• The issue:  Self-doubt.

• The issue: Rebellion.

As part of the human maturation process, children become teens and push their boundaries to become more independent. When they push too hard, we call this rebellion. Three big problems of the child star are 

• that their rebellion or 'acting out' is on full view in public (and on social media, usually!) 
• that some in the village are making big bucks on the child or teen's careers and news stories. 
• the child can come to believe they're too valuable to have to be accountable to anyone
• What the village can do:

A rebellious young person sometimes needs the opposite of 'friendship' from the Village... they need to be held accountable by loving adults who are willing to speak truth and apply tough-love. If that doesn't work, get the child/teen professional counseling. If that distances the kid for a while, or even a few years, do it anyway for long-run success. All children - even uber-smart-creative ones - need safe boundaries to push against. BUT THAT SAID, be careful not to draw the child's boundaries too tightly. Many times, creative children are gifted differently, have personalities difficult for you to relate to and need the freedom to express themselves and reach for other goals and careers than you may want for them. Ask yourself, are you drawing their boundaries for THEIR protection or for YOUR need to control? Keep them safe, but encourage them towards their own uniqueness, independence and ultimate inter-dependence of adulthood. Gradually open up their boundaries and let them fly!

• The issue: Fame/Failure.

Fame is a dangerous blessing, especially when it comes early. Without staying close to a small trustable circle of accountability to whom an artist will listen, there is danger that phenomenal success and fan worship status can lead them into adult narcissism, personal emptiness and artistic uselessness. Loretta Lynn once said 'you're in trouble when you start believing your own press'. In this artist-worshiping culture, a talented young person is often lifted up to great heights, and then dropped like a sack of unwanted garbage for no logical reason. Tabloids sell the perverse pleasure of watching the fall... and witnessing the train-wreck spectacle the young person becomes.

• What the village can do:

Failure can teach a growing soul the most important things -often better than success can. But a young person needs to be taught how to gracefully and safely fail. We can be the safety net... with the message that a person's worth is not in what they 'do' but in who they  'are'. They need to know that when they 'act out', they will be held accountable with correction and discipline, but also that without a doubt they are unconditionally loved by their close village. I would suggest that even with some bullying, failures, mistakes and public derision, young Taylor Swift and her village have turned her into a hero - a positive young role model - for her demographics. May she stay safe from her own success.

• The issue: Exploitation.

 Children are easy prey. They cannot be expected to have the skills to protect themselves financially, sexually, emotionally. Especially with 'perfectionist' children who want to please, there is terrible opportunity for exploitation of the young in the performance arts.

• What the village can do:

We must watch over and train our charges. We must talk among ourselves, reporting any abuse we think we see, no matter what it might cost the child's career. A beautiful photoshoot is one thing, but when a child's album cover approaches soft porn, why are we surprised at the kind of 'attention' it elicits?

• The issue: Overprotection.

Truly gifted and self-driven children NEED to be able to express themselves creatively. Overprotecting and overcontrolling them can hurt their development and trying to discourage them from following their dreams and their heart and their callings can cause depression and dangerous self-sabotaging behaviors to set in. 

• What the village can do:  

Listen deeply and observe the child. What do they really need to be able to do to fully develop into the person they were born to be? Nurture their gifts; teach them how to persist and practice for something they've chosen to do or audition for (always watching your own motivations). Help them balance their responsibilities, study and aspirations with playtime, daydream-time and laughter. Remember that even if they DO become doctors, lawyers or CEOs, they still need to create in the giftings they have to be fulfilled and happy in life. Music does all kinds of things for the mind and spirit. The arts are not 'extra' .. they are of primary importance to humanity, and definitely to our young humans.