Journal Essay Contest: Child Actors

[BlazzinBebe88]

What are your views on children being filmed for reality TV? Do you think they should be paid separately from the parents? Do you feel the show helps their life for the positive or the negative?

My views on children being on television are not that big. It's a fairly simple system - if you are going to put your children on YOUR reality t.v. show than it's only fair that every bit of money going towards them is locked up for THEM until they are 18 years old and not allowed to be touched or spent on/by the parents.

YES! They should be paid separately from the parents - for MANY reasons! For starters most of the children on these reality shows do not have a say if they WANT to be filmed or not - no one knows what goes on behind closed doors and shut lenses. Whether they say they want to or not. That money that they are being paid 100 percent SHOULD go towards the child. They go through ALOT being on t.v. and growing up on t.v. I am sure it's not an easy thing!

I am sure there are ways that reality t.v. can help their life for the positive, as well as the negative. Being up front like that being watched by millions of people on a daily/weekly basis is crazy! And once they know what is going on it can go for the bad or the good. Some children can lash out, not want to be a part of it but be forced too. Some realize all the money that *should* be theirs is inevitably going to their parent(s). Some get involved too much in the hollywood aspect as it can take over their lives and they become in the sex, drugs and alcohol side of being a 'star'. Some however can conform to the positive part of it - play their part in a good way and not let it overcome and rule their lives. It can make them more outgoing, popular and happy. Who knows.

I guess when it happens it happens and you have to take the turn for the better, and if you are a parent in the position than do your children some good and save their money - don't spend it! I mean, if we didn't have children in reality t.v. than we would lose some dang good shows!