Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

Britain's Got Talent audition - what on EARTH do I do about this?!

78 replies

BritainsGotNoTalent · 01/11/2013 11:47

DD (10) wants to be a pop star when she grows up - the only problem is she is a truly DREADFUL singer; she literally cannot sing a single note in tune. Earlier in the year she was bugging me to let her audition for BGT and I said no as I thought it could be humiliating/upsetting for a young child. But as the weeks went on and she was getting more and more obsessed about it I relented and said that she could fill the form in, in the assumption that she'd never get picked for an audition anyway and so it would be a non-issue.

Well she's only just got a bloody audition! (she doesn't know this yet). It's early on a Saturday morning, miles away from where we are and we're going to have to stand there for hours and hours and she will be bored stiff - at the best she'll get to sing one verse and they'll politely say no thanks, at the worst she might be laughed at. Absolutely NOTHING is going to come of it but she's really going to get her hopes up :( So do I let her go, so that she at least has the experience and will know that I am supporting her - but this runs the risk of her being really disappointed. Or do I shield her from it all (she's a sensitive little soul) and not tell her that she got the audition? (she has forgotten all about it, tbh).

I know I shouldn't have let her apply in the first place but I really thought that nothing would come of it - and I can't change that now :(

WWYD?!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

BerstieSpotts · 01/11/2013 12:38

I mean, you know, she's 10 :) Most of us probably wanted to be popstars or vets or whatever the fashionable career was at the time at 10, when she starts secondary school and gets an idea of the actual vast amount of options of different careers around, she might well decide that being a popstar is a bit unrealistic and the fame aspect might not be that nice.

I think I wanted to be an artist when I was 10. I'm a teacher now.

Eletheomel · 01/11/2013 13:03

I'd let her do it, if you don't she'll continue to go on about it anyway and if she ever found out that you kept it from her, she'd never forgive you.

She applied, she got the audition, let her see what it's like. I don't think it's fair to keep it from her, although I can see you'd only be doing it to save her from potential upset, I think sometimes you just have to let them fall and be there to pick them up.

Rosencrantz · 01/11/2013 13:07

Lie and say BGT never got back to you.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

General parenting TV

Rosencrantz · 01/11/2013 13:08

She'll thank you for sparing her national, televised humiliation one day. Just think of the speech you could give, announcing your lie, at her wedding!!

ComeIntoTheGardenMaud · 01/11/2013 14:07

Hmm. Tricky.

I'm not usually an advocate of fibbing, but what weighs most heavily for me here us that you say she will cope badly with rejection, which will almost certainly be the outcome of the audition. In that case, I would forget about the letter. As you say, it would have been better to stick to your guns, but what's done is done and that seems the kindest way out.

(But I am an old fogey and very much against encouraging primary school children to want to be pop stars or to throw themselves into the clutches of Simon Cowell).

bumperella · 01/11/2013 22:00

She's 10. Even if she was a BRILLIANT singer you'd still not want this to be the start of her career, at ten years old. I'd not tell her, and make absolutely damn sure she never ever finds The Letter.
if she goes to the audition, either she'll get a call-back (and you'll have an even worse dilemma then) or she won't (and she'll feel rejected then when they actually HAVE met her and HAVE heard her "sing"). There'll be no good way out of that. Better for her to be rejected on paper than as a real person anyway.

Spend the time, effort, heartbreak and money on a great day out somewhere else instead.

Pogosticks · 01/11/2013 22:09

I still remember overhearing my dad saying that I sang completely flat at a school Christmas thing, when I was in infant school. I was gutted and never sang in front of anyone ever again. He probably did the world a favour as I am totally out of tune. But would've been better to hear it from someone else than my dad.

I'd go, for the experience, to show you support her, and to have someone else nip it in the bud.

AnnieJanuary · 02/11/2013 17:05

Put her in singing lessons and let the teachers handle it. They'll be able to convey that it's a lot of hard work, and not just warbling in front of the bathroom mirror. She'll either decide to work hard at it, or give up the 'dream'.

