Having a teenager who wants to work (or is already working) as a model should keep parents on their toes. Being exposed to several different situations associated with the profession may be all new and strange to a young one.
The teen years are volatile. According to KidsHealth.org, it is a period of intense growth, and at this time, teenagers display a strong interest in what is fair and right. But at the same time, they are also quite impressionable, taking behavioral cues from the people around them.
If your child is a teen model who works with professionals of all ages who have different perspectives, habits, and principles in life, then you, as a supportive parent, have a unique responsibility.
You should be ready to answer your teen’s questions and help them observe behaviors and situations, understand the reasons why people act the way they do, and learn what they can out of their interactions with others.
The bottom line is that parents must be able to provide proper guidance so that their child can derive a positive experience out of their modeling work.
Parents Are the Top Support System for Young Models
Your teen model needs you, whether she expresses it or not. So, make sure that you are never too busy to provide her with comfort and encouragement. Take the time to sit with her and share some valuable lessons that can help her navigate the career that she is building at such a young age.
And when it comes to lessons for a young model, here are four that she can definitely use:
1. Everybody has a different preference.
The fashion or modeling industry upholds a variety of standards, and every job will always come with its own unique set to meet. Teen models can experience plenty of heartbreak from not meeting some of these standards.
When your child comes home disappointed from not getting picked for a job she wanted, for example, remind her that in this life, there’s no way of pleasing everybody every time. She may be aware of this real-life lesson, but during such a moment, do remind her and provide her with a more positive perspective of the situation.
The right job for her will eventually come; life is still grooming her for it. Meanwhile, she can work on becoming better.
2. Tomorrow is a new day.
Making mistakes on the job is inevitable. The important thing is to learn from those mistakes and treat every new day as an opportunity to get things right.
Aside from learning from past mistakes, seeing each new day as a different one also presents the opportunity for further improvements. If she wants to stand out more, she can make time work for her by using it to hone her skills.
You can, for example, take her to see a top agent for teen models and inquire about courses she could take to pose and walk more confidently. Likewise, she can look into other beneficial enrichment programs.
3. Be beautiful inside and out.
Physical beauty requires much care. This is why it is crucial to follow a nutritious diet, stay active, and get enough rest.
But in addition to these, teach your child that building character is just as important. She must realize that her knowledge, personal values, and way of interacting with others are also personal characteristics that must be valued and nurtured. All these make a person beautiful and admirable.
What’s more, it is imperative to cultivate a good personality. For this, she can read self-improvement books, take courses on everything from leadership to career agility, and emulate positive role models.
4. Treat modeling as one rewarding aspect of life.
Although your child will be known as a model, being one need not be the only thing that will define who she is.
Being a model is one exciting and rewarding facet of her identity, much like being a student, an athlete, a daughter or a sister. As in all these other roles, she will benefit greatly from deriving positive lessons and experiences from modeling that could enrich other areas of her life.
Living life to the fullest involves cultivating relationships with family and friends, experiencing love, learning what you can, and reaching for dreams and possibilities. Your young child must understand that working as a model can be a source of inspiration, fulfillment, lessons about life and interacting with people, and inner strength for testing and honing her capabilities.
These are treasures that she can carry with her and use even if she decides to pursue a different path in the future.
A Model With a Strong Support System Succeeds in Her Career
Young models who are guided with love, care, and wisdom by their parents (as well as by agencies that take excellent care of their talents) enjoy a higher likelihood of succeeding in their chosen career. So, guide your teen well and make sure that her agency supplies her with the best lessons on how to become a top model.
Adam Jacobs is the Managing Director of Bubblegum Casting, the longest running agency specialising in babies, children and teen talent in Australia. Bubblegum Casting works with some of Australia’s biggest brands, media properties and agencies to secure talented children to work in Television, Film and Modelling roles.