I've had 3 couples in the last month or so that thought it would be appropriate to bring their child with them to the tasting. They don't tell me, but just show up with the kid (last night he was 3). They mess up the house I just spent an hour picking up, my 2 yr old who is laying quietly in bed trying to sleep, cause "mommy has a cake tasting" now gets up because she hears someone rummaging through her toys in the living room. This means that I have my 2 year old sitting on my lap during the tasting because she's shy and tired. Then they give their kid some cake, and now he's running around the house terrorizing the dog.
I'm going to put an advisory note on my website in the FAQ sheet I'm putting together- NO KIDS!
Come on people- you don't take the kid to buy the dress, why oh why would you take them to buy the cake?

Well, some people don't have sitters to rely on.
And if they are ordering hundreds of dollars worth of cake from you, I think you can deal with it. Especially if they are making the exception for you and ordering a cake from someone who works out of their home
Jeez-just give the kid a slice of cake and a glass of milk and get over it.

the problem is a lot of people view a home bakery not the same as a bakery in a store front. If you make a big deal about not allowing children to come to your house to have a tasting then you may tick a lot of people off and loose business. I understand that its a pain but I would suggest that you have a clear area for children to play perhaps color or watch TV. If you dont want other children playing with toys then perhaps have a basket of toys just for guest to play with. The dog can be put in another room while your working as well. Which Im surprised you are allowed to sell cakes with a dog in the house. People take offense especially when it comes to there children very easily. To be honest my husband and I only give business to restaurants and such places that are children friendly. I know this is a frustrating situtation however not allowing clients to bring there children may be the worst thing you can do to solve this problem.

I agree with both responses. I mean you might not like them to bring kids but to me it's part of doing business in the real world.

I can understand your frustration. It is unfortunate that people think their darlings are welcome everywhere. I love kids but there are times are places that aren't for the kiddies. And unfortunately, people view a cake tasting at a home a more relaxed place. I understand that you are just as professional as a storefront but alot of people don't see this. I don't agree with the previous poster that they are making an exception by ordering from a home baker. Home bakers and store owners both have their charms and their issues. This has been already highly debated and I don't plan on doing that here.

Also, some people want to include the child in some of the important details since this may not be their "biological" new parent and want to make this a family decision. It would have been a nice courtesy for these couples to at least give you a heads up that they are bringing a child and probably should bring something to occupy lil darling.

Perhaps you can have a box with a coloring book, crayons, and a few small McDonald toys on hand just in case since you are seeing this as a trend. You can show these "special things" to keep a kid busy while you're talking business.

I know I wouldnt want a kid terrorizing my dog (if I had one) just because he/she is hyped up on cake.

I'm with the poster. There is a time and place to bring your child with you. It would be one thing if the child was sitting in their parents laps but to be running around and messing up some one else's house...NOT COOL!!!

AND, just because the parents are spending hundreds of dollars on a cake does not give this kid or his/her parents any right to come to some one's house and destroy it.

I can only imagine what these ppl are thinking about the OP because her daughter was sitting in her lap while she was conducting business.

I think that is a valid arguement for having the tasting at a coffee shop. I had one last year, the child was a MONSTER. I gave him a piece of cake and he literally threw it across the kitchen, then ran and stomped on each piece he found on the floor - then proceeded to play with the buttons on my new frontloading washer and dryer. (isn't he just soooo adorable??) I can go on and on with all the stuff junior tried to destroy - all the while the parents were oblivious to his behavior....."'isn't he inquisiitve??? Isn't that a riot??? Now, junior, that isn't nice, mommy doesn't think that is a good idea for you to try to climb in the oven right now".....

I had an in home daycare at the time also, and junior was not the least bit interested in play room area. (toy boxes, mini kitchen, chalk board, books, crayons - the whole gamut here)

There are places where children are welcome and that is fine, for me, I prefer that they do not attend a business meeting between the client and myself. It would be different if it were a playdate, it isn't.

I'm inspected, licensed and insured and a home baker. Just gettin' that out of the way.

When someone calls for an appointment I ALWAYS ask "How many people will be coming to the appointment?" Whatever the answer (over 1) prompts the following question, "And everyone coming is an adult, correct?" If the answer is no, then I try to gently say "Your children will not be happy having to sit quietly and still for an hour during a business meeting." Generally they get it. Sometimes not. Then I'm a wee bit more directive.

And if I lose the appointment I really don't care.

Have you all forgotten my previous story about the bride who showed up for her a cake appopintment with her mother, MOH, sister and the eight kids from her home-based day care? Can you spell nightmare?

She never got past the foyer before I sent her packin'.

I do not suffer fools easily.

And I'm in a mood today.

It does make it more difficult to get appts. done if they bring kids, but sometimes it happens...One solution would be to have an extra chair in the room where you're doing the tasting and say very clearly that the child can sit there while the parents talk to you. If you have a box of toys that you can pull out to distract them that can buy you some time, too. That might not work, but it would at least put the point across that you don't want the kid roaming around your house.

