The
entertainment industry is littered with child actors
whose careers came to heartbreaking and sometimes tragic
endings. From Gary Coleman to Danny Bonaduce, there are
lots of horror stories of child actors who were not
prepared for the ups and downs of show-business. Before
you get your child involved in acting, here are a few
guidelines you should first consider:
1. Does your child really want to be an actor? Make sure
the dream of being an actor is their dream and not a
dream of yours being lived vicariously through them. If
you are merely forcing them to live your dream for you,
it can do serious damage to the child. The stress and
demands of acting will take a toll if a young actor
doesn't enjoy what they do; if they are simply doing it
because you are forcing them to do it.
2. Beware of scams. There are many, many acting scams
out there. Unscrupulous people prey on others who don't
really understand the industry by charging huge sums of
money for photos and selling unnecessary products. Learn
about the industry before you involve your child so that
you (and your child) are not victimized by scammers.
3. Find a reputable agent. A talent agency helps
actors find acting work in the area. But sometimes
talent agencies can be scammers, requiring you to pay
money upfront before they provide your child with
representation. Before signing on with an agency or
paying any money, ask the talent agency for references
so you can see if others have had a good experience with
the agency. You may be surprised what you find out.
4. Forget the money. There is much money to be made for
child actors. But, you have to make sure that you don't
focus on the money. Your focus, as a parent, must always
be on your child. Focusing on money may cloud your
ability to do what is in the best interest of the child.
Forget the money and concentrate on the well-being of
your child.
5. Have fun. Acting should always be a fun experience
for any actor, but especially, for a child actor. The
minute it stops being a fun and rewarding experience is
the minute you should halt your child's involvement in
the entertainment industry.
