PROS & CONS
OF CHILD MODELLING
METTE P. FROM LM KIDS EXPLAINS
My name is Mette, and I have the great pleasure of working with lovely kids models every day here at Le Management Kids.
But what does it actually mean to be a child model?
Working as a model is much more than just a job or a hobby. It’s a unique way for children to have unforgettable experiences while earning a little extra pocket money by participating in something they find enjoyable. Being a model also opens the door to life qualities that children might not have otherwise experienced.
PROS
Independence
Being a model automatically involves experiencing independence. They take responsibility, are taken seriously, and the expectations placed on them create a sense of what responsibility truly entails. This experience fosters early self-discipline and performance skills. Children share responsibility during photo sessions, significantly strengthening their independence.
Quality Time
Working as a child model, you spend a lot of time outside of the home with your parents. Children get time off from kindergarten or school, and parents take time off from work. This allows children to have quality time with their parents, a luxury they rarely experience in their busy everyday lives. Additionally, they not only share quality time with parents but also with other models, often resulting in lifelong friendships.
Development
Being a model gives children a unique opportunity for personal development, significantly different from kindergarten, school, or other extracurricular activities. Many children gain confidence by mastering new skills and gain an understanding of what work entails. As models, they experience different aspects of themselves and receive recognition that may not always be experienced in the same way at school.
Self-confidence
During photo sessions, children gain a degree of self-confidence as they are recognized for their achievements. We find that children discover talents, and for some, they suddenly feel “good at something” in a way they may not experience in school. On shoots, there is an entire photo team cheering them on, providing a different form of self-confidence as they work on expressing themselves and behaving respectfully towards others.
Friendships
Child models strengthen their social skills by interacting with other models and being open to new people. This often leads to friendships formed through shared experiences and interests. Through photoshoots, children learn to collaborate as a team, take responsibility, and support each other. We often find that many of our models make new friends on set, as they frequently encounter each other during different jobs.
CONS
Flexibility
Since jobs often occur during photographers’ regular working hours on weekdays, it requires a certain degree of flexibility from both children and parents. This can affect the children’s schooling and parents’ work schedules, necessitating coordination to ensure everything aligns. Additionally, job offers may come with short notice, requiring adaptability to secure the job.
Rejection
Being a model involves being able to handle rejection, as the competition within the industry is intense. Castings and job offers often come with rejections, and it’s important for children to understand that it’s not personal. This teaches them to handle rejections constructively, developing an important skill for dealing with competition in other contexts.
Patience
Modeling requires significant patience as job offers can vary. Some periods may see frequent job offers for children, while other periods may have a standstill. Patience is crucial to maintaining faith that job offers will come again. Planning for jobs and the actual photo sessions may also require patience as information may not always be immediately available, and processes can take time.