology party for a group of 12 and 13 year olds and the girls loved it. The Mum of the girl whose birthday it was was around, and all the girls had got their mum or dad to sign my consent forms beforehand. The girls were fixing up each other's hair and doing their nails and make-up, and the mum had pizza delivered. When I left the party went on and all the girls stayed over. The feedback was excellent and the party very much enjoyed by all.

Mr Harper, you cannot stop girls experimenting with make up and personal care. They are growing into women, and most women like looking and feeling beautiful by caring for themselves and paying attention to their personal grooming in a number of ways. This is strongly linked with their self esteem. I don't think that playing with make-up and reading girls' magazines when I was in junior school has turned me into a seriously damaged adult!