Too Young for Fame?

Seeing this topic and my head immediately went straight to the popular skit makers, Mark Angel and Emmanuela Comedy.

The duo are quite popular in the Nigerian social media and blogging space. Seeing Emmanuella's growth over the years has been quite intreguing.

She started making comedy videos at a very young age, around 5 years old and swiftly her carrier propelled and now she is 14 and an astonishing young girl and influencer to be bred from Nigeria.

When I think about examples like that, it becomes difficult for me to completely oppose children becoming influencers.

I believe anyone and any age group can be rich and famous. Everything in life has a risk attached to it and it all boils down to how its being managed. The real issue is not necessarily the fame itself but how that fame is managed. Even adults struggle with fame sometimes.

A good example is Justin Bieber. He became famous at a pretty young age and later spoke out about the challenges he faced while growing up under the spotlight. He felt the disadvantage of being rich and famous at an early age. I could hear the pain in his voice and lyrics when he dropped the song "Lonely". Fame brought him opportunities but it also came with pressure that most children never have to deal with.

There are parents that have a good eye and are able to sense the talent displayed by their kids and then decide to put them out early on social media so they can get noticed and opportunites could find them early enough. I see nothing wrong in kids becoming influeners.

However, there are lines that shouldn't be crossed. A child's education should not be sacrificed for content creation.

It's a good thing to identify talent early maybe help that child to become an influencer but as long as that child is managed by a responsible parent and even with the fame, that child is still allowed to enjoy his childhood, his formal education musn't be compromised and discipline is still instilled in the child.

On the other side of the coin, there are also some cases I have come across that it's so apparent that the parent is just chasing clout and wants to exploit that child. Parents these days see their kids doing something embarassing or want to discipline their child and boom, they pick up a camera to record and then post on social media to get likes and engagement. Instead of correcting the child privately, the camera comes out first. I have even seen cases where the child ends up attracting attention from bloggers and somehow just become influencers.

Children are too young to fully understand the consequences of having their lives permanently displayed online. A video that seems funny today may become something they regret years later.

As a parent, if you notice that your child is gifted in acting, comedy, dancing, singing, sports, or content creation you an decide to expose them to opportunities early. I honestly see nothing wrong with that. A child being an influncer isn't bad. Fame could be a blessing as long as its being handled responslibly.

✨ Hive Learners Prompt Week 220 Episode 03: KID INFLUENCERS