OK, I’ll admit it. When my daughters were young I thought they were the most amazing beings on the planet, so very smart and talented, so much above average. If you have kids or know anyone who does, you’ve seen this kind of thinking. The whole self esteem movement has reinforced it and everybody’s special. True? Or are most of us especially ordinary? Well, I still wouldn’t trade my girls for anyone else’s.
Balloon packages come with labels.
WARNING! Children under eight years old can choke or suffocate on uninflected or broken balloons. Adult supervision required. Keep uninflated balloons from children. Discard broken balloons at once. Made of natural rubber late, which may cause allergies.
Doctors, especially pediatricians, cringe at the sight of very young children with balloons because of the danger of choking. Many of us in the balloon and entertainment business discourage people from giving balloons to children under the age of 3. Please consider this when you’re planning your party.
If all the kids will be 3 or older, it’s pretty safe to have a balloon artist. With guests that young, however, people often bring infant and toddler siblings. It’s important for you to have someone assigned to watch for broken balloons, pick up the fragments, and dispose of them safely. You might want to have a designated place, up high, to keep the balloons until your guests are ready to take them home. This will help them last a little longer and will prevent cute little toddlers who are mesmerized by the color and motion of balloons from grabbing them and creating havoc.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve handed a balloon to a parent who insisted that their child was fine, no longer puts things in his mouth, “she loves balloons. We give them to her all the time.” As I give the balloon to the parent I remind that parent they must watch it like a hawk, make sure it stays out of the child’s mouth, remind them of the choking danger associated with balloons. What happens next? The parent gives the child the balloon and the child immediately puts the balloon in his mouth. Since it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to scream at the parent, grab the balloon, or say, “Told ya,” I usually simply point out that the balloon is where it shouldn’t be.
I love kids. I want them to have clean, safe fun. I keep a small container right next to my work station so I can put broken balloons and discard scraps out of reach of little hands and mouths. I’ve been creating balloon art since 1976 and have had a chance to see many kids grow up. Why, once a mother who had hired me to entertain at her 5 year old’s party called me again when her son turned 21 and had me back as a throwback birthday surprise for him. I want to see your kids grow up, too. Please keep balloon safety in mind when you invite me to your party. Let’s all have a good time.
Leave a Reply