menu
The Benefits of Playing Hooky for Your Family Photo Session
Listen. Don’t tell the truant officer. (Is there still such a thing as a truant officer?)
If you’re wondering when to schedule family photos, I frequently suggest that rather than trying to squeeze in a session between the chaos of your regularly scheduled life, you simply SKIP some of it. Block off a few hours of your work calendar and – YES – let your kids go late to school. Play a little hooky!
Why do I do this? Do I not take education seriously enough? (I do! I think education is really important!)
Here are my reasons.
Making Time for Your Family Photo Session
Everything I do (and help YOU do) to prepare for your session is meant to set a very specific mood.
In the relaxed, idyllic scene that we create together, everyone in your family knows and understands that this very specific block of time is being reserved for fun and togetherness as a family.
Mom and Dad are setting aside the important things that frequently have them busy and stressed, and the kids get to have a super special pajama day.
We’re going to play all our favorite pretend games and show Jaye all our best tricks/dance moves/lego creations and do our favorite activities. (Need inspiration? Here are some ideas for activities during your in-home family photo session.)
It’s not something we HAVE to do, it’s something we GET to do.
Why? Because we LOVE each other and we love the time we get to spend together. We love these things about our life enough that we want to remember them.
And family photos help with that.
A Little Mischief Makes for a More Relaxed Family Photo Session
There’s something about giving yourselves permission to step away from your usual routine that changes the whole experience.
You’re making time for each other.
There’s a hint of mischievous energy.
You’re signaling to your kids that, hey – this is important.
And the results are worth it.
It’s not tricky to understand. Coming from a place of “whoa, this is awesome – we get to be a little teeny bit naughty together and mom and dad are going to be HOME and playing with us and having so much fun together” yields different results than “squeezing this in between school and work and soccer and violin is going to have to work so HURRY UP!”
Right?
Why I Recommend Weekday Morning Family Photo Sessions
You’ll take them out of school for an orthodontist appointment. Why wouldn’t you do it for family photos that you’ll treasure forever?
And we’re only talking about a morning. We’ll have them at their desks well before lunchtime.
An unofficial poll of teachers concludes that they’re fiiiiiine with it. And for you grown-ups, there’s a reason that “mental health day” is a term that everyone understands.
So, what do you say?
If you’re ready to set aside a little time for your family, inquire about your in home family session here.
Thanks for looking,
Jaye
Jaye McLaughlin is an award-winning newborn and family photographer serving Westchester, NYC, and beyond since 2010. Her work focuses on natural, lifestyle photography that helps families slow down and remember the beauty of everyday life together.
