Would you let your child be a model?

[Strawberriesonasummersevening]

This week I was approached at the local
supermarket by a lady and asked if I wanted to put dd, almost 3 through for some modelling projects in the the capital (we live abroad)
She gave me her details and all is legitimate, and are well known and reputable, they had an advert scouting for child models for this campaign.
Spoke to friends and some of them have done similar or would be happy to, given the opportunity.
Aibu to feel weird about it? I’m not sure it makes me 100% comfortable or am I being too uptight and it’s just a bit of fun?
I don’t want DD’s worth to be based on looks, have to say, she is beautiful to me inside and out, for many different reasons, but she has quite a unique look (reddish hair and blue eyes) and I’m quite surprised they asked, as looking at their work, the child models have a different look.
She’s contacted me twice since, would you do it?

I might do, but I would make sure that any money made from it was put aside for the child when they are older. But I do know someone who has had all four of her children modelling, almost from birth, and has used their earnings to finance new cars, house renovations and holidays (with and without children). I can't get my head around that. It seems a bit exploitative. She works herself, as does her DP, but she is open about the money being from the modelling, posting stuff on Insta like "new kitchen tiles thanks to Megan's shoot with Next" and so on.

@CthulhuInDisguise

I might do, but I would make sure that any money made from it was put aside for the child when they are older. But I do know someone who has had all four of her children modelling, almost from birth, and has used their earnings to finance new cars, house renovations and holidays (with and without children). I can't get my head around that. It seems a bit exploitative. She works herself, as does her DP, but she is open about the money being from the modelling, posting stuff on Insta like "new kitchen tiles thanks to Megan's shoot with Next" and so on.

That's disgusting. Hugely exploitative.

Money wise,mine earned £10 an hour for fitting work,£40 an hour for photographic. But this was 15 years ago.They worked almost every week,but don't remember any of it as they were so young. Dd2 was headhunted by one company before she was born,and I did say that she/he might not have the temperament for modelling,but turns out that she did. Jobs were assigned with short notice,but I was self employed and on maternity leave,so it wasn't a problem for us. They were earning more per hour than I was. The only times it felt remotely weird was when Dd1 was a fitting model for baby bikinis. I did make my opinion on the idea known. Also,when she was in a fashion shoot for prams and there was a model mother cooing over my baby,that felt a bit odd. Other than that it was fine.
I did some modelling as an adult,and it isn't glamorous or exciting,but not many jobs are.

My kids did it for a while. Made a bit of money. The travel up to London was too much in the end. Very last minute and not workable around work.

I would be concerned at being 'scouted' - which company does she work for? I'd be more concerned it's a scam tbh. Lots of scam companies say they have big campaigns then get people to go to portfolio shoots (which are not necessary for children - the model agencies do their own), and then charge ££££ without an actual job at the end.

I've always been quite suspicious of this "scouting" business. Surely if an agency is looking for models they'd put a call out or advert of some kind...I'm sure there wouldn't be a shortage of applicants as modelling is very popular. Or they'd at least be scouting at showbiz-type events, like the PP whose child was scouted at a dance event. But randomly approaching someone at a supermarket...it just doesn't seem like something a reputable business would do.

Regarding the paedophile "hysteria"...it's really not "hysteria". I don't want to disclose my exact job but I've worked in the criminal justice system and it's disturbingly common for these types of people to take perfectly innocent photos of kids from the Internet (e.g. photogenic kids from blogs and Instagram) then doctor them to make them dodgy. One guy had superimposed a child's face and his own face onto images of child abuse, so that it looked like he was abusing this particular child. It's horrific.
The thing is, even if the agency is legit and the photo shoots are done in the safest way possible, you still have no control over what random people do with the images once they're in the public domain. It's something every parent needs to consider when making photos of their child public, even if it's just on Facebook or whatever.

No I wouldn’t. Because you don’t own the finished photo which can be used in any way and may follow them around for years

For example, I know book cover designers who buy a stock photo of a model, modify it to make them a sexy demonic wolf or whatever then make advertising campaigns using the image. Those models are adults and knew what they were selling. Let your family keep the rights to your daughters face until she’s an adult and can choose.

Also the pay is crap, models mix with unhealthy body image types and it leads to unhealthy obsession with appearance that I wouldn’t want for my child.

May i ask which agency you worked with?

If the scout even mentioned that they'd be doing a portfolio of pictures, run away. However, if they're an actual agency scouting for looks like your daughter to fill a gap in their books, then fine.

However (again!), if you're not happy with your daughter's image being out there, then 100% no way. If she successfully books jobs (it's the casting team who decides that anyway, not the agent) then those images will be out there forever somewhere.

People can be vicious. You'll need skin like teflon.

Absolutely never in a million years. Children should be spending their spare time playing and going on adventures. Not learning their value lies in their looks.