One of the stated reasons that I choose to home educate my children is so that they will be free to follow their dreams so it seems odd in retrospect that I have been shooting down a dream. I only meant to be realistic but it seems that the universe might be trying to tell me something.
My daughter, like nearly every other little girl, wants to be a movie star or a model. I have always told her that it will never happen. She lives in Missouri, not Hollywood. Her daddy is not Billy Ray Cyrus. She is upper-lower class to lower-middle class with no friends in high places. She is pretty, but not drop dead gorgeous.
And I am not, not, not one of those moms. I cringe when I see little girls all dressed up with more make-up on than I own being dragged to ridiculous pageants. I admit that I judge those mothers harshly. I believe they are trying to live their own dream through their little girls.
But it just keeps coming up.
She was asked to help a university student with a research project. They came to our house with television cameras and interviewed her in her room surrounded by her things. She was only four. I asked why they wanted her when they had kids of their own they could have used. Because she would do a better job on camera, I was told. She's bubbly. Out-going. Not shy.
Then Lexie was asked to model for the Springfield Ballet. She had an hours long photo shoot. She was in several of their advertising campaigns and brochures. She did a fantastic job. They approached us.
Then she was asked to model for the Discovery Center. She had an impromptu photo shoot in the science lab there. I never saw the flier or ad that came of it, but again, they approached us.
And now, tomorrow, Lexie is going to go shoot a commercial. I deliver her at 3:00 looking nice but natural. She will be on KY3. I got the phone call this afternoon. I don't have any idea why she's being asked to do this. I'm still shaking my head.
Meanwhile, I'm afraid I've been a bad mommy. I'm afraid I denied her a chance to follow her dream by telling her it was stupid and unrealistic. But her dream didn't give up.
I feel like maybe I should have been dragging myself to ridiculous pageants all these years instead of insisting on science and history and reading. I feel like I should have sent her off to be on Kid Nation when she begged me to. I feel like I should have taken her to that audition in Branson to work in a show all summer even though I didn't want her to work all summer long. I feel like I should have taken her when the Oscar Mayer Wiener people were in town looking for the star of their next commercial. And so on...
Maybe it's not too late. Maybe I can say, "All right. We'll do this thing." But I don't know where to start. Where does one sign up to be in a ridiculous pageant?
|
|
|
More by Andrea "slackermom" R. |
recommend this
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 35
Modeling doesn't mean pageants. Pageants suck & I think they are self-esteem ruining things.
Modeling is different & maybe she has the look people are looking for!
Go for it!
I don't know where to start, either, but I can guess that it is just like learning how to get published as a writer - there are probably books, articles, magazines, networks, and I know you can find them.
It's obvious that it isn't something she's going to let go of. I've wanted to be a writer since I was nine years old, and it hasn't changed. I always wished my parents would have believed and encouraged, instead of suggesting I learn chemistry....
I did a quick search online for steps to becoming a model and this is what I found:
1 ~ Put together a portfolio. Any model starting out needs a portfolio with professional photographs to present to potential employers and agencies. Hire a photographer with experience in putting together models' books.
2 ~ Include your stats in your portfolio. This will include your name, contact information, measurements, height and weight.
3 ~ Look for a modeling agency. Any aspiring model requires an agent to break into the business. Top agencies, such as IMG and Ford, will occasionally have open calls that will give you the chance to get signed.
4 ~ Have composite cards and resumes printed. A composite card is a single sheet of photos that you leave behind along with your resume for perspective employers.
5 ~ Move to a large city. Living in the country or the suburbs will not allow you to start a modeling career. You need to go where the jobs are: New York, Los Angeles, Miami and the like.
Number 5 seems too drastic a step. She might want to try locally first since she is already being sought out, unasked.
I don't think she's run out of chances either.
People criticized me when I spent every night running one of mine to voice, music, dance, modeling, and acting. Okay, the piano teacher came to our house so I didn't have to run her anywhere, but she danced four nights a week and on Saturday. It seemed like a lot, but the truth is that she practiced from the time she came home from school until I forced her to stop and go to bed.
I modeled, as did both of my daughters (one taught child models). I think it is great for them, especially during the awkward stages because they learn poise and that gives them confidence. And they can earn some money. My last one had saved to buy a car and pay for a couple semesters of college by the time she graduated high school (early). I think knowing they have earning potential gives them confidence, too.
