Every parent is a bit of a show-off when it comes to his or her children. And try as you might, it's hard not to want to flaunt your baby to the whole world. From the mother who posts a "baby and me" snap as her profile picture on Facebook (guilty as charged) to the father who jokes about his son's antics with his friends, we are waiting for the world to discover this little treasure, our very own baby.
A case in point is the country-wide "Be the Next Babyshop Star" contest launched this April, inviting children between 1 and 12 to "walk the ramp and be the Babyshop catalogue star this winter". When registrations closed earlier this month, the contest had received 6,200 entries, a response that company CEO Vinod Talreja termed "overwhelming".
"We have always received requests from our customers to use their children's photos in our catalogues. Often, people send in their children's photos or even drop them off at our stores," Talreja said. The kids' modeling contest is the company's attempt to provide the public with a formal platform to indulge their aspirations.
According to Talreja, the highest number of submissions is in the 1-2 age group, and this probably underlines how eager parents are to show off their little ones. "Every parent sees their children as budding stars; this contest will just help them fulfil their dream," he said.
Lure of modelling
But when does gentle prod become pushy? And do fashion contests and shows for children lead to an obsession with looks early on?
Mirna Al Kadi and Hyku Desesto-Tacao are two Dubai mums, of different ages, nationalities and professions. However, what they have in common is a higher-than-average personal style quotient and a zeal for dressing up their children. Both make no bones about the fact that they would love to see their children taking part in fashion shows and contests such as the Babyshop campaign.
Al Kadi, mother of 3-year-old Tina and 1-year-old Roy, is from Lebanon and works for an oil company in Dubai. "Yes, of course I'd love to see my daughter modelling. In fact, I've been trying to get hold of an agency that can help me out," she said.
Desesto-Tacao, an events photographer and digital retoucher from the Philippines, is as enthusiastic about seeing her 2-year-old son become a child model. Both mothers feel walking the ramp will make their children more confident and help them mingle more easily with others.
However, this is as much about them as about their children. "All mothers see their children as pretty and cute, and want others to see it too," Al Kadi said.
Desesto-Tacao said: "I love it when people appreciate my son and say he looks handsome. It's like they are appreciating me too."
Ensuring that her son dresses in style is important to Desesto-Tacao, who spends about Dh500-Dh1,000 a month on his clothes, shoes and haircut. The Filipina jokes about being at loggerheads with her mother over her son's looks. "When I dress my son in skinny jeans, my mother says he looks too thin. I tell her ‘it's in style!'"
Desesto-Tacao is steering clear of the big brands for now. "They're not practical. Kids outgrow clothes so fast. I'll get him a Ralph Lauren top when my son wants it. Not now."
Al Kadi is not very brand-conscious either. "If I find something that looks nice but is not branded, I'd still go for it. But I am very brand-conscious where shoes are concerned and will never buy cheap models."
Before you conclude it's all pushy mothers and reluctant tots, hear out Amorita George, a 9-year-old Dubai student who loves "walking the ramp" — albeit at home — in her mother's clothes. She would have loved to take part in the Babyshop model hunt, terming it "a good opportunity", but unfortunately her mother said no.
I asked her whether she liked wearing make-up. "I love make-up," was her enthusiastic reply, "but I only play with it at home."
Amorita provided a glimpse into how conscious girls her age are about their looks. "Most of them complain about being fat. Some even take drastic measures — sometimes they barely eat anything … but after a day or two things go back to normal."
Over to the experts
Wanting to wear pretty clothes, dabbing on a bit of make-up and spiking up your hair are all part of growing up, and very endearing to watch. But when is it cause for alarm?
tabloid! on Saturday spoke to Dr Jyothish George, specialist dermatologist and medical director, Prime Medical Centre, Jumeirah, and Dubai-based counselling psychologist Ann Kuis.
When asked to comment on children using a lot of make-up, Dr George said: "Honestly speaking, it's not advisable, because most of the cosmetic products in the market are not made for children's skin. They may cause skin allergies, reactions and might even trigger acne. If continued for a long time, they may clog skin pores, especially if the products are not non-comedogenic. It can also cause skin to dry out."
On the mental toll child modelling might take, Ann Kuis said she believes it's important that parents assess the reasons for letting their child get into modelling. "Is it to help build the child's self-esteem and confidence or to boost the parents' own egos? Parents need to seriously consider if their child can handle being the centre of attention, being in the spotlight and not always being ‘the chosen one'," Kuis said. She also stressed that as soon as it is evident that a child is not having fun, they should be allowed to discontinue.
"As much as modelling may deliver a boost of confidence to the child, it can also convey the message that achievement is dependent on looks and body image," Kuis added.
