You really get see a variety of children’s personalities performing magic at their birthday parties week after week. And learn how each child reacts in situations. Some are eager to participate, some are cautious at first waiting to get to know you before participating and some just like to sit and watch as if the magician was a television set.
But at one of this weeks birthday party shows, I met a six year old boy, let’s call him Frankie, who was outgoing and eager to help but was different than most six year olds. He came up to help with my comedy funnel routine. He was a great helper, having fun himself while the kids and adults watching are howling at him and the situation. But it was after the main show, making balloon animals for everyone and doing walk-around magic that I saw something different in Frankie. The best way to describe him is he acted like a host at the party. He asked me if I had eaten and when I said yes he replied matter of factly, “ok, good”  like he was my mother. And later, he came up with a package Dentyne gum and handed me a piece. Again with a ‘here, eat this, you should have this’ attitude. He seemed fearless and had a take charge attitude but it was about other peoples needs, not himself. Frankie had charisma. An unusual quality in people, especially unusual in a six year old.