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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask what your views on child modelling are?

113 replies

toptramp · 01/01/2012 23:25

At a nye party a lady said how georgeous my dd is (I am going to boast- she is) and that I should enter her for a child model agency. She is also very photogenic.

It is a bit exploitative isn't it at the age of 3? She loves dressing up, clothes, make up etc and posing and I would never do that awful beauty pageant stuff. I just have fantasies about her being in the Boden or Next catalogue. I am being very silly I know and I wish the nice lady hadn't put the idea in my head.

OP posts:

LordOfTheFlies · 02/01/2012 00:43

What's the difference between a child doing modelling ( with the parental support, the hanging about, the outlay/expense, the travelling and sometimes the child just isn't good enough )

and
a child doing sports -at a level where it's gone beyond just being fun.
DS does karate. I drive him,pay,wait (4 and a half hours at his last competition) support him emotionally. And sometimes he just isn't good enough.

That's not exploiting him is it. It's not living my life through him. Sometimes he enjoys it.Sometimes he gets a bit hacked off.

imaginethat · 02/01/2012 00:47

I was a child model and I didn't think much about it, all I really knew was that every now and then I'd be driven to a shoot. Mainly it was exciting when the ads came on tv and people would phone to say, "I saw you on TV!"

I got my dd signed with an agency but then backed out, I just had a change of heart about putting a small child to work which is essentially an adult thing to do. Now she's older and has seen 2 of her friends in ads and was keen to be like them so I let her go in a TV show but that's all, I work and can't do all the casting calls.

scottishmummy · 02/01/2012 00:47

because tennis club don't call and demand appearance at short notice,travel and upheaval at own cost on off chance of game

Firawla · 02/01/2012 00:47

My ds1 has done a couple of shoots, not really much traipsing around or endless castings involved (1st one was straight job, 2nd one was only casting we ever did so far) nor that much waiting round on the shoot, he quite enjoyed it (moreso the 2nd time as he was that bit older and able to take the direction better) and its nice to see the pics, and for them to have a chance to earn bit of money. I just signed him up as i thought it would be nice to get some good photos out of it, obviously if he hated it i would not do, and if it became too much effort of going to castings all the time we might have got bored of it but it has been quite low maintenance as he has not done much and not had to go to any pointless castings.
my ds2 I did sign to a different agency which was so high maintenance about sending in so many update pics and having the doctors letters in date etc and trying to sell the parents all these workshops and stuff for the kids so i just let that one drop i cant be bothered sticking with an agency like that.
If you're interested then send off some pics and see what responses you get back, try to go with a cheap fees agency as you may not want to invest a lot incase they dont get a job, dont go to one of those portfolio companies as they are pointless just send in your own normal snapshots to the agencies.
at some point i might see about joining ds2 to a different agency and ds3 too but just not got round to it
earnings its about 50 quid an hour for normal photographic shoots if i remember correctly, tv i think can earn a lot more, and if its something used a lot they might get an extra useage fee?

worraliberty i would not want any of my ds to do those nspcc type things, no. not sure what parents would go for that.. there are some mum who are very desperate though and want their dc to do any and every job so maybe those mums will be happy with it!

RiaTheRedNoseReindeer · 02/01/2012 01:16

Imo it's ok for young children who are just having fun dressing up, but not once they're old enough to understand it's all about their looks. If you think your dd would enjoy it and you don't mind the waiting etc, it can't hurt to give it a go.

scottishmummy · 02/01/2012 01:26

it's commercial money making it's not dressing up for fun
it's a business casting. with acceptance.and rejections
not rummage in mummy wardrobe

xyfactor · 02/01/2012 06:01

Agree with scottishmummy.
The comment about "Charming strangers" made me want to gag.

droves · 02/01/2012 06:53

I was a child model ....loved it (but I was an annoying show off as a child) .

My oldest dd was a baby model. She wasnt very big , and was often used when younger child was needed. Pretty baby , but photogenic iykwim.

When she got to be a toddler ,she didn't want to model anymore and we removed her from her agents books. Just didn't renew her contract.

Now she's 16 she thinks it hilarious that she was a model ( she's under 5 foot). Think we have one of her old contracts kicking about somewhere.

Gonzo33 · 02/01/2012 07:28

Personally I wouldn't put any of my children forward for child modelling. I want them to make their own decisions in life regarding work, and as a child they cannot do that.

Rhubarbgarden · 02/01/2012 08:16

My 18 month old dd is with Kids London and has been to a few castings. We didn't have to pay anything up front, just sent In snap shots. I'm a sahm and we live pretty much in central London, so it's no big deal hopping on a bus and the castings only take a few minutes. She enjoys it - she likes going to new places and is not remotely shy of new people. If she stops enjoying it we'll stop doing it. I fail to see how at 18 months it can give her the wrong message about looks etc.

lisad123 · 02/01/2012 09:10

See my girl isn't 18months, she's 8. It's a funny age when they are just starting to think about clothes and looks (most which is a shame) and I also don't want her to think being beutiful is enough in life, I don't want her to be a model as an job full time, but how could I refuse if she chose that job when I let her do it as a child.

