07/28/2026
This career ran parallel to other careers I have covered in other reels.
Due to my exposure during my animal rescue work, my son would be "discovered" in the true sense of that word; leading to my next career: Momager.
It was the fact that I took - and publicly posted - so many photos of him with our adoptable dogs. A photographer reached out to me privately on Facebook: "can I shoot your kid?" That was Alex Kruk No charge. He styled himself, we showed up, she captured.
Little did we know what would transpire from there. By the next month he'd not only secure an agent but he'd book his first gig, his second, his third in his first week.
Suddenly, I'm learning an entire lingo: casting (audition), hold (he didn't get the job, yet), booking (he got it). Call sheets would arrive with 5am call times at 11pm. Just his first year was insane - he was starting to get recognized at auditions...my favorite time was the time I walked out of the bathroom with toilet paper hanging out of my skirt to overhear the whisper, "is that Lucas Scott?" He laughed at me, well deserved.
Through some mentorship by more seasoned "Hollywood moms," I'd learn the tricks of the trade: direct book only, frequent headshot updates, keep his Casting profiles current.
I chose to homeschool, so I never was required to hand him over to "set teachers" or child wranglers.
Craft services, ADs violating hours on set trying to hand us cash to keep my mouth shut, then cutting him from the commercial like 🤬 Using his personal clothes as wardrobe not just on him but other talent - yet he never received the styling credit he deserved. Flat tires, engine overheating on Wilma (my 1996 Volvo), but they'd hold up that commercial shoot for FOUR HOURS. That commercial performed so well, they placed into two more markets & this is when I learned about usage rights checks.
Although we've walked into and he would audition at Nickelodeon, Disney, Marvel and the like, his careered soared in print.
Agent cut 15%
Manager cut 15-25%
Coogan Account 15%
He funded his own career and when Nike called to book he said, "momma, it's your birthday. Let's take the day off." And so we did.
This career schooled me in production schedules, behind the scenes, industry terms I'd use later down the line in the career I work today. He modeled winter coats while you were in bikinis poolside, swimtrunks while you pulled out winter jackets.
(Pssst, this is WHY anyone that's ever produced anything should NOT have fallen for the C0VID-era theatrical production.)
Not only was I managing a working model's career, he was simultaneously a competitive dancer for 9 years, starred in community theatrical productions, and volunteered within his community. That's his story to tell, not mine. I was just the driver.
My favorite memory of this time is my memories with the crew; at the end of the work day, they sought me out to ask how I raised a child so "unaffected" and complimented me on his manners & work ethic and how "directable" he was. My response: "thank you. I make him clean up dog s**t in between gigs."
How did we survive the industry with one of the worst reputations?
No red carpets.
No after parties.
Home school (in the car & on sets) and the second shoot we showed up to I was told, "no parents on set - it distracts the children." So I stood up, gathered his things, grabbed his hand and we walked away - it never happened again.
