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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:

imaginethat · 03/01/2012 10:43

hwjm1945 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.

My sister and I modelled and our siblings didn't. We were told it's because we were "the right ages" and I believed it! I wasn't aware of any sibling rivalry. Maybe it helped that we were the littlest ones.

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.

But it's not at all only pretty children who are chosen. All sorts of looks are needed. Some of our closest friends have 2 girls, both models. The older one is dark-haired and quirky looking, vv successul. The younger one is a living doll with blond curls etc, she gets plenty of work but it's the older one who works almost continuously.

seeker · 03/01/2012 10:45

Don't do it.

workhomelifebalanceisrubbish · 03/01/2012 15:32

WOW.....a lot of negative comments so thought I would put some positive in!!
My 12yo DS has modelled since he was 3...our choice to put him in an agency after a friend suggested it. He has working ever since....
the notice for castings are mostly given the day before...and in the past few years have been after school....we live in North London so usually just have enough time to get there.
We usually get asked if he is available for a shoot/casting on specific days/times. Sometimes very short notice. And sometimes we don?t even do a casting just get booked for the job.
When he was younger the hanging around was boring but always took a bag of snacks/games/toy/paper&pens etc (In a way I got to spend quality time with him!)
As he got older we always asked him if he wanted to sign up for another year and never forced him! He is not big headed in any way and has had some great fun on the shoots, meeting lots of new friends....
I agree that not all children are cut out for it-as yes, they need to be photogenic, able to take direction and friendly!
He has earnt a nice amount, which has been invested in his name for his future.......
OP...give it a try....the top agency's wont charge at the offset and usually use snapshots at first....if it's not right for you or your child you will soon know!

WhatToDoWithLife · 03/01/2012 17:25

My sister and I did it as kids, we were more the interesting look than traditional pretty, neither of us have suffered negetively from the experiance and actually both loved it and carried on to our early teens.

If your daughter wants to do it then why not give it a go, I wouldn't think twice about it.

Adversecamber · 03/01/2012 17:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DeWe · 03/01/2012 20:19

I think you also have to realise that a one off comment from someone you met doesn't necessarily translate into a modelling contract. All my dc have had that comment on more than one occasion from someone. I think some people use it to mean "I think your child is pretty".

If she had said "I run a modelling company and would love to have your child on our books" it is a different consideration as it's an offer.

wordfactory · 03/01/2012 20:30

My Dc did it as babies/toddlers as I think twins are pretty useful.

I wuldn't have thought of it but kept gettig stopped by scouts when we lived in London. When we moved out and they got older it came to a natural end. I just didn't renew the contract.

In recent years DD has beem asked again as she is very small for her age and thus could play much younger children (whilst having the patience to sit around longer and remember lines etc). She also has huge features. We haven't gone for it though.

leelo · 03/01/2012 21:26

my daughter age 5 has been on a tv series and was talent spotted by a bbc scout at her dance class. her teacher knew this person very well. we went for a further audition to see how see was and she got to be on tv. she got £10 a day and was on set for 3 hours max if that and the rest of the time played with other kids and did crafts, games and whatever they fancied. she had not yet started school and it took place over summer holidays. she loved it. and i love watching her on waybuloo.

leelo · 03/01/2012 21:30

try it could be good if not you are wise enough to judge if your dc isn't happy

scottishmummy · 03/01/2012 21:35

I think it interrupts routine, traipsing about,down time at castings
and when school age it must be disruptive and surely needs consent from school?