Living in a society obsessed with looks, how long can you shield children from being influenced by the images they see in print and television, and on huge billboards dotting highways, let alone what they see and experience among their peers?
A while back, snaps of 5-year-old Suri Cruise, daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, walking the beach in strappy gold high heels made it to tabloid pages. She reportedly has a wardrobe full of designer clothes, shoes and handbags worth more than Dh10 million. Already dabbling in various kinds of make-up, Suri is said to use pink lipstick during the day and red at night.
Is it any surprise, then, that in the UK a makeover and manicure salon for 3-year-olds is generating controversy but also attracting customers? Parents bring their daughters and friends to Trendy Monkeys to get facials, make-up and hair done in what they see as merely an extension of playing dress-up at home.
"Children are definitely driven by mass media," Talreja said. "An entire industry depends on their preference for merchandise, accessories and toys associated with their favourite cartoon characters. The media is becoming increasingly impactful and we see younger children making their own choices about what they wear and buy."
At 22, Desesto-Tacao might be more in tune with the younger generation but even she agrees that children these days are growing up double quick. "We have to accept that they are maturing very fast. Even if you don't want to teach them about make-up and fashion, they see it everywhere and they'll pick it up," she said.
So rather than letting children experiment on the sly, Desesto-Tacao urges parents to be a friend and a guide. "If you contradict them, you're the bad person. So be a friend, rather than a parent, and teach your child how to go about stuff such as make-up and dressing up. Then maybe you can try telling them that this is not the time and that they can do it when they get older."
Al Kadi also feels that it's up to the parent to ensure his or her child gets every opportunity to experience their childhood in all its innocence.
"I don't want my children to grow up fast but to be their age," she said. So while she might allow make-up if it's for an advertisement or a photo-shoot, it's a strict no-no to makeovers. "I certainly don't see it as a fun thing."
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"It's a lot of fun!"
About three years ago Svetlana Nistar, a Grade 5 student in Dubai, went up to her mother and asked if she could become a child model. "I used to see kids in magazines wearing nice clothes and looking pretty, and I wanted to do the same."
Svetlana's mother Roshni didn't want to hold her back. Coincidentally, around this time a Gulf News article appeared about a Dubai policeman who was into modelling. "He was with Bareface and so I Googled them."
Some seven months later, Svetlana, represented by Bareface, won her first advertisement, for HSBC. Another for Qatar telecommunications company Qtel followed, and most recently Svetlana completed her third advertisement, this time for du.
"Modelling is quite hard but since I've been doing it for some time now, I feel it's getting easier. It has built up my confidence," Svetlana says. Tough it might be, but, says the 10-year-old, "it's fun doing it. It's really a lot of fun."
With the money she earns, she buys a lot of books, some clothes and things for her room.
For shoots, Svetlana says very little make-up is used — "just a little lip balm" — but in real life, she likes putting on "eye shadow, lip gloss and blush".
"I choose the colours," Svetlana says, "but my mother will tell me if it's OK and will rub it off if it's a little too much."
Has modelling made Svetlana image-conscious? "Sort of," she admits. "Like I would feel embarrassed if my hair were messy and out of place."
Has it made you conscious of your diet?
"I've started a bit of dieting now," Svetlana says. "I'm not eating as much rice as before."
Her mother adds that the dieting is more of a healthy eating plan that "I would have recommended even if she were not into modelling".
Although her parents want her to quit once she enters her teens, Svetlana says: "I want to continue as long as I'm having fun."
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What it takes to be a child model
Laila Esmail, senior booker, cast and kids, and Roshni Ramesh, model booker, who handle the child model section, at Bareface Talent Agency in Dubai Media City, reveal what they look for, to tabloid! on Saturday.
What do you look for in a child model?
Children who are comfortable in front of the camera; talented kids who enjoy performing, acting, singing and dancing.
Once you sign on a child, how do you go about representing them?
We create an online portfolio on our website, www.bareface.com, and put them forward for suitable shoots according to the briefs we receive from clients. A client may want to see the kids for a casting to ensure they are the best for the job and can perform in front of the camera.
How many child models do you have and what's the age group like?
At present we have about 140 kids visible on our website. The age group is 3-12. Kids under 3 don't go on the website; however, we do represent babies and keep their images on file.
Do you use a lot of make-up for children on shoots?
Kids on shoots are generally for lifestyle shoots/family shoots and therefore cosmetics are minimal. We definitely believe in letting children be.
Do you see children becoming very conscious of their looks and body image at a very young age when they take part in fashion shows and advertisement campaigns?
I would say no. The kids we represent aren't body-conscious. They want to do it because it's fun; if they are not enjoying it, then at such a young age I would recommend that parents not push them. As a kid it's all about enjoying the shoot/fashion show.
— Maria E. Kallukaren is a UAE-based freelance writer
