By Jesslyn, Guest Writer, Image Interpreters
So… you probably have cute kids. And you’ve probably heard this. “She’s so cute she should model!” “Have you entered her in the Cutest Baby on the Block contest?” “My sister/cousin/friend/coworker started her baby modeling and they just bought a new car!” I don’t know about you, but for some reason, comments like this irk me.
Now, I’m not hard to look at but I’m sure not going to be winning any beauty pageants in this lifetime. And while my husband is very handsome (a wonderful combination of Tom Selleck and Colin Firth), he would say the same thing. But when our genes combined to create our three little girls, they took the very best of the chromosomes we had to offer and worked wonders with them. They are most definitely cuter than the sum of their parents.
And I say that, knowing full well that I am completely and utterly biased. My children are adorable angels and it doesn’t surprise me when others agree. But having said that, I also like to base my life in reality. I think every adorable baby goes through an awkward phase. I certainly did. Those pre-teen years are especially rough, before we evolve and morph into our adult forms. I’ve seen gorgeous adults show frankly funny looking baby pictures of themselves, and perfect Gerber babies sprout facial features they plan to alter with plastic surgery. The end result is always a mystery and that’s what’s so wonderful about life. Forest Gump was right, you never know what you’re going to get. What a boring world indeed if we all looked the same. But back to my cute kids…
What with the little pigtails, flouncy dresses, pudgy thighs and ruffle bums, they are in the prime of their cuteness. I have fun dressing them up when we go out and every once in a while I come across a somewhat vehement advocator of baby modeling. Last year, when my first was 19 months old, she and I hopped a plane to meet up with my husband for a short weekend getaway. Peanut quickly fell asleep and the woman sharing our row on the plane commented that she was cute and had she ever done any modeling. I nicely said no. She persisted, touting it’s benefits as she saw them, and when I continued to resist, she gave me a condescending look and said, “Well, you’d be smart to let her model.” With extremely concentrated effort, I just shut my eyes, snuggled my girl closer, smiled and fell asleep.
A woman at Target one day a few months ago said, “They’re so cute they should model!” I said thanks, they’re at a fun age, or something like that and then she told me how her niece or cousin or something of hers modeled and they “made good money.” I said, “Well, we prefer to play.” Her answer to that was, “Oh, you’re really missing out.” I couldn’t resist saying, “I doubt it.” (as nicely as possible) as we walked away to continue our shopping.
I’m sorry… I’d be “smart to let her model?” and I’m “really missing out??” There are so many things wrong with those comments. First, never question my intelligence and second, it’s not a matter of “letting them.” My babies haven’t been begging me for the green light to endure grueling hours at a photo shoot, stylists futzing with them to keep the hair and makeup in place, and photographers desperately trying to get them to pop that perfect pose. And I’m “really missing out” on what?? Profiting from my own personal sweatshop? If my girls can land enough gigs I score myself a new wardrobe? Or even thinking more altruistically, if they work hard enough when they’re babies, they can pay for college? I don’t think so. I saw a documentary on baby and child modeling and while the children were treated very well, it was still quite an ordeal. Long, long days of casting calls and photo shoots. To me, that means missed naps, grumpy kids, and time not spent in the blissful play and exploration of childhood.
I know my babies are adorable and I couldn’t care less whether anyone else in the world agrees with me. I don’t think I would take it very well if they were rejected for a job, which they most certainly would be. I think I’d be angry that someone had judged my child somehow imperfect. The rational side of my brain would remind me that it was just one agents opinion and they wanted a different “look” for that shoot. But the lion mother in me is much more powerful. I’m afraid she would want heads on a platter. And I grew up being taught that what I accomplish in life has nothing to do with the beauty I was or wasn’t born with. I hope to impart the same to my girls.
This is just one mom’s opinion, but it’s not for us. My babies’ cuteness is well documented in our family archives. So will their awkward stages be, their braces, glasses and gawkiness, as well as the beautiful womanhood I’m sure they’ll blossom into.
I think the whole “so the parent can prosper” part of child modeling is what rankles me the most. I mean, I let my 4 year old be in an online ad for a friend and that was about as far as I could take it. We got a free outfit and had a fun afternoon tkaing pictures, and that was it. I would do THAT again-but the amount of time and energy it would take to do “real” modeling would be so detrimental to all of us that I just can’t see it being worth it.
I don’t know. I guess I really don’t have strong opinoins either way about it. I do think that if your child is old enough and wants to/enjoys it {I’m pretty sure my 3 year old would beg to be a model if she knew it could be an option!}, it could be a great way to start a college fund. Not every family can afford to pay for college for their children so this might be better than paying back loans or working all through school.
From what a friend who did modeling and acting as a child has told me, it’s a LOT of work for the parents. That being said, she just send out head shots of her daughter to local agencies so I don’t think she is scarred for life!
Kristin @ Ellie-Town´s last blog ..Arizona Ellie-isms
Twitter: notmommyofyear
I can see having a child do some of it FOR FUN or for a product that you use/belive in/know the maker of. I also don’t think there’s much harm in entering a child in the cutest baby newspaper contests (except my husband spend shoe allowance on votes for my daughter a few months ago.) but when it becomes a schedule with demands of a child ala Toddlers and Tiaras, i think it’s gone too far. Especially when the child is too young to have any control over it.
Kori – now THAT would seem like a reasonable situation! Help a friend, spend a few afternoon hours taking pictures, and get a cute new outfit.
Kristen – I chuckled at your “if she new it could be an option” comment. My soon-to-be-three year old loves “bootiful dresses” and watching herself dancing in the mirror. If it were all it was… she’d be in heaven. And yes, your friend’s childhood didn’t seem to turn her off the work as an adult. Hope her kids remember it as fondly as she does.
Jesslyn´s last blog ..Guest Blogging on "Our Mommyhood"
Twitter: tonisue
I agree with you wholeheartedly. While, financially, it may be worth it – I would never want to put my child through all the rejections, lost naps, and trying to behave as a little adult. What people don’t realize is that these kids are expected to behave as adults on set. If they are having a bad day – it can cost the shoot a lot of money waiting for the child to calm down and get collected. The children are expected to be professional at all times. Professional and children are two words that don’t go together in my personal dictionary.
Toni´s last blog ..My Beauty Secret
I could not agree more with every single thing you said. There is so much emphasis on so many wrong things these days. I’m so glad you responded to those women the way you did, and your girls are blessed to have such a good mom!
Bethany´s last blog ..Birth Control
Toni – you make a good point about them having “to behave as a little adult.” Very true!
Bethany – Thanks for the pat on the back! Much needed sometimes.
Jesslyn´s last blog ..Guest Blogging on "Our Mommyhood"