As Young YouTube And Social Media Stars Captivate Viewers, Their Mothers Stay Close By

By 09/14/2016
As Young YouTube And Social Media Stars Captivate Viewers, Their Mothers Stay Close By

[Editor’s note: The interviews for this article were conducted several months ago, and the lives of both the creators we talked to have changed significantly since then. Jessie Paege, for example, is currently touring the US as part of Fullscreen’s Girls Night In. Even so, we think this is a story worth sharing — so we’re presenting it to you.]

As the online video industry continues to grow and diversify itself across multiple platforms, digital stardom becomes increasingly easier to achieve. One result of those diminished barriers is that teen and tween creators, spurned on by their bright eyes, strong ambitions, and innate ability to connect with their equally-young fans, are finding success in great numbers.

The average age of popular social media personalities seems to be getting smaller with each passing year. A decade ago, a group of twentysomethings turned YouTube into one of the entertainment industry’s most significant forces. Seven years after that, Vine offered a platform where teenagers like Cameron Dallas and Shawn Mendes could rule. On one of the latest hot platforms, YouNow, being under 20 is practically a requirement for stardom.

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This influx of young talent has allowed the Internet to house content that Hollywood, which routinely fills high school movies with actors who are too old to look the part, could never produce. At the same time, it also put a lot of power, influence, and responsibility in the hands of creators who may lack the life experience needed to handle the pressure thrust upon them.

How do teenage online video stars manage their careers while still keeping up with schoolwork and maintaining active social lives? And where do they turn for guidance when the going gets tough?

For many of them, their parents are part of the answer. Depending on the creator, parents can serve a number of different roles, ranging from manager to business advisor to support system. In order to get an idea of the ways in which the bond between parent and child extends to the online video world, we checked in with a few moms whose children have found success on the web.

A Very Special Hobby

For viewers, the life of a social media personality can seem special and glamorous, but for many parents of those personalities, life on the Internet is just another the same as any other passion their child pursues.

“I have always supported her, since day one,” says Lynelle, the mother of 17-year-old fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and DIY vlogger Jessie Paege. “I went with her when she wanted to go to her first BeautyCon. I also help her film when she needs it. I feel that if your child expresses a true passion for something, that you should support it, whether it is sports, filming, writing, or anything else.”

It’s not just Lynelle who treats digital content creation like any other hobby. As Jessie shared with Tubefilter, she too has a humble idea of what she is accomplishing online. “My life is pretty normal otherwise,” she said. “I have to do chores and homework. I have stress and my room is never clean.”

Of course, as much as some digital stars and their parents would like to frame videomaking as a mere passion, there are certainly parts of that experience that don’t show up for every teenager. Take the example of Dylan Dauzat, an 18-year-old vlogger with more than 625,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel.

In 2015, Dylan was one of the creators who embarked on The Digitour, and his mother Laurie joined him on his cross-country voyage. During that journey, she watched on as her son was idolized by thousands of attendees. “It’s all just been very surreal seeing so many amazing fans cheering him on, screaming for his attention and even crying just to be in his presence,” she told Tubefilter. “I have fun with it, enjoy the experience, and go with the flow.”

We asked Dylan if that unique situation caused any awkwardness to enter into the close bond he has with Laurie, but the young star instead looked at that question from a different point of view. “It’s…interesting, for a lack of better words,” he said of his relationship with his mother on the road. “It never gets awkward, but I care about her so much that it is sometimes a distraction. I always want to be sure she is taken care of and doing alright, so that, on top of making sure I am doing what I am supposed to do