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Lady of Mystery wrote:I'd imagine that kid's shows could be brilliant fun.

Well, they can be. But they can also be hellish. Imagine twenty 8 year old chav lads with "ADHD" (IE just very naughty) in a community hall with all the parents at the back drinking tins of lager and "nipping out back for a ciggy". There's no fun to be had there. And that's before you go over to the parents (now on their 4th tin) and try to get your cheque. "Oh bloody 'ell. I've left me cheque book at 'ome. 'Ow much were it again?"

Lady of Mystery wrote:

the worst that I've seen was a magician producing a couple of plums and then asking the mum's who'd like to hold his plums while he did his next trick.

Didn't realise you were there Lommie.... Personally I thought that was my best line!

It wouldn't have been so bad if he hadn't have looked like a obese warthog.

..and I've lost some weight since then thank you!!

Well, they can be. But they can also be hellish. Imagine twenty 8 year old chav lads with "ADHD" (IE just very naughty) in a community hall with all the parents at the back drinking tins of lager and "nipping out back for a ciggy". There's no fun to be had there. And that's before you go over to the parents (now on their 4th tin) and try to get your cheque. "Oh bloody 'ell. I've left me cheque book at 'ome. 'Ow much were it again?"

ahmen to that mr wand.
my favourate line for the stiff rope is remember boys and girls its l.e.v.i.o.s.a.r or for the older ones v.i.a.g.r.a
it can be fun but with most of the clients thease days having kids by kids, who already have poor impulse control themselves what hope is there for the klids to be respectfull and behave, i recently did a party for a well known youth organisation, the under 15's were obnoxious and knowittalls and the 0ver 15's were just down right rude and as for some of the leaders... well I'm not going there.
£50 to cover public liability and two short disco's an a.g.m and a magic show later, having been treated less than a serf, I officialy retired form disco's that evening.
as a kids magician you expect a bit of abuse it goes with the teratory and if your clowning its always been advised to wear a cup , but for me from now on let somebody else organise the dancing and infact the whole party, magic yes, stress and woe no thanxs.

magicdiscoman wrote: let somebody else organise the dancing and infact the whole party, magic yes, stress and woe no thanxs.

I find that reading the palms of attractive, polite people at weddings to be far more satisfying. And it pays better too.

Reading the posts above has left me saddened and mystified. You are obviously all encountering a completely different type of children's magician that I have encountered.
I have made a very good living for fifteen years doing primarily children's magic, and I have never once asked a woman to hold my plums. I have never shown up at a gig looking like a homeless wino. I have never eyed up the mums. I have never used cheap wooden props. Don't tar us all with the one brush.
Magic_Hack wrote:

Having said that, and in all fairness, I can understand the frustration of a more experiences magician who regularly does venues such as weddings, buisness stuff....and has to entertain a bunch of kid's and get out all the lower level stuff......

so in my opinion, magicians just starting out will probably take this as an experience to really get started in performing magic, while more experienced magicians may find it more of a hassle than anything. Maybe some other members might want to comment on this ?

What patronising, arrogant rubbish. I perform regularly at weddings, business conferences, black-tie events, etc, but I enjoy my children's shows every bit as much. I never "get out all the lower level stuff". I give the kids a quality show, with my best technique and presentation.
The original question was whether children's magicians really enjoy what they do. It is a rather silly question; if you don't enjoy it you shouldn't be doing it. Leave it to those of us who do enjoy it, and who are professional enough to do a good job.
And may I suggest to FairieSnuff that if the children's entertainers you use to entertain your two angels are so poor, you should stop using them rather than make snide remarks about them behind their backs.

TonyB wrote:And may I suggest to FairieSnuff that if the children's entertainers you use to entertain your two angels are so poor, you should stop using them rather than make snide remarks about them behind their backs.

You may suggest, mainly because you already did... lol..

In reply I actually said...

Im not slating kids magi in general, just the fellows i have to watch every month or so..

I dont hire them, other mums do and the remark of angels was meant as a humerous one - no child is a 100% angel !! lol .... and they are not snide comments, they are my opinion based on what I see... Id quite happily share them with the magi in question but they dont hang aorund after, they are out of there as soon as their case is closed.

I have always said i have admiration for childrens magicians and I am a huge fan of watching magic (ask anyone who has seen my childlike awe at something they have performed)...

So please ... dont take my remarks at the people I have seen as a direct comment at you or others in your genre... Thats like me having the hump because someone doesnt like David Blaine...

F x