Child modelling advice...

[bumbleandbumble]

I am not sure if this is the place to put this…but I would like my almost 4 year old to do some modelling. I have the time off work and the energy and we live in London and would love the extra cash for her savings.

She is a total drama queen, loves dressing up and taking pictures and is full of personality, she also takes direction well. Anyway a stylist friend of mine suggested it and named 3 or 4 agency…I emailed some photos and they all said no.

Is that it? Is there anyway that you are supposed to approach model agencies? I just got mass produced emails saying "thanks but no"
Can anyone offer advice?

My nephew used to be a 'child model.'

Here's what my Sil and brother have told me of their experience.

If you have to approach the agency, and they don't approach you in the first instance, you'll likely just end up one of 100s of 'unused' children. And it will cost you as well. Whereas those who are approached by agencies don't normally have initial costs.

There is a lot of waiting around. They once had to wait 8 hours, then someone came and asked them to leave because there wasn't enough time to see the rest.

They would get called perhaps an hour before expected to be somewhere. So you'd have to be able to drop everything.

You are exposed to a lot of competitive parents and just awful comments about children's appearance.

More importanty, you say it's what you want. What does your child want? Have you asked them if they'd be happy being in a loud room full of strangers, perhaps upto 8 hours a day? What about all the travelling and last minute trips? Would they be able to handle the disappointment/rejection of not being used?

Wouldn't she enjoy drama club or something more like that?

catass it sounds horrible!

I only hear bad things. DD was accepted by an agency and after some stories from x child models and reading on here I decided against it.

My DD (16 months) is with Bizzy Kids. We applied as one of my friends DD's is with them.

TBH we've had one casting but no actual work; friend has had a few castings and 1 job since we joined (last Sept). It cost around £100 to sign up and have photos done which we paid as I wanted some pro shots done anyway and we got loads (60 odd pictures, with a couple of outgits all really good). Theres no more money now until she's 4 or 5 when they need more pro shots (I can use my own till then to update the profile)

I don't know if we will get work long term, if we do and she enjoys it great; if we don't or she doesn't then no big deal - the opportunity is there.

I wouldn't go into it thinking it will pay uni fees tho!