A Silly Character For Kids That Parents Can Love

For Jennifer Kelman it started with a tearful nephew. She was babysitting while his parents were on vacation and each night after talking to his mom he would dissolve into a mess of tears. Jennifer felt horrible for her nephew and knew there just had to be something she could do to help cheer him up. Willing to do just about anything, she created a silly character named Mrs. Pinkelmeyer and would have her teary-eyed nephew talk to her on the phone. It worked. Her nephew cheered up talking to the character and a business was born.

Tell us a little about your Mrs. Pinkelmeyer character.

Fourteen years ago, I was babysitting my tearful nephew, Henry, desperately trying to abate the tears he cried for his mother. Each night, Henry’s parents would call to check-in on me and their inconsolable little boy from their beach vacation. Just hearing his mother’s voice on the phone caused Henry to burst into a million tears. Unsure of how to comfort her nephew, I tried all sorts of antics from dancing to singing, all of which seemed to make him cry only harder. It was at that moment that Mrs. Pinkelmeyerâ„¢ came to life.

What inspired it?

I picked up the telephone and pretended to call a lady that I named Mrs. Pinkelmeyerâ„¢. The funnier the name sounded the more chance I thought I had that Henry would also think it was funny. I not only pretended to call her, I had to be her as well. And of course she had a British accent.” She greeted Henry with this silly line…”My name is Mrs. Pinkelmeyer and you’ve called me while I am making a delicious Rrrrump Rrrroast for dinner”…(she just rolls and rolls her r’s). The most amazing thing happened….tears and screams subsided and they were replaced with laughter….it worked, it worked, I thought…keep talking to Mrs. Pinkelmeyer until Henry forgets how much he misses his parents.

Each night when my Sister called to check in, Henry would look to me to call and play Mrs. Pinkelmeyer. We did this every night until they returned from a lovely and restful vacation. Henry is a young man in his teens now, but still remembers the joy of Mrs. Pinkelmeyer and it is a sweet memory that we will always share together. That memorable experience with Henry has inspired me to bring the character of Mrs. Pinkelmeyer to life.

Do you have any other characters?

I have also created the indelible side-kick for Mrs. Pinkelmeyer….her lovable dog, Moopus McGlindenâ„¢ who gets into all sorts of trouble, but no matter what, Mrs. Pinkelmeyer just cannot stay mad at him for too long.

What products do you offer?

I have created a full line of Mrs. Pinkelmeyer products including the Mrs. Pinkelmeyer and Moopus McGlinden Plush doll. It is 2 dolls in 1, since Moopus goes everywhere with Mrs. P he is attached by Velcro to the inside of her arm, but is also detachable to be carried separately. Mrs. P is also becoming a pop star with her own music CD including her signature song, “Mrs. Pinkelmeyer Makes You Happy,” and the latest dance craze, “Pinkelmeyer Dance.” This CD is not just for kids as parents will find themselves singing along long after the music stops. Parents will not dread playing it in their car as it is a new style of kids music that appeals to all. Mrs. P and Moopus just finished filming their music video and can be seen on YouTube.com/MrsPinkelmeyer

I am so excited that I have authored the first in the Mrs. Pinkelmeyer Book Series, “Mrs. Pinkelmeyer and Moopus McGlinden Burn the Rrrrump Rrrroast.”

We also have temporary tattoos of Mrs. Pinkelmeyer and Moopus McGlinden for kids. We are constantly creating new products for Mrs. Pinkelmeyer and are working on an application for mobile phones.

What separates Mrs. Pinkelmeyer from other characters for kids?

Mrs. Pinkelmeyer is unlike any other character out there. As the Silliest, Warmest Know-It-All, she inspires self-esteem in children just by being her. Her joy for life and laughter is infectious and her words of wisdom are clear even if they are given in subtle messages. She is not just for children as adults are falling in love with the joy that is embodied by Mrs. Pinkelmeyer.

Any plans for new characters in the near future? If so, care to give us a little hint?

I believe I will continue to develop new characters and there is one in the idea bank and that is a friend of Mrs. Pinkelmeyer’s who is silly as well, but just in a different way. Stay tuned!

What are some goals you hope to accomplish over the next year or so?

I believe in giving back and I want to spread the arms of Mrs. Pinkelmeyer and share her love and warmth with as many people as possible. I look forward to working with some charities who can benefit from the love and care of Mrs. P.

What are some lessons your business has taught you?

Every day in business and in life is a learning opportunity if you let it. The biggest mistake we make is when we close our minds to hearing or learning anything new. I have put some faith into others that haven’t been the right ones and so we learn and move on.

Any advice you’d like to offer fellow entrepreneurs that are just getting started?

Getting started is the hard part, and the advice I would give is to just run with your idea. We all have great ideas and many of us get lost in the thinking that it has to be the next BIG idea. It doesn’t…it just has to touch the lives of others and many times in ways you never expected. When I created Mrs. P, I was inspired by my nephew, a child. I received the most touching email and photo from a woman who had given her elderly Mom with advanced Dementia the Mrs. P and Moopus doll. I was told that she was no longer connected to the people and things that she knew and loved. When she received Mrs. Pinkelmeyer she stroked her hair, played the music that is inside the doll, and hugged her and asked to sleep with her and keeps her in her wheel chair every day.

When I was in development, I never could have imagined such a beautiful scene for that family. That experience will stay with me forever. So, if you are out there with an idea, go for it and don’t listen to the negativity as there will be a lot of it. Put the pieces in place and make it happen. Forget about being the next big thing and you just might be surprised that you become the next big thing.

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