I was at a casting for a supermarket commercial today and got to witness a little girl, abut four years of age, being coerced into "performing" for the camara. This gorgeous child was obviously not comfortable in a dark room full of camaras, and a spotlight right on her. She kep looking around wide-eyed after her mother carried her over to her mark and peeled her off of her leg all the while reminding her that she would get a new toy if she did a good job. While I thought the child was adorable, I was still rather sickened by the fact that she was obviously unhappy about being there, insecure, and expected to "perfom" like a circus animal.

While living in LA I remember seeing and hearing "stage moms" making their little sons and daughters, often times not much oldrer than 5 or 6, go over scripts ad nauseum. They would miss school and be drug about town, primped and prodded and made to smile brightly when you knew full well that they'd rather be taking a nap or playing with their friends. This became something of a norm as I encountered this phenomena on a daily basis. I almost became immune to it although I knew it was not something I would ever want to put my own child through. And seeing this little girl today just brought back all of those other uncomfortable scenarios. I mean, really, how do you get mad at your preschooler for not being able to memorize a line such as " I love Kodak cameras because my daddy can capture great memories of me for when I'm all grown up" and other such offal. It's asinine. This little girl today was told to hold a piece of fruit, dance around, smile and hold her chin up all at the same time. This may sound like a cakewalk to an adult, but to a child? Really. It was heartbreaking to watch her dart her eyes all around looking for approval or a safe spot to run to.

I have a son. A toddler blessed with personality and model genes. He is tall and lean and precious. (Hey, he's my son and I can brag all I want!) As a favor to my client and my agency I took him in to do a couple of print ads for a local department store when he was 5 months old. He was unaware of where he was and what he was doing. We got some tearsheets for the grandparents and his scrapbook and that was the end of that. No more. If he wants to be a model when he comes of age, then by all means I will support him. But I'll be damned if I cart him all around town, put hairspray and make-up on him, bribe him to perform (lord knows you have to bribe a toddler enough as it is!) and disrupt his naps and meals just to say my baby is a "model". No thank you. I will not be a stage mom. I will not live vicariously through him. I will not ostracize him for not smiling the right way or for not "landing the gig". My son gets to be a child, happy & carefree. Just as nature intended.