Parents who motivate and direct their children’s acting careers face a wide range of obstacles, from playing the role of manager and parent to dealing with the emotional toll of the spotlight. So, what’s the best advice for handling everything that comes with raising a child star? and what to know about raising a child actor.In this article, we’ve got you covered with tips and recommendations that will help in raising a happy, successful kid actor.Let’s get started!
1- Watch For Signs and Don’t Rush The Process
As your kid actor grows and develops, make sure acting remains their focus and passion. If this industry is something your kid is passionate about, then he/she will find the balance on her/his own.If you find yourself being more disappointed than your kid, or you start seeing it affect his/her grades and overall mood, then it’s time to pull back just a little. Always remember, forcing a child to do something just makes everyone around them miserable — including you!Many parents rush their children to go to auditions or get an agent. Suppose a child is not emotionally and professionally ready. In that case, the process can be too frightening, shut the child down, and make them want to quit. You cannot take ten acting classes and be ready for the starting line.Check-in with your kid’s acting coach and trust their advice if your kid is ready or not yet. Just like with everything in life, we all have our special and unique process, and everyone is different; some take a short time, and others take a long time to be ready.
2- Training Is Your Golden Key!
If your kid actor is not properly trained, they are not an actor. Acting is absolutely fun, but it is not a part-time hobby. Suppose your child is serious about pursuing this field. In that case, you must cultivate a mindset, as one would do when becoming a professional musician, athlete, or dancer.Your child must train continually to stay competitive and, most importantly, cultivate an understanding of the whole process. When a kid is in school sports, parents are diligent about never missing games or practices. However, when it comes t acting classes, many parents do not follow the same discipline.Your kid actor needs to train at a professional acting academy or school, and this training needs to be throughout the entire year. You will not find a set season where you take an entire season off.It’s encouraged to take breaks now and then for a few days for a family time vacation or a weekend off to balance out acting life and step away from the field. Still, in between, year-round, your kid actor has to be ready and prepared.
3- Each Audition Is A success!
With every audition, your kid actor has already achieved success. When your kid is ready to begin auditioning, please understand that it can take up to 25–100 auditions before booking a job.If your kid actor is training, can take direction well, and has confidence in her/his craft, they will raise their chance of booking a job. Each audition makes them stronger at what they love to do. The audition brings them into the field of new casting producers and directors.Something to put in mind and the amount of practice time before auditions have to be professional and adequate. This cannot be overlooked or done halfway. They need to concentrate and persevere.
4- Fuel Your Passion Because Your Positive Support Is Needed
The prime thing you can do for your child actor as a parent is to take their auditions with positive support, regardless of how stressful the process can be. The traffic on your way to the audition, trying to get off your work, or needing to get to your other kid’s league practice or game, please try to keep this stress to yourself because your kid will feel it.Some well-known booking actors mentioned their abysmal performance in auditions because they felt terrible and guilty at the stress they were causing their families. For all parents, please let your kid actors do the job happily and with no pressure.One of the biggest struggles you might face is making sure that your kid actor stays motivated. Part of that is because he/she lacks parental push and support. Find ways to keep excited and motivated about your kid’s success; doing so will keep your kid happy and motivated!Show up to the auditions and shows, celebrate the successes no matter how small, and always remember to uplift and encourage the down days. Remember, your kid actor feed off your energy, and they have to be taught the persevering spirit!
5- Let It Go, and Don’t Stress It Out!
Letting it go is considered one of the most challenging things about the auditioning process. This mindset is mandatory for the long-term success of your kid actor. When the audition is over, don’t talk about it unless your actor wishes to discuss it. The prime thing to do is just move on with all that is amazing in your life.
6- Find The Balance
Once your kid actor begins to work, our very best advice is: remain their parent. Remember, this is your team’s job. You are there for your kid’s emotional support. You are there to ensure he/she is safe.As a parent, you need to know how to balance being a mom and dad versus a manager. Plan to write down the duties of those two roles and always have them to mention when it gets tough and hard to manage. That will ensure that the relationship stays positive and productive.
7- Trust Your Kid
When your kid actor has achieved the proper skillset, they know their business. They know what to wear for auditions. They know how to prepare their sides. Please do not coach them! Do not expect that your kid actor will land a role in a film or on TV in the first year. It takes most child actors 4–6 years to land a role. So please be reasonable with your expectations and have faith.A few kid actors will get chosen in their first year for tv, films and commercials; yes, this happens for some. But most kid actors take 4–6 years to become more seasoned and professional. Most actors actually take 3–6 years to even land their first role in film, TV, or commercials. Trust your child and let he/her know that you always expect the best from them.
Final thoughts
It’s not easy to be a parent of a young working actor. You’re basically required by law to be on set, within sight and sound of your kid… but you are also expected to be seen and not heard!
That can be challenging for many parents. Unlike other activities your child might be involved in— gymnastics, soccer, or whatever—you can’t just drop them off and come back when the session is over. You need to be there for the whole duration, and that may mean all day!
Help your kid continue to get work by consciously sticking to your job—being their parent—and resist the temptation to cross that boundary. Everyone on set thank you, and your child’s future does too!
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