You're homeschooling, so I guess this part doesn't matter. Because my daughter was so involved, the school considered her activities education, and allowed her to claim a few activities (American Idol audition being one) as field trips, as long as she wrote a paper about what she had learned. I don't think everyone is meant to be an attorney or doctor or CPA (sorry if I got the top three wrong), so we should encourage our children to follow their dreams. There's nothing more rewarding in life that to be doing what you love.
I've written more about it here if you are interested.
She has not been paid for anything she has done yet and won't be paid tomorrow. I was told it was a non-profit and they could not pay her. She doesn't care. She's jumping for joy and calling everyone to tell them she is finally going to be on TV. She'll be a mess if something goes wrong and it doesn't happen for her.
As far as counting it toward school hours, I can if I want to. Frankly, it never occurred to me to do so.
I'm going to go check out your link.
I always forget something. I think you might be wrong about that, but will add that contrary to popular belief, drop dead gorgeous is NOT what makes a good model or actress. What you described above, when the college students chose her - that is what matters. Emotional interaction with a camera or audience is more important than -- well, typical features or whatever is considered beauty.
You might see if you can get any of the pictures from her previous work to give her a start on a portfolio - since they didn't pay her, they should be willing to give at least that much.
This kind of reminds me of the article I put up recently comparing Kevin's music to my writing and how I've decided that if I'm going to be published and make money at this, it's going to happen whether I like it or not. I truly believe we all have paths that we're supposed to follow and goals we're supposed to attain. If we don't do what we're supposed to do, what we're supposed to do will come after us. I learned that when I became a psych nurse.
Marianne has a point about the local theaters. Some summer stock may be a great experience for her.
Believe it or not, the mousey and average ones are those that make it in Hollywood. One of my former roommates graduated with Julia Roberts. He said she was a "brainiac" and "theater nerd" and not in the popular crowd. I saw photos of her in plays and her senior photo while browsing his yearbook. She was nothing but a plain and average jane.
I think that all you need to do is keep a positive balance: never let a photo shoot interfere with school work and her assigned chores. Listen to what she's saying about the experiences, andbe the voice of loving reason as needed. It can't be much different for fathers whose sons excel at sports -- the "bad dads" get obsessed with that single path to success. I had one Cub Scout in my den who suffered a broken bone early in the soccer season one year. When I expressed concern, all the other boys in the den gave me a funny look, shrugged, and informed me that this child broke a bone every year. His father was pushing him to be an athlete... like his older sister! The boy was slight-built and intellectual, but Dad wasn't willing to see that. It was a form of child abuse, in my opinion.
Let your daughter have this experience while she is still young, with you right there to keep her safe and grounded. There's a great deal to learn, and she'll soon enough meet up with all the reasons you were worried that this wasn't a wise choice -- this way, she'll understand why you thought so.
Doing pageants costs a lot of money. Dresses can cost up to about $3,000.00. Entry fees start at $250.00 and travelling expenses are what they are for any other kind of travel - ridiculous.
Modeling is another thing altogether. There is usually local work available for dept. store ads and other ads. Do not send her to modeling school. Many agents will say she has to go to modeling for them to represent, which means that agent is really a recruiter for one of those schools, it's a scam.
Go for it and have fun with it.
If her heart gets broken, be there to help teach her a lesson about it. If it works out and she is successful and happy, be there to help teach her a lesson about it. : )
What's the harm in trying, Andrea? And if YOU are a bad mom, I'm reprehensible...
There's the apostrophe I missed above.
There must be some summer drama classes or some theatre groups somewhere in your state that accept kids.
Hope I haven't put the fear in you, I don't think harmless natural modeling would be a harm, but this is what I saw happen to a bright, beautiful girl pushed in the world of pageants.
In fact, I'm thinking about getting Littlebit in on it as well. Ladybug is not "model material" anymore at the moment, but with Littlebit looking like a miniature Brooke Shields, and wit those massive blue eyes of hers, she stands a good chance of getting quite a few calls.
All you need for either of those places is a good head-shot or two, prefferably 8x10, but a couple of 5x7s will do in a pinch.
Good luck! *smile*