Over the past twenty years, Hollywood has had a massive influx of child stars. Whether it’s childhood movie stars or social media influencers, children in entertainment careers have become increasingly more common. The question is: is childhood stardom harmful to the developing psyche?
When children are placed in the spotlight at a young age, disastrous effects can occur. Many ex-child stars have testified to the feelings of a stolen childhood and lack of a personal identity. They are forced to deal with overwhelming scrutiny as children, often leading to substance abuse issues and erratic behavior. The job of a child celebrity becomes their whole life. Managing money and keeping themselves out of public criticism becomes all-consuming because the amount of stress is much too great for a child. In addition, when children are isolated from their peers at such a critical time in their lives, they lack the basic skills ingrained into children’s minds, such as empathy and selflessness, producing self-centered adults with poor social skills.
Jennette McCurdy, famous for her roles on Nickelodeon TV shows like iCarly and Sam and Cat, recently wrote a book titled I’m Glad My Mom Died, describing the effects of her time as a child actor. She opened up about her struggles with eating disorders, addiction, and unhealthy relationships. Her mother was extremely overbearing, like most mothers of child actors, and controlled every aspect of her career. She felt trapped and was forced to live a life she never wanted. She sought outlets for control, which manifested in the form of disordered eating and substance abuse. After her mother died of cancer, she quit acting and began therapy. For years, she has been recovering from the trauma she experienced and wrote her book to highlight the abuse within the entertainment industry.
In conclusion, while childhood fame is becoming increasingly more common, it has proven to have disastrous consequences. It is important to address these issues with the industry to hold those accountable who profit off of the misery of children. Though sometimes we may be jealous of these child stars, they are not as happy as they seem. The anxiety that accompanies maintaining a positive image can increase to dangerous levels as time in the spotlight increases.