If they go to leave the room I'd tell him to come back, too, I'm not afraid to tell other peoples' kids what to do if I'm in my own house! You don't need to be mean about it, just say that they need to stay in the room with their parents. If they don't come back, I'd personally get up and get them and bring them back, but most of the time the parents are pretty conscious of what the kids are doing and will tell them to sit still.

I've had well-behaved and badly-behaved kids show up with their parents, and a lot of times if you talk directly to the badly-behaved ones, ask them questions, etc., they settle down because they're surprised that you're addressing them directly.

If they still won't sit still just make the appointment as fast as you can. And if they're totally disruptive and the parents don't seem to care, just cut the appointment short and say that you'll need to reschedule for a time that they can come without their child. Harsh, but true. You can't get anything done if everyone's paying attention to a kid who won't behave.

I too am surprised when people show up with a child, what surprises me more is the parents allowing their child to roam the house ( i actually haven't had that happen yet) but can see it happening. I do my consults in my dining room which is full of cake displays some with very fragile stringwork on them, im always having to say please dont touch that. Can you do your consults in a room with doors so you can close them in? Or perhaps you could offer to go to them if they have kids and that would make it so much easier for them, they would probably appreciate it.

Well yeah I didn't mean to discount the fact that their kid acted out--but picture the same thing happening at a storefront--there's no dog, they're used to cleaning up after clients constantly anyhow--there probably would not have been a toy box, there's no other kids to inconveniently wake up.

I don't know--if it was my house--I'd ask for them to corral the kid too--hey--whoops yeah no cake smushing in the furniture.

Oh dude, I would so clue in the oblivious parents--not that you didn't either--just saying---I'm not walking a fence for a cake order.

edited for clarity

I have to say that I have had my share of terrors in my house before I had my shop and the fact of the matter is clients view home bakery differently. I know this from personal experience. I worked for years from my home and no matter how good I was or how professional people view home bakery as some place that they can just be relaxed. Its just how it is. One of my biggest issues with tasting in not necessarily kids but clients sometimes like to bring the entire family with them to taste cake. So when I make an appointment I always ask how many clients with be there and if they tell me they are bringing everyone in the family I charge a fee and then take it off of there wedding cake.

Oh Loucinda, that is awful! I would expect for the parents to keep the child in check and definitely not throwing food! I would have said something to the parents of a badly behaved child.

But the dog? Do you let your clients see your dog during the tasting?

I feel I have to say something here. If the child had been well behaved and policed by the parents, I am sure this would not have been posted.

It sounds like the OP had a couple that was allowing the child to do anything while they were paying attention to the cake. I have a three year old, and as a single parent there are times when my DD has to come with me. But you can be darn sure that I keep her in line. I bring something to occupy her while I do what I have to. I would never let my DD go into someone's home and be basically unattended.

I even bring a special toy for when we go into Disneyland, as that helps her from playing around in line. This prevents unintentional line harassment by her playing with line ropes and such because she has gotten bored.

This post sounds more like bad parenting and it is not the Cakers responsibility to play nursemaid for the parents. If my child displays this kind of behavior when I am in an art gallery, is it ok because I might be buying artwork worth thousands? I dont see a distinction between the gallery and the Cakers residence.

If I was doing a tasting and the issue started to arise, I would have no trouble telling the parents that we can certainly continue the tasting once their child was under control. If someone was not willing to do that, then the tasting would be concluded, as no real business could be transacted under such circumstances!

Just my .02

Believe me, I did NOT set on the sidelines, and just watch. I was continuously corralling this kid. I thought my head was going to explode before I got them out of here. I had a day care for 25 years, and can usually keep a child occupied peacefully. (notice I don't refer to this one as a child????)

Now, the kicker to this is that their family orders ALL of their cakes from me, and have since I have been in business. This is just the first time I had to deal with their kid.

And again, I know a bakery would not have been able to deal well with this kid either.....I am betting they would have been asked to leave.

Leahs - I am with you - I like how you handle that! (going into my brain as reference for future use)

just to let you know... Your site is really nice and your cakes are beautiful!!

There is nothing wrong with you wanting to limit your tastings to adults only, if that is what you want to do then post it on your site and enforce it.

Not to pull this thread off topic, but I've read more than these few posts from browniebatterer and they all were rude. I'm with K8, cough up some cake pix!

Ya should have some duct tape handy for the lil brats.

Mike

K8, you're hilarious! If I ever need a laugh I just read some of your responses... well your's and Indy's and a few others.

Kill 'em with kindness.

K8 - Weren't you just talking about this very type of exchange yesterday? Ironic, huh?
I feel badly for the OP because I know she didn't want to get railroaded (which is exactly what happened).
Yet another reason why I'm scared to post anything other than regular comments!
Bummer