One of the toughest balancing acts a showbiz family must master is the education of their acting child. A full time career and a full time schooling schedule would be tough for anyone, much less an 8 year old! Transitioning from regular school to the set and back again is hard as well.
The good news is that while our kids have big demands on their time with jobs, auditions, and other commitments, there are more choices in the educational world than ever before. Working in the industry and getting a rock solid education IS possible with planning and commitment.
History tells us that education is the single most important factor affecting a child actor’s ability to transition into the real world when their childhood career is over. Many child stars went to Ivy League colleges and either continued to act, moved behind the camera, or created their own production companies. Think Fred Savage, Jodie Foster, Ron Howard, Danica McKellar or Brooke Shields. Each of them have stated that it was their parents commitment to education, and the fact that they were prepared for success in college, that made their transition to an adult career possible. Because they had kept up in their elementary and secondary education, they had options available to them when they were 18.
BizParentz knows we all want the best for our children now and in their future, but figuring out how to keep things in balance can be hard. Choosing the best educational environment for their learning style is important, be it public school, homeschool, or private school. While showbiz schedules are a necessary consideration, they shouldn’t become the major factor in educational decisions or a hinderance to education.
In this area of the website you will find information and many resources related to education. This is an area that is constantly changing, and we encourage you to share with us any experiences you may have that are not covered here (both positive and negative).