Let her know that she will need to keep the dog groomed regularly. Shih tzu's coats matt easily and they especially get problems of gunk around the eyes if not cleaned often. She will need to have time to brush the dog several times a week and either groom him herself or take the dog to a professional groomer monthly. I know this is not the question you asked but when getting a dog like that you have to know *everything* you're getting into, which includes grooming...which is a lot of time and money.

From my experience many shih tzu's I've groomed have been quite nippy, but not all of them are like that...they are usually really friendly. I'm sure with lots of care and training they could be good with kids. Just make sure the kids know how to gently handle the pup and they don't tease him/her!