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We asked Momlogic contributor, Dr. Shannon Fox, for her take on what is wrong with these show biz parents:
In general, I question how these parents choose to put their kids in the business in the first place. It's pretty obvious what Hollywood does to young people -- it chews them up and spits them out. The rules of Hollywood families are very different than for the average family. Here are some of the reasons why...
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The power dynamic between parents and children shifts. The child is making more money than the parents. Parents are asking their children what they want to do with their careers. In many situations, the parents work for their children, who are younger than 18. They are the bread and butter of the family. Parents may not say no to an opportunity that may be damaging to the child. How are they supposed to punish their bread-winning children for acting out? 'Miley. You're grounded! You cannot perform at your concert tonight.'
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There are a lot of "Yes" people around them. Normally, parents set the boundaries for their children, but child stars have handlers, managers, publicists and agents making decisions for them. In addition, these people may second guess the parents' decisions -- it's parenting by committee.
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The child stars' image is decided for them. Adolescence is normally a time when teenagers get to explore what they like, what they want to do and who they want to be. These celebrity kids never had that option. Once they have more freedom from "the Hollywood machine" (their contract, agent's agenda, etc.), they often rebel against the image that was created for them.
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Stage parents set the precedent that the child is the center of the universe. The whole family may move to LA or New York to be closer to auditions. Everybody's daily schedule is determined by the child's audition and filming. The parents' career is put on the back burner, given up all together, or becomes an accessory to their child's career.
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