I always dreaded school picture day. Always. Even as a first grader. Even as a Catholic schoolgirl, who wore a uniform to class everyday, regardless of whether it was picture day.
I just despised picture day.
And it wasn’t as though I was forced to wear an elaborate dress that compromised my playground activity. Nor did I have long flowing hair that required me to sit like a statue until picture time in order to avoid looking like the Amy Winehouse.
I simply couldn’t stand smiling on demand.
If your young child has similar issues with school picture day, then consider the following tips:
*Opt out of individual sittings and have your child pose for the class shot only.
*Ask school administrators if you can take your child’s photo and submit it for the yearbook. By choosing this option you can manipulate the picture-taking environment, so that your child is more comfortable and therefore more willing to smile naturally.
*Practice at home. Set up a mock photo studio and have your child practice posing at home. Make the exercise fun by vamping it up a bit. Once your child sees how silly the experience can be, he will be more comfortable posing for the real deal.
*Buy a new outfit. Give your child reason to smile by allowing her to choose a new outfit to wear on picture day. The more control you give your child the more apt she will be to embrace the activity. If you can’t afford to purchase a whole new outfit, then consider buying some new hair clips or a new necklace that will be shown off in the photo.
*Small bribes. Hey, it beats threatening your kid. I know some parents who offer to take their kids out for ice cream if they cooperate with the photographer. This wouldn’t have worked well when I was a kid, but now with the advent of digital photography, which allows photographers to view shots before processing, it’s a viable option.
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