New Mom Secret: My Baby Is Going to Be a Star

on January 4, 2012 at 10:03 AM

It's hard being a new mom (or even an experienced mom to a new baby) and sometimes we do things we know we shouldn't, despite what all the experts say. But this is a safe place to share your secrets (PM me)—we'll never tell.

This Week's Secret:

My son is 3 months old now and I just decided to quit my job and stay home with him. Now I am freaking out about money and everything else. When I was younger, I always thought I was going to be a movie star or a singer, but I never did. Now I figure he could. I decided to start him in modeling. I have this idea that he could really be someone and that I am meant to stay home with him so he can become the next Justin Bieber or something. I am going to be managing his career for now and hopefully really get him started. It's too late for me, but he could be a very big star and starting early is smart.

-- Anonymous

What you choose to do with your baby is completely your call, but generally, modeling is hard work with little reward. The people I know who have done modeling with their babies haven't ultimately enjoyed it. That doesn't mean you won't, but that is the truth.

As for whether he is the next Biebs, it may be more important to ask yourself why you even want that in the first place. It's fine and lovely to have high expectations of your child, but it's another to have unrealistic ones.

Moms who want happy children do best. Moms who want their children to do what they never did will end up pushing in unhealthy ways. The beauty of being a mom is seeing your child become themselves. And hopefully you will think that is spectacular no matter what.

Do you have any advice for this mom?

Image via jake.auzzie/Flickr

About the author Sasha Brown-Worsham

can't decide whether she is a mother, writer, or runner, but is usually all three at some point each day. She has written for dozens of print magazines, newspapers, and websites. She rarely ever writes on bathroom walls.

Filed Under: mom secrets

Comments (8)

Ms.PuNkrOckStar

on Jan 4, 2012 at 10:12 AM

I feel sorry for your baby. I hope you open your eyes and dont force your kid to do what you wanted to do when you were young. As of now i just see you setting up for failure.

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Nonmember comment from Shelly

on Jan 4, 2012 at 10:13 AM

Oh, lord. Another mom who wants to live vicariously through their child. Awesome. Give your child unrealistic expectations to live up to. Push them into living YOUR dream, so you can get some backwards missed gratification. Way to go, mom. I hope your child doesn't do well in modeling, so they can be rejected and done in the industry, before they are even aware of it. Poor kid.

EquestrianMom

on Jan 4, 2012 at 10:16 AM

If you think you will enjoy having your baby model and might make some money at it, fantastic! That said, I think it is ultimately a bad decision to live your dreams through your child. As a baby, your child will have few memories of it, and enjoy it while you can. If you continue past the toddler years, do so because your child wants to and enjoys it. Otherwise your child will be doing modeling, signing, ect because you want them to, not because they do. And at some point, if they don't want to, they will quit, and then they will live with the lifetime of knowing they failed you, and that they are a dissapointment, and nothing they do from then on (regardless of how amazing it may be) will feel like they did good enough for you.

Just a heads up, coming from a girl who chose not to follow in her moms footsteps, and logically, I know I have done amazing things, but I can never (in 26 years) managed to shake the feeling that because I disappointed my mother by quiting her lifelong dreams, I failed. Very hard to live with! Let your child decide their stardom, and if it isn;t in a feild you would have chosen, accept it and enjoy their sucess in their chosen activity.

puasaurusrex

on Jan 4, 2012 at 10:18 AM

I've been told numerous times I should get my two into baby modeling. No thanks, I'd rather wait until they can decide it's something they want to do. If you're wanting to be a SAHM and you're stressed about money, perhaps you shouldn't quit just yet. Or, get a job that allows you to work from home. If you have high speed internet, http://liveops.com/ offers decent pay for answering phones for companies that sell things via phone calls. It's easy enough, especially with young children who require littel maintence because they aren't walking or talking yet. My sister used to do it and made a decent amount when she worked. I recommend that to forcing your child into something you never got to achieve. Don't be one of "those" moms.

Ohmyskittles

on Jan 4, 2012 at 10:25 AM

This mother is trying to live through her baby. She sounds insane.

Eversnow

on Jan 4, 2012 at 11:53 AM

I mean, Fine, If you want to do it when they are a child when they don't realize anything. But if they don't like it once they become old enough to know what's going on, leave it alone. Let them be a child! Do you really want to end up being another Dina Lohan? Stop trying to live your dreams through your child.

Melissa042807

on Jan 4, 2012 at 11:56 AM

Don't try to re-live your life through your child. If this has more to do with your regrets about your life than what he wants (and he's 3 months old, he doesn't know what he wants except to sleep, eat, and poop!), then maybe you need to do a little self-reflection.

BarbadianBeauty

on Jan 5, 2012 at 8:42 AM

0 _o poor kid. she wants him to be the nextjustin bieber D: one is bad enough lol. i let my dad's boss's wife borrow my Dd for her photography. it was fun :p. however, i wouldnt put my DD up for professional modeling though. His wife just likes to take photos for her classes that she teaches, pllus i get nifty photos with all kind of cool effects and things for free :D lol