Baby You're a Star - Getting Your Child Involved in Modeling

"Your Baby is so cute; he/she should be a model!" If you're the proud parent of a baby who receives these compliments on a daily basis, chances are you have thought about a modeling career for your youngster. While modeling can be a great start to even better career opportunities in the future, it can also be a dead end leaving you with a negative bank account. Regardless of what you want to achieve by having your baby become a model, there are some things that you need to know before they make it to the big screen, or at least the cover of a magazine.

• Is your baby model material? If your child is the happy go lucky, laughs at everything, easy to get along with type, you're in luck. Baby modeling agencies are in search of babies who are easy to work with. That rules out babies who are cranky, shy, or less than happy most of the time. If your baby fits into the latter category modeling may not be right for at this point in their life.
• Are you a "model" parent? Don't think that your baby will be doing all the work. No matter how cute their smile may be, modeling agencies know that where your baby goes you follow, and rightfully so. Accredited agents want to make sure you are doing what's in the best interest for your baby. They will shy away from contracting children if the parents are over bearing or hard to work with. There is a thin line between watching out for your baby's best interests and becoming an overbearing set nightmare.
• Are you willing to sacrifice? Not many aspiring models, babies included, get their big break right away. Being the proud parents of a baby model takes a lot of sacrificing and patience. While you may make money in the long run, in the beginning you will have to find and agent and go to shoots which may require you to pay for traveling arrangements or take time off of work. You need to be willing and even more importantly able, to make sacrifices knowing that they won't always pay off in the long run.

If you still think you and your baby have what it takes to pursue a modeling career, congratulations and best of luck! To make sure your baby has all the opportunities that are available, and that those opportunities are legitimate, you should consider finding a modeling agency to represent your little star. There are plenty of great modeling agencies out there, however, there is also an equal amount if not more that are out for their own monetary gain and can leave your wallets empty or even worse your baby in harm's way. Here is what you need to look for when finding an agent.

• Ask Around: If you're not sure where to start your search, you may want to consider contacting local department stores, retailers, and media companies (radio and television) to find out what agencies they use. Large businesses will most likely enjoy the work of experienced agents who don't make it a habit of ripping parents off. Keep a list of names, contacts and other information that the stores give you. If you find that there is one or two that keep popping up on the list, consider calling those places first.
• Accreditation: It's important to make sure any agency you considering taking your child to is well accredited. A modeling agency is no different from any other type of business and therefore you should be able to verify their integrity by checking with the Better Business Bureau. If you already have a few agencies in mind check with the BBB to find out if they are credible. If you're not sure where to start, ask them for a list of baby modeling or just modeling agencies in your area.
• Never Pay Upfront: If the modeling agency you are considering requires you to pay upfront then walk right back out the door. A modeling agency will never require you to pay up front and ones that do are often illegitimate and out to get your hard earned cash. The majority, if not all modeling agencies, operate on a commission basis, which means when your baby gets the job, they get paid.
• Bring Your Own Photos: While you may want to go to your local photography center and get some professional pictures of your baby taken to use in a portfolio, the agency its self will never require you to pay for your child to get pictures. Once again, if this happens the company is most likely not legitimate and only wants your money. Walk away quickly before your pockets are emptied.
• Practice Caution: If you go to an agency and it doesn't feel right, leave. Your instincts are usually a good way to judge an agency and if you're not comfortable then chances are something is not right. This is also true for internet modeling agencies. In today's day and age there are many people out there who want to take your money or exploit your child. Make sure that the people you're exposing your children too are not out to hurt them and are working for a legitimate business.