Baby Modelling: Yay Or Nay?

Isabelle and I entered the world of baby modelling this week! Before you wince, it was a promotional photoshoot for our local cloth nappy library to help raise awareness of the ease of use of modern cloth nappies in Northern Ireland. I volunteered Izzy for the cause, eager to help out and promote cloth nappy use. Of course, the "photoshoot" was very quick, and as there were four babies under 8 months and 4 toddlers, it was a bit chaotic! Isabelle quickly decided she had had enough, and she and some of the other babies made this known! Because the focus was all on the babies, nobody minded us mummies jumping in and out to comfort babies, wipe drool or whip them away when they had had enough. It was a great day out with other mums and we were paid in something better than money...a free nappy! (Courtesy of Babame)

This brief moment in the limelight (!) got me thinking about more the more serious world of baby and child modelling. A quick Google of 'baby modelling' brought up numerous agencies which offer the chance to put your little one on their books and, in exchange, they will put you forward for modelling, TV or other jobs. I must admit, I love a flick through the Next catalog to look at the gorgeous babies and kids in there, and have often wondered what number you dial to order one of them!
But what is the reality of baby modelling? A further Google search brought up a wealth of information on forums from people who's babies have been used as models, or people working in the modelling industry discussing the pros and cons of baby modelling.
Pros included little ones earning money which can be used for a child's further education; allowing a family to spend more time together as parents chaperone children to jobs; allowing children to experience new places, people and to experience new situations; and the 'pleasant' feeling parents get from seeing their kids in front of the camera.
Forgive me for saying so but, to me, those don't seem like particularly strong incentives. The reality (according to many) is that children will rarely earn enough money to pay for university. And there are many ways to spend time with your children, and expose them to new situations, other than modelling. Taking your children to the park, to family events or camping all achieve the goal of time went together, and new experiences gained.

The cons include disruption to schedules - including school for older children - for a family; the pressure put on children to 'perform' at a certain time, and the pressure put on children to look 'perfect' which could lead to body issues at a later age.
While the thought of putting pressure on Isabelle at such a young age is more than enough to turn me off the idea, the most worrying thing I read while researching baby modelling was the amount of parents who have forked out large sums of money to put their baby on a modelling agency's books, only to receive little or no work afterwards. Many tales of people paying hundreds, in some cases thousands, of pounds only to receive nothing from the 'agency' in return. Some companies make themselves sound so tempting, how can parents know if the agency they are signing up for is reputable?
Although it seems counter intuitive, many agencies recommend that if an agency has guaranteed that you will get work, they should be avoided as they just never know what work will become available. You should also question any up front costs - new legislation in October 2010 stated model agencies are not allowed to charge up front fees to potential clients. The idea is that these companies earn their money as commission from your work. That said, even some very well known and respected companies will charge a small fee to feature you on their website, especially if this is how they present your little darling to clients. This isn't thousands of pounds, and any respectable company will be happy to explain what the money is for, if asked. If you are enticed in by a "mass recruitment" drive, chances are the agency may not be reputable. Reputable agencies will have hundreds of people flocking to them, and have scouts who pick people out of crowds - they don't advertise in papers, or hold a recruitment drive or seminar. One of the best ways to find out if a company is reputable is research. Look online at their website, and search for parents who have used them. A really good company won't mind waiting a few days for you to get back to them, whereas a less than respectable company will continue to push you.

All things considered, we won't be signing Isabelle up for modelling any time soon. Obviously she is beyond gorgeous, but it is most definitely not for us as, to me, the cons definitely outweigh the pros. If you're tempted to see if your little one has what it takes, some good places to start are:
Babyshak
Scallywags
Truly Scrumptious
Elizabeth Smith
What are your views on baby modelling? Yay or nay?