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Original poster

Child Modelling - do you think its a good thing or bad?

83 replies

bosscatsroastingonanopenfire · 09/01/2006 15:07

I ask because this is a topic i had absolutely no opinion on until yesterday. I had dinner with a cousin who told me her son (2) had been registered with a modelling agency. He has had loads of work etc and they are all over the moon. To say they were slightly obsessed about it would be an understatement. I found that I just could not be enthusiastic about it and I felt really uncomfortable. They feed him low fat food so he won't put on weight he gets dragged round every thursday to castings. I couldn't help but think to myself "what on earth does this child get out of this?". I'm sure they thought my silence meant I was desperately jealous that my two haven't been snapped up but I honestly felt really sorry for my cousins child and wondered if this was really a healthy environment for him to be exposed to at such a young age.

What do you think?

OP posts:
hunkermunker · 09/01/2006 15:23

As for deliberately feeding a two-year-old low-fat food - that will be counterproductive in the long run when he has no energy. How horribly sad that is - what ignorant people

Original poster
bosscatsroastingonanopenfire · 09/01/2006 15:27

mummytosteven, I've emailed you. I start work this week!!! but can still meet up.

Where is this other thread, anyone got a link?

They are actually not a very bright bunch if I'm honest so they might not fully realise the implications of the low fat food at his age (although its fairly bloody obvious isn't it?) The really grating thing is that they clearly thought they were getting one up on me and I hate that attitude about children. The part that makes me most sad is exposing children to this obsession with perfection at such a young age. All children are gorgeous and why should they have to deal with rejection or equally being told how fabulous they are because of the way they look? madness.

OP posts:
hunkermunker · 09/01/2006 15:36

I really don't like the "all children are gorgeous" thing. Some aren't. Some are rancid little weasels.

crunchie · 09/01/2006 15:38

LOL HM

Original poster
bosscatsroastingonanopenfire · 09/01/2006 15:39

even a "rancid little weasel" deserves not to feel he is a failure at the age of 2 FFS.

OP posts:
codthemod · 09/01/2006 15:39

lol at enid s popcorn

brings bottle of sauvignon blanc over

codthemod · 09/01/2006 15:41

i got some comp for ds1 once and db ( lawyer) told me on NO account to spend it on oursleves

seriously

crunchie · 09/01/2006 15:43

the other thread is here Be warned it is 5 years old and a total classic, but will take all afternoon to read. There has been some good rows though, look at today and about a month ago when ENID and I had a real PARP session

noddyholder · 09/01/2006 15:56

The other modelling thread is too long now!So I have decided to stick my neck out and say child modelling is a bit nouveau and naff, at least in my circle of friends,there is a hint of the 'done alright'social climber about it( and feeding anyone that ww slop is cruel)I am running...

expatinscotland · 09/01/2006 15:58

bad

Feistybird · 09/01/2006 16:00

bad

JoolsToo · 09/01/2006 16:01

bad

edam · 09/01/2006 16:01

Your cousin is going a bit OTT and the low-fat food thing is positively harmful. NOT healthy for small children.

One of my friends two children have both been models. They are fine with it (although her ds, 2, has been going round telling everyone 'I'm a model recently, which seemed a bit odd). But it does appear to be loads of hassle involved for not very much money. And however gorgeous your children are, they will be rejected for some jobs, because they won't have the 'right' look for that job. I've been at magazine shoots for babies and it is like a production line. Not sure I'd want my ds to be involved in it.

tortoiseshell · 09/01/2006 16:03

bad - hadn't really thought about it till a friend asked me what I thought, considering it for her ds, saying 'lots of children are cute, but don't have what it takes for a shoot' which persuaded me instantly it was bad bad bad.

Original poster
bosscatsroastingonanopenfire · 09/01/2006 16:04

I have just skimmed the other thread. Is it just me or do the "modelling mum's" all sound like footballers wives? [runs off and hides emoticon]

OP posts:
Enid · 09/01/2006 16:04

tbh, a quiet disposition matters more than looks

JoolsToo · 09/01/2006 16:05

don't like bonny baby comps either

Original poster
bosscatsroastingonanopenfire · 09/01/2006 16:06

my Aunt (model child's gran) took 36 photos of him playing with trains yesterday.

36 photos.

OP posts:
Mercy · 09/01/2006 16:08

A diet high in fat does not make a very young child put on weight necessarily - it's also for brain development

I wish some of the mums on the other thread had Crunchie's approach to modelling.

TeddyRobinson · 09/01/2006 16:12

Bleurgh - don't like it. Anyway, not all baby models are beautiful - some are deffo not and I do wonder how they got picked!!

GhostofChristmasNatt · 09/01/2006 16:12

I think it's a bit like that (Bernard Shaw?) thing about would you sleep with me for a million pounds, OK, now we've settled the principle, let's work out the price. If I thought it wasn't very onerous and would produce ton of cash to help child in future would not worry about beautiful DSes doing it. But I gather that it isn't like that, so wouldn't bother...

ScummyMummy · 09/01/2006 16:15

I can understand wanting some nice photos of your kids. But I'm essentially deeply puritan on this issue- I really think it's pretty shite to give children the message that the way they look is very important. Especially if they're girls. They have all the years of their life to absorb this information. Plus it's (reportedly) dull. Plus it could sap self-esteem when the job offers stop flowing.

hornbag · 09/01/2006 16:16

Bad thing
.... and....heres a confession ....I once "modelled" as a child in a catalogue! However that was in the days before modelling agencies for children when they used bog standard, everyday, normal kids - even "rancid little weasels" .
It just so happened that they were photographing some items, mainly outdoor toys, at a local big house with beautiful grounds and a friend of my mums was asked to find x ammount of kids. No specifications on looks etc.
Of course I've had my head in the clouds ever since dreaming of that illusive contract alongside Kate Moss

crunchie · 09/01/2006 16:23

well here you go DD2 and DD1 But these are really old pics, taken about 18 months ago, they are about to update with this years one

Now you can all comment how pretty or not my kids are. I think they are pretty, but not 'beautiful' they do enjoy the odd job, and as Enid says it is totally about their personality and although mine are high spirited they do have fun

codthemod · 09/01/2006 16:24

aah but whne i slagegd off bonny baby cpmps and people bumping links to get su to vote for htem they all slagged me off

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