The Aftermath
It is, without a doubt, a wonderful and very proud time when you see your child performing on a stage, on the TV, or on the radio. But there are a few drawbacks in the aftermath that you should be aware of.
- Saying Goodbye. Especially after a long term job. This is very hard on some children who form close friendships with their co-workers. Not only is the fun experience going to stop, but they won't be seeing their new friends any more. For some, the sudden end can be confusing as well as upsetting. Some older children can swap adresses and try to keep in touch, but the adults, especially, tend to get on with their careers, and may simply be unable to find the time needed for your child.
- Questions. At school, in the street, everywhere. If your child gets noticed, people may stop and ask questions - adults as well as children. The worst and most irritating one will be "How much did you earn?". My children were plagued at school with it, but not bothered, some parents however, don't tell their children what they earn, so this kind of questioning can become a problem.
- Recognition. If your child was keeping his performing life seperate from his school life, the recognition can cause some problems. Such as the realisation that your son takes dancing lessons for instance. It has not been unknown even, for some children to face bullying following the knowledge of their performing getting out.
- Jelousy. Other parents as well as their children, may become jelous of your childs success. They will feel, quite naturally, that their child is as good as yours and should have got the part instead! The best way around this is to not boast about your child and rub their faces in your success. Remember that luck had as big a part in your childs achievement as did his or her talent.
- Lack of Work. Just because your child had found success in gaining work, doesn't mean that the next job will be automatically there....some children find it hard to find other work, and it can cause some severe feelings of rejection, uselessness, disappointment, and failure. This can be especially true of older children, who are unable to fill the role(s) that they had previously been able to gain, or who are growing too old or tall for the roles available. With all the hormonal changes as well, depression can creep in, possibly unnoticed, so the situation should be handled with care and understanding.
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