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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To support dd ?

64 replies

Teenagecrisisagain · 03/12/2015 18:57

Dd1 is 14

She is very bright and has been doing really well at school
She also has some quite debilitating health problems and really struggles on a daily basis

Did has decided she would like to be a make up artist. Normal make up and special effects and it's something she's really interested in. I want her to be happy and to do a job one day that she enjoys

However, we've had nothing but negativity from friends family and even the gp!!?
Dd had an appt and there were the usual questions what school do you go to? Do you like it? What job do you want one day? And then mild shock when dd replied "I'd like to be a make up artist" and other careers then suggested ?
Dd knows she will need to do gcses and wants to do a levels so that she has good qualifications but ultimately wants to be a make up artist and I don't think there's anything wrong with that

Family members think she is wasting a good education. I just want her to be happy. She's 14 and that's what she wants to do currently. She's on her way to getting good gcse results I think so if she ever did change her mind regarding potential careers she could but surely that's up to her ?

I hate the attitude that somehow beauty therapy/make up artist is somehow beneath her just because she's intelligent ??

OP posts:

ghostyslovesheep · 03/12/2015 22:46

YANBU - my 13 year old has the same idea - she is talented and gifted and very bright but her love is make up

her ideas may change but right now it's to do a BA in theatrical make up and go from there

I am careers adviser - I say if you find a job that involves the things you love - go for it

cariadlet · 03/12/2015 23:59

I think you're absolutely right to support your dd.

I've been having the same sort of conversations with my own dd recently. She's 13 and has to choose her options in a few months. She's very keen to take Early Years, but it's designed for students who aren't particularly academic and leads to a City and Guilds qualification rather than a GCSE.

She's in top sets, has already had friends telling her she shouldn't take it, and I know the school are going to want her to go down a more conventional route. But as long as she can still get a reasonable number of GCSEs I can't see the problem with her taking a subject that she's passionate about.

Barbadosgirl · 04/12/2015 06:49

Special effects make up artist? Sounds awesome to me! People can be such asswipes.

BertrandRussell · 04/12/2015 06:59

One of the Hairy Bikers started his working life as a make up artist- so who knows where her choice might take her!

Dd has a friend at university who makes decent pocket money doing people's make up for nights out. So even if she changes her mind, it's a useful skill to have.

Tell her to stick to her guns!

Tardigrade001 · 04/12/2015 07:17

Absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to be a make up artist - as long as it is not used as an excuse to not try too hard with GCSEs and A levels. Which is probably what family is worried about.

Fratelli · 04/12/2015 07:32

Definitely support her. There's no point trying to do something just because everyone else thinks she should. I would have done things a lot differently if I had a parent like you.

Word of warning, it will be very expensive. My friend was expected to buy loads of mac makeup for her course! Dd will probably need a part time job to support it.

Birdsgottafly · 04/12/2015 09:16

I have always loved Makeup and beauty treatments, I was not allowed to pursue this and although I was a SW, it's been the one regret of my life.

I would of extended the science side to be able to do Botox, Peels etc.

If your talking in terms of earning power, I know lots of Nurses that have given up their jobs to just do Cosmetic (and Medical) treatments.

I've been happiest in my working life, when I've done roles that I was happiest in, Suport Work, rather than SW.

I've switched roles now, for less money, but I enjoy going to work, once again.

It's not all about the prestige of your Job Title, I think people are shocked at how few roles their are that are well paid for people with Science qualifications.

Cari, with a C&G in Early Years, your DD can quickly expand that to a Level 3, which knocks a year off a BA.

Original poster

Teenagecrisisagain · 04/12/2015 11:50

Thank you everyone this has been really helpful and positive :)

OP posts:

Poppybella2015 · 04/12/2015 16:21

I was just interested out of those of you who didn't persue your dreams of working in beauty have you ever thought about going back to it at a later age? I keep toying with the idea but still hear the doubting voices in my head :( and now with my own doubting voices that it's too late, childcare would be too expensive etc. but I know if I could start over again beauty is what I would do! OP your daughter is lucky to have a lovely supporting mum like you on her side :)

GoblinLittleOwl · 04/12/2015 19:47

It is a job I would love to have done, except that I didn't know that such a job existed.
Stage make-up, television, film; beauty care, beauty therapy; loads of options.
Go for it.

IonaNE · 04/12/2015 20:01

I think the danger is that when the time comes for real hard study for GCSEs and A-levels, it will be easier to let that slip because after all "she is going to be a makeup artist anyway". Also, how many people end up doing a career they wanted to do at 14? (I knew what I wanted to be at about age 9 and then did it for about 20 years, but that's not very common.)

Musicaltheatremum · 04/12/2015 20:24

Grr get so annoyed at this, "wasting education" if you don't go to university. My daughter at 14 said she wanted to do musical theatre. She sang but didn't dance. Her school said she needed a back up. Eg french at uni of which she was more than capable. She refused to do 5 highers as hated maths or any other of the subjects in that column. She worked really hard getting her Dance up to scratch, got great highers (4As) plus Alevel music and advanced higher Drama. Refused to apply to uni. She is now at one of the top MT sChools in London. Encourage your children, guide them, but never force them to do what they don't want to. The good thing about having the school qualifications is that she could go to uni if she ever wanted to in the future
I wish your daughter good luck OP.
Her brother is at uni. I wanted to be a doctor aged 10 and I made it. Her dad was a lawyer so quite an academic family but hate pushy parents.

Parsley1234 · 04/12/2015 20:30

I'm a trained beauty therapist from a private college. Trained 15 years ago and had several salons before now working from home, my job is flexible, enjoyable, interesting and very well paid ! I help people on a daily basis I have had clients for 15 years it is a fantastic job, however if I had my time again I would do hair several friends go mine take home over 100k a year, however re your daughter if she's serious about makeup I would get her to do a private course. You are then ITEC qualified for international work, normally a year then do a course I think brush strokes is excellent in west London or a place in Liverpool and then get as much experiancedExperianced as you can pm me if you want. Good luck

Musicaltheatremum · 04/12/2015 20:32

Have now read the thread. I hope all daughters who want to do this succeed and if my daughter succeeds they could end up doing her makeup. Win win all round.

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