Don't waste a day in the rain to queue with 9000 people for no good reason, for a 10 year old who hasn't attended a singing lesson.

cheekbyjowl · 02/11/2013 22:09

whens the audition?
could you say to her that if she wants to audition she should prepare a song with a singing teacher and if the teacher thinks shes ready let her give it a go...and if not tell her she can try again next year...perhaps with some tap shoes or an oboe

DoubleDoubleTwigletTrouble · 03/11/2013 13:57

The audition is on the 16th. We have decided to let her do it. #gulp

ComeIntoTheGardenMaud · 03/11/2013 16:43

Crikey.

HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 03/11/2013 16:49

Wow. How did she react when you told her? Huge excitement?

Shockingundercrackers · 03/11/2013 16:54

I'm a tv producer. Don't go.

ReluctantBeing · 03/11/2013 16:56

Don't let her be one of those people who sing and the judges/producers/whoever say to them 'who told you that you could sing?'

I'd be honest though. Say she has an audition but won't be good enough to get through.

CinnamonPorridge · 03/11/2013 16:56

Let her have singing lessons.
I've seen you're doing the audition so I hope she emerges ok.
Would never ever do that, hate talent shows

FestiveEdition · 03/11/2013 17:07

As a mum, acting in her best interests, I'm not sure you have any option but to lie by ommission and never mention that she was invited to audition, because the worst that could happen is NOT that she doesn't get through.
The worst case scenario is that, if she is as dreadful as you say, then she may actually be put through!!!!!!

How often have we seen (and laughed at) the truly dreadful acts? Including children! The people who literally can't hit a note.
Its the average people who are unlikely to progress...the really good and diabolically bad are "entertainment".

I wouldn't hesitate in your shows ....burn the letter in the nearest bonfire and let it remain a secret always.

shebird · 03/11/2013 19:23

I don't think there is anything to be gained by going except disappointment if she is as bad as you say. Why risk your DD being used as tv fodder for entertainment? This stuff stays out there on YouTube forever and you have no control over it.
Add to that the hype and expectation at school amongst her friends and maybe a not so nice reaction from jealous types potentially leading to bullying etc. It's up your job to protect her from all of this. You can support her in lots if other ways.

Eletheomel · 03/11/2013 20:35

Brave decision Double, but I think it's the right one.

This way, she gets to try it and (hopefully) get it out of her system (and you won't have to lie to her for the rest of your natural life... :-).

It may well be horrible, but life has worse to throw at you than an unsympathetic judge on a talent panel.

Good luck (to you and your daughter!) for the audition - will be thinking of you all.

cheekbyjowl · 03/11/2013 21:50

good luck double. I have faith in humanity still I think that if shes 10 they wont humiliate her, they've been berated enough for putting through children who arent emorionally ready...I hope she enjoys the day and that they are polite enough not to crush her and firm enough that you don't need to endure the x factor too. I hope she finds a talent she loves and can succeed in too

gamerchick · 03/11/2013 21:58

Seriously I had the same fears.. They won't humiliate her. There are thousands they have to audition and whittle down. It's not a case of going in front of judges to be slagged off first audition.

Let her do this one and ignore a recall if there is one.. she'll really enjoy the day. Make sure you take some photos and whatnot.

Have fun my daughter took a friend with her.. maybe pick a favorite mate for her to share her excitement with on the day?

gamerchick · 03/11/2013 22:04

And wrap up warm.

DoubleDoubleTwigletTrouble · 03/11/2013 22:23

I'm well aware that the show uses people to laugh at (I said as much in previous posts) but I genuinely don't believe they'd do that to a young child - the 'laughers' are always adults. I'd never let her audition on TV or in front of judges but from what gamerchick says, and from what I've read since, this initial round is going to be no big deal.

I haven't told her yet...

gamerchick · 03/11/2013 22:41

One tip I will give though. Get there a couple of hours before her audition time. There was 2 queues with the same time when we went. It'll cut down your waiting outside. This is another reason I suggest a friend going along in case you want to leave the queue for bathroom Breaks. Take food and drink for the queue as well.

Thumbwitch · 04/11/2013 00:24

I think you've done the right thing, Double. I hope she enjoys the day and isn't too disappointed (I agree that if there is any option of going further, that needs to be nipped in the bud!)

And yes, singing lessons!

DoubleDoubleTwigletTrouble · 04/11/2013 10:25

Get there a few hours before?! It's already at 9am!!

Flip

1 2 3 4

Swipe left for the next trending thread