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It is usual to collect a non-refundable 1/3 to 1/2 of the fee before starting. This ensures more client cooperation and they are less likely to jerk you around.
Brilliant professional portrait painters in the past as Sargent would do a head over at least a dozen times. Many times after working for weeks, he would rip down the canvas and start anew. Do you think his clientele thought him unprofessional?
Also it would give you a good chance to rouge the child's cheeks and lips. This prevents a pasty look in the painting. It would also give you a great opportunity to do a quick color study from life which would help with the final painting. You could also change the color of the dress or add some desperately needed color accents, even spray paint the chair if they would let you.
One of the most important things about being a portrait painter is to realize that YOU are the one holding the brush and stop being intimidated by the clients. If you have a strong vision of just what the painting should be, you are in a better position to sell it to the client. After all if they picked you on the basis of what they have seen of your work, they should be encouraged to trust your taste and judgment.
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