Three and half years into parenthood and it seems like I’ve done everything I would never do as a parent. My kid has tried McDonalds. The Hollywood career is on the back burner. I’m a stay at home mom. My social media sites are saturated with pics and tales of my child. I shop at GapKids. I had an expensive stroller and now… I am stage mom.
Today Jaxon had his very first official job with a major brand. Yes, a few months ago I got my kid an agent, shot some headshots and three auditions in Jax booked a gig. I signed in my three year old 15 minutes before his call time. I watched him go through wardrobe, Hair/Make Up and then get walked onto a hot set to model a costume in a cute enough fashion that hundreds of people would be provoked to buy it for their kid. Who am I?! I remember being on set one day with little kids and seeing the crazy stage moms and thinking, seriously?! I listened to them pump up their kids and give them the wrong kind of direction. I watched them pump their kids full of juice, fruit and candy to make sure they are on. They have larger than life bags and they are all dressed in cardigans and either too much make up or not enough. Today, I became that mom. Now I didn’t do all these stereotypical things, but I was wearing a cardigan and I did have a larger than life bag.
I’ve actually been very calm and easy about this whole process. I know how the industry is so I haven’t made a very big deal out of it. Plus I know how moody my son is, I mean this may not even go well. He may clam up. He may be confused. He may not listen. Surprisingly, having this frame of mind actually made it easier to get through the shoot. When they brought us on to set for his turn I was pretty chill, I didn’t have any expectations because he had never done this before. Well, wouldn’t you know that he not only walked on with confidence and introduced himself, but he hit his mark AND was totally acting! I swear I started to hear a cash register open up and the memory of Rosalind Russell playing Mama Rose washed over…This Kid’s A Gold Mine!! HAHAHA!!
Okay, but on a serious note, I think I’ve opened up Pandora’s Entertainment Box because the kid is good and he had fun. I’m really not sure whether to be excited or scared!