People keep stopping you on the street. At the supermarket, at the dry cleaners. “Wow,” they say, “your child is so beautiful, so cute. Didn’t I just see him on a “Toys R Us” commercial? What? Your child isn’t on television? Why not? The local department store photographer thinks Harley could start modeling tomorrow. The hairdresser is convinced Ellie could be the next Shirley Temple. And, of course, your entire bridge club is absolutely convinced your little Miley could become the next Miley Cyrus.
You’re certainly not immune to your pride and joy’s charms. So photogenic! So expressive! So absolutely adorable.
You think about the times he has entertained family and friends by singing his favorite song or acting out his favorite story – heroically playing the caped crusader slaying the dragon and saving the maiden.
Maybe your child has even “felt the calling” and, while watching a group of kids run across a lawn extolling some toothpaste’s secret ingredient or a cereal’s potent sugar-coating, told you right out, “Mom, I want to do that.”
As your child tells you this more often, as you see with your own eyes how talented she seems to be. As more and more other people, even total strangers, walk up to your just to comment on your kid’s hair, or skin, or smile, or just general gorgeousness, you can’t help thinking the same thing every time you see those kids in that toothpaste ad: That could be my kid!
But then you get a double attack of “objectivity” and “reality” and tell yourself, “Who am I kidding” Those kids are trained actors. Sure they make lots of money, but obviously they sing and dance and act a lot better than Jason, ( Jennifer, or Jeremy or…). They live in Hollywood. And, they’ve got connections I could never get – like an uncle that just happens to own a movie studio. It’s all who you know out there. Jason (or…) wouldn’t stand a chance.”
I’ve got news for you. Connections, at least connections like that, have nothing to do with it. And, your child doesn’t have to be the embodiment of the Gerber baby, sing like Judy Garland, dance like Fred Astaire and act like Sir Lawrence Olivier.
If your child wants to act in commercials, TV, the theatre or movies, and if you want him or her to do it and are ready as parents to make the sacrifices and do the work necessary to make it happen, it can happen. It happens every single day…to kids exactly like Jason and Jennifer and Jeremy.
Within months, your child could very well be the one in the toothpaste ad. Being shy, wearing braces, even lisping.
Yes, and I will show you exactly how to do it, without getting ripped off.
Filed under: kids in show business, showbusiness for kids, acting, Children, dancing, kids, show business, singing
Aggie Gold's Blog 