When I started this blog, I told myself I wouldn't rant and rave about my current job. This blog is about how I'm moving forward in my life and the steps involved in that. But I just can't help myself after the day I've had. And ya know... it's my blog. I do what I want!!
I will never understand why a parent would bring their child to the spa for any type of service, much less a massage. We have this "Princess" package where a little girl (13 and under) gets an upper body massage (30 mins.) and a manicure. The package is $45....
Maybe I'm a tight ass, but that seems like a lot of money for a kid who probably doesn't even care about being there.
When I say kid, I mean young. Of course the 11-13 year olds are stoked to do something like this. But today, I had to massage a seven year old. Seven. Crazy enough, she's not the youngest that I've ever worked on (5, in case you wondered), but she was just as bad about attention span. She fidgeted, sighed, squirmed and refused to let me work on her more than any other kid I've ever had. She had the balls to tell me what they "usually" do when she gets a massage (this clearly isn't her first rodeo), and acted like nothing I did was really good enough. I was using the pressure of a feather, mind you, when she told me that "it hurt" as she stiffened into a ball. I was aggravated, but when I tried to work on her shoulders, she quickly shoved them into her ears and completely shut me out. That was it. I was 5 minutes from the time allotted, but I couldn't do it anymore. I left and let her get dressed.
I'm led to believe that parents do this because it's "cute".... they take pictures and make wretched cooing noises the whole time they're in the spa. The mother today, who is a regular client at the spa, keeps her distance. But I can't help but think this is nothing more than entertainment for her. MOST CHILDREN who are in the spa do not need the service they're getting. Yes, there are some kids who could genuinely benefit from bodywork. Those are the same kids who allow for it. The little girl today might've known why she was at the spa, but definitely didn't know how to receive massage in a beneficial way. THIS MAKES MY JOB EXTRA HARD.... I end up petting the kid for 30 minutes, fighting with them (silently, as I beg them to relax enough to let me work) the whole time because they really don't feel comfortable laying there in the first place. I've even had a child ask "Are we done yet?" about halfway through the massage. They just don't have the attention span for it, y'all. (One little girl cried when the nail tech came to get her for her pedicure-- she had no idea what she was doing, why she was there, or who this strange person was trying to walk her down the hallway. True story.)
And really, what kid gets their nails painted and doesn't smudge them within 15 minutes?
I just don't get it. I've never seen kids in the way most people do: I don't get all gushy over them, and I definitely don't understand spending money on them for crap they don't benefit from. Put that money toward the summer fund to send them to the pool or to a theme park. Or better yet, buy them an educational toy, or let them join a club they're interested in. I can't complain about the spa having business... however people want to spend their money is up to them. But this is just something I'll never understand. My mom wouldn't have done anything like that for me. Maybe I'm just bitter because of that. :)
2 comments:
OK this is more than a little weird to me. And I have experience in both massage and being gushy about my kids. Like you said, some kids could legitimately benefit from body work, but if it were my kid I would want her to know the person she's in the room with so she was comfortable... I'm also super duper cheap and can't imagine spending that much money on something like that. Your suggestions were much better... :)
Well yeah!! The mother today DID know me, so that was one thing. But usually the parents have no idea who the therapist is. And while it's our responsibility to remain professional, I sure as heck wouldn't trust some stranger in a room with my small child. It's just that day and age. I've only had maybe one parent ever ask to sit in the session... very odd.
Post a Comment