I'm uncomfortable with traipsing kid about and parents making money out if peddling kid about like a merchandisable commodity

maypole1 · 03/01/2012 21:36

Hi if it's an ything it's not fun my son did some modelling for a major card retailer

Their is a lot of sitting around their not allowed to eat or drink in case they mess the clothing sometimes even go loo

All the other parents are trying to push their children we did one shoot then stopped my son was very bord

Sometimes waiting for 2 hours till its your turn

Try it if you want but make it clear to your Child this won't be a fun day out

Take lots of crayons and papper and know that a lot of the stage school gang can be very catty

ReduceRecycleRegift · 03/01/2012 21:45

I know two people who did it, my views about it depend on the parents

parents A: thought it was a novel way to get some interesting keepsakes. could take or leave it otherwise, didn't go to castings that were a disruptive distance/time. Did it because the chance came up and "why not" - IMO that's fine! lovely! and they DO have some quite nice keepsakes from it, plus a little extra in the trust fund a/c.

Parents B: Took it as proof that their princess wasn't just the prettiest little girl on the block in their parent tinted eyes, but that everyone thought she was prettier than other babies . They had different expectations of it and read more into it. They got a similar amt of work from it as parents A but the difference was parents B had a "child model" and parents A just had a child who did a bit of child modelling IYKWIM.

I didn't approve of it so much when parents B did it

Serenitysutton · 03/01/2012 21:46

I have a friend who worked for an agency for a while (as an adult!) she told me with babies especially it's not so much about looks but compliance- and easy going baby who will do as told and directed.

Interesting point about the nspcc models - never considered that tbh.

LeBOF · 03/01/2012 21:47

A tender for a day doesn't sound especially lucrative, does it? I definitely wouldn't bother.

ReduceRecycleRegift · 03/01/2012 21:50

and a girl I went to secondary school was a bit messed up by it, She described herself as A MODEL because she'ld done some baby/child modelling rather than a person who did some modelling. It was kinda sad because it was like it was downhill from there for her (she wasn't the most attractive looking teenager) but she still linked it to her identity rather than just something funny/cute she did as a kid. And she mentioned it A LOT which resulted in bullying.

scottishmummy · 03/01/2012 22:03

£10 days work is hardy a nest egg,hardly rainy day fund or something for future.by time factor in mum can't work as escorting child,travel,food it seems pointless other than some cache that child models

Get0rf · 03/01/2012 22:05

Tenner a day? Blimey, what a waste of time and energy.

ReduceRecycleRegift · 03/01/2012 22:06

I think the people I know got a little more than £10 (but not loads). Enough to be a nice little addition to the child trust fund.

Plus saved on professional pics. The books and TV ads they have are really nice little keepsakes!

scottishmummy · 03/01/2012 22:12

you really think £10day is nice little addition trust fund?
that less than the mum would get 2hr work, if it's about financial
prudence and rainy day fund for kid,the mum could earn £10 in two hours.no casting ,no sitting about

you want to bolster your child finances,and nest egg....get a job
stop fannying about at castings hoping for next Dakota fanning
plain ole work required,not an agent

ReduceRecycleRegift · 03/01/2012 22:15

no but I think the people I know got a little more than that. If I said some of the ads they were in you'ld know which ones I mean so they were pretty good/big campaigns. You'll probably have seen those childrens faces quite a few times.

And it wasn't done instead of work, it was done during maternity leave or on days off.

ReduceRecycleRegift · 03/01/2012 22:16

but if you read my posts you'll see that I don't really think its worth doing for the money, I think its an okay thing to do if its taken lightly for the keepsakes of the photos/video clips

soverylucky · 03/01/2012 22:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

scottishmummy · 03/01/2012 22:19

how can one genuinely hope or make nest egg out of castings on mat leave or day off work?my understanding is you the parent have to make self available to client schedule,not other way round. and after travel,refreshments etc the mum would still be better working if £10 is going rate

FabbyChic · 03/01/2012 22:21

I think it is exploitation and disgusting that parents make money off the back of their children modelling.

Children should be having fun when growing up not being preened and posed to suit the parents ego.

leelo · 03/01/2012 22:21

i didn't think money was important. my dd just enjoyed the experience. if she didn't i would have stopped. if she was offered another chance i'd knock it back if it interferred with school or if she didn't want to do it. but looking back i think it was lovely. dd is slightly convinced she is famous and used to wonder why no one wanted her autograph.

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