“I give up !!” I read this in a moms group for child models the other day. This mom was clearly over it. Over the business , over her child not booking , over it all . I’m not sure who she was , who her child was, or what exactly threw her over the edge? But I get it ! A whole group of parents encouraged her not to quit and told her this moment will pass … but will it ?
You see that’s the question so many of you don’t ask yourselves. Is this business right for my child or am I just trying to push a round peg into a square box? Let me start by saying “I feel ya”. Not long ago I was in your shoes too. My daughter modeled. She worked a lot as a baby. She was super easy , happy , and had these Shirley Temple curls that clients loved. Once she turned about six years old things slowed down. I needed to honestly ask myself was it everyone else or was my child no longer what they were looking for . That’s the hard part… excepting it’s time to move on.
I came to the realization modeling wasn’t in our cards anymore and we moved on to another hobby. I gotta be honest it was a bit rejuvenating to walk away. When I did I realized just how obsessive I got about something that really was just a fun hobby for my kid. It was kinda neat to truly look at the industry from an outside perspective without taking it so personally because it was my own child. I seriously have contemplated letting every parent work for me for a week just so they can see things through my eyes. Sometimes I think it’s like looking at earth through an astronauts eyes an realizing how small we are if that makes sense. I just think sometimes stepping away isn’t a bad idea. It doesn’t mean you can’t come back but I assure you that you’ll come back with a new set of eyes. Here is what I can say . If things have slowed down for your child be honest with yourself. Is this right for our child ? Am I holding on for dear life for my child or is this for me ? If it is for your child you also need to be honest with the idea that there’s a chance your child isn’t right for this business. If you are really truly unsure you can ask your agent to be honest with you. Just make sure when you ask you are going to get an honest answer and be prepared for it. Not every kid is meant for this just like every kid isn’t going to be the next Michael Jordan. Take it as it comes , enjoy the process , and know when to walk away