It can be very flattering when someone approaches you and suggests that your child has the potential to become a model, and while this is a great compliment, you need to remember that the top priority when it comes to your young child is their safety. As parents, we never stop worrying about our children, and especially so if they are involved in the modelling industry.
Nobody is saying that you shouldn’t be encouraging modeling for tweens, it can be a positive experience and one that can help create some financial security for future years, but you should be taking a cautious approach to such things. You want your child to be able to enjoy everything that you never had, but this is something that you know very little about. It can be fraught with a number of pitfalls, and this is why it’s important to be knowledgeable when it comes to such things. If your child has been offered the opportunity to work within the modelling industry, the following are some of the top tips that will allow you to keep your child safe.
Always go with them - This is non-negotiable, and every young child under the age of 18 should be accompanied to any modelling job. If there has to be some kind of casting at the beginning, you need to be there also. People might want to talk to your kid on one, but make sure that you are close by, in case you need to step in on your child’s behalf. You should never leave your kid alone with anyone that you don’t know or trust.
Always check the contract - If a decision is made and they want to sign your kid up, they will probably try to tell you that it is a standard contract, and there is no need to check it. You need to know that there are a number of unscrupulous modelling agencies out there, so make sure that you read the contract from back to front before you commit yourself and your child to anything.
Always do your research - In the age of the Internet, it isn’t difficult to do a quick Internet search about the modelling agency that has approached you and your child. If there’s anything bad to be said about them, you will find it online. If you cannot find any information at all about this modelling agency, that should also be seen as some kind of warning sign. Try to talk to other parents who have signed with this modelling agency, and ask the agency for a list of names and contact details.
If it is at all possible, only deal with reputable agencies that you already know. There are a number of scams out there, so you need to be switched on to these. Explain to your kid that everything might not be as it seems.
