1586 Face Plaint

I was sitting in a meeting the other day and some folks were planning an upcoming event. They were talking about all the things they were going to offer for kids, like games, arts and crafts, and such, and they also said they were going to do face painting.
And it occurred to me, virtually every event that wants to add a children's component offers face painting. And I never really gave it much thought before.
So what's the appeal? Do children really like it? Or is it an enthusiasm of their adult protectors? A seemingly harmless activity smiled upon by society at large.
When the kids get home at night and have to vigorously scrub off the face paint, are they as happy? My kids were never hyper-enthusiastic about washing their faces.
Do the parents and protectors give any thought to the paint itself, especially those parents that spend endless time in the aisles of the grocery store comparing sugar quantities in boxed fruit juices?
Do they ask questions about the possible toxicity of the fluid being applied near their darling's delicate eyes?
And do the face painters themselves go to face painting training of some sort? Perhaps receive a face painter certification certificate. "Brittney Jones has completed 10 hours of official face painting instruction and is hereby proclaimed a journeyman face painter level III."
Because really, these are relatively sharp instruments face painters are working with near children's eyes and ears. As most face painting seems to occur in areas and events where boisterous activity is being conducted, dogs and kids running around, Frisbees being thrown and what not, the strong probability exists that an errant projectile is bound to impact a brush-wielding hand or wrist at some point.
Maybe I shouldn't have started thinking about it.
America, ya gotta love it.