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Now that I have a toddler of my own I think I understand MORE THAN EVER how unpredictable children can be; how quickly their mood can shift from co-operation to just plain NO!
But do not fear, when you have a family photoshoot with me I like to find out your children's ages ahead of time so that I can plan some age appropriate games. Most of the time we will go for a walk and stop at various points to play these games. We rarely sit still or are in one place for too long. Having said that, I also try and 'read the room' and adapt to what is working for the kids. In the case of the photoshoot below, these guys were doing SO WELL playing games involving this rug. They were doing SO well in fact, that we didn't go any further with our walk. Absolute heroes.
But if you are worried, here are some quick tips to help you:
Bring snack. And by snacks, I mean BRIBES. Do not let them know you have packed the bribes in advance but instead, hold onto them safely until you know your little one needs it (otherwise it might be counter productive).
Dress appropriately. I know that it's lovely to have us all dressed in similar clothing (and it really does make your final gallery cleaner) BUT if it's a really hot day, or a really freezing day, then the amount of layers you are wearing will impact your children HUGELY. Choose adding layers (or decreasing layer if it's hot) over style. I promise you that a happy child is one who is comfortable, not stylish.
Some children (particularly younger ones, ones who struggle with anxiety, or SEN children) will benefit from some prep. By this, I mean that you might need to create a calendar to count down the days, talk about me lots at home so they know who I am, and show them videos/stories/pictures of what they can expect from the day.
I hope that helps but please do let me know if you need any more help ahead of the day.
