your child wants to act - STOP! parents, do you really want to do this???

job opening – drive someone else around all the time at any time of day…pay someone else’s expenses…be a chauffeur…sacrifice your own free time…blah blah blah…yep, and this is only a small part of what is required for your child actor to be in show business…it’s a massive commitment…so not only does your child want it more than anything in the world, you have to be there with them!

during your journey, you will learn patience…foresight…perseverance…you will develop a thick skin yet have to learn psychological techniques for not only your child but for others around you who think you’ve lost your mind…
then when you get those down, you’ll find yourself disagreeing with an agent, manager, casting director, director, acting coach…etc. etc. etc…you’ll bend or break i’ll tell you…and bend you will…you’ll become as flexible as gumby! LOL

but be careful…watch out for the “bitter bug” – that’s what i and friends of mine call it…that’s the parent who’s child is in the business, but they’ve had it…they haven’t gotten where they feel their child actor should be…so they are bitter and everything that goes on in this business is shaded with bitterness and distrust…
in my humble opinion, if you get to that point, just get out! you will no longer be a help to your child and your will infect everyone around you…for me personally, i don’t go near people like that…and i can smell them a mile away…

look, let me lay it on your straight…to be a parent in this business, you have to be either a masochist or very self-sacrificing or you are living vicariously through your child…and for the sake of time and space, let me just address the last one…

i believe this is where the term "stagemom" came from...or stagedad btw...lol... child actors have been replaced…not b/c of them, but b/c of the behavior of a stage parent that is actually interfering with the production…these parents can be tough to take…they will press their child to become an actor and be the best no matter what the kid wants…they believe there is no one around as good as their child…they don’t live in reality…they believe that hollywood is waiting for their child so that this business can instantly make them the next dakota fanning! so please…heed the warning…what goes around, comes around…you don’t want to plant bad seeds in the soil of this business whether you are on the left or right coast…and it can be hard...we love our kids so much that we want everything for them right away...but there is a process...and you learn that as you go along...

so you’re still here…still reading…then maybe this biz is for you…that is, as long as this is what your CHILD wants to do…first sign of pulling away, allow them to do that…much against popular opinion, not every kid in ny or l.a. is going to stay in the business and become a huge star…my advice – every now and then do an “acting health check”…what is that? twice a year my daughter and i sit down and discuss this business…i ask her if she’s enjoying it…if she still loves it as much as she used to…if she’s happy…questions like that…her answers give me a real good barometer as to where she is re: this crazy love she has for performing…if her interest has diminished, this gives her a great platform to be honest with me, b/c many times if a child knows that the parent wants this for them very badly, they won’t tell the parent that they want to leave it, unless they are asked…then remember, you are the parent and this is your child…do what’s best for them no matter what…

that’s it from this end…running out the door…
have a happy, healthy, blessed day…
hugs and out~