TotemPole · 02/01/2012 09:11

What is the average earning of an average child model?

I'd like to know that too, just out of curiousity.

hwjm1945 · 02/01/2012 09:50

What if you have 2 dds and one models and the other does not, whilst rationally we know that in reality a lot is about a kid having a pariculr look or the ability to not mind the waiting etc, kids will think it means that they are really good looking, so not good for the one not modelling. I thought about it for my2nd DD who had/hsa the classic long blonde hair and blue eyes and as a baby/toddler was so placid it was unreal. people said we should. but as it would not include DD1 would not have done it. I would not have held DD2 or DD1 back from other opportunitis based onanything other than percieved looks, such a scholarships etc, but my view was the element of being "pretty/not pretty" in modelling was enough to put us off trying it with DD2.

Angel786 · 02/01/2012 09:59

worral I would turn down some work - anything involving swimwear/ dd not being fully clothed. My sister's nspcc role was actually presenting as a journalist type for internals training videos and visors for conferences rather than playing a battered child, I agree - that would be disturbing for me. However I dint know if I'd turn it down as it raises the profile of an important cause.

totem average earnings depend on how much work they get, you'd be looking at a few hundred for a photo shoot, more for tv.

Also, I wouldn't let it interfere with education.

daytoday · 02/01/2012 10:06

I turned it down for my DC and wouldn't do it.

I think you need to remember that essential its a shoot for a product, there will be a lot of pressure on the photographer to get the right shot. There might be producers, stylists, lots of people you don't know. How will YOU react if you kid starts crying - for no reason? Would you try to cajole them into behave, cheer up? Why? What if the shoot is for a product you don't like or agree with? A junk food targeted at kids?

edam · 02/01/2012 10:08

My friend stopped her children modelling when her ds started to tell people 'I'm a model' in a boasting manner (he was only four or five). Plus the head wouldn't let her older dd have the time off (quite right too).

Angel786 · 02/01/2012 10:20

day today if I didn't agree with the product I wouldn't take dd for the casting, you find out in advance what the casting is for. Also, i agree with you in that it's not right for all babies / children. Some can find it overwhelming as there are a few people around and a studio may be uncomfortable for them. Others love it, dd is v outgoing (to my horror blows kisses to strangers and is always wAving hello and trying to catch people's eyes in the stree t) and so far has enjoyed what she's done. As soon as she stops enjoying it, I'll stop taking her.

hwjm1945 · 02/01/2012 10:36

how do you justify it to your other children who are not modelling? is the money shared or is it just that of the model? even if it really inconveniences the other kids in the family?

dandelionss · 02/01/2012 11:18

It's not really all about being good looking, obviously they have to be reasonably photogenic, but a half decent photographer can make nearly any young child look gorgeous.It's more about doing what the camera wants.some kids have got a kind of intuitive knack for it , others haven't, and it's about an easy going laid back personality too.
DS1 did 3 fashion shoots when he was a toddler. I was approached bu a friend who is a fashion editor so didn't need to do castings etc.he loved it
My DD on the other hand does competitive gymnastics.She is 6.5 and trains 6 hours per week .I sometimes wonder if it is the right thing to do , or if I I am living my life through her, although most of the time she loves it.

mommagoestoiceland · 02/01/2012 11:25

i think it's great as long as they stay grounded and it dosen,t go to there heads. and your child enjoys it whynot.

onadifferentplanet · 02/01/2012 11:32

All four of my dcs modelled and did some film and tv work. Sometimes we did family type shots and were a family group in quite a few of the Dickens type dramas. As the children got older they all got bored with it and one by one dropped out. The money isn't as great as some people think and there is an awful lot of waiting around. you will also come accross some really vile pushy mums at castings and auditions in fact it was probably that more than anything that made us decide it wasn't for us anymore. We were very lucky in how much work we got as we don't live in London but do live in an area which is often used for location filming . You need to be pretty tough and not get upset if your child isn't chosen I have witnessed a lot of parents who struggle with that aspect.

LeQueen · 02/01/2012 12:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Laquitar · 02/01/2012 12:20

hwjm1945 i was going to type something similar but then i thought isn't like all the activities we sign our dcs for? One child might be very good at a sport and take it further, her brother or sister might not.

whackamole · 02/01/2012 14:31

I would love to do it with my kids as frankly, they are stunning

But, I don't have a car and live in the North West so not much of a market.

MarshaBrady · 02/01/2012 14:34

My view is that it would be a bit of a trudge, all those castings for not much reward. Although having good pictures must be nice.

I wouldn't take a child out of school to do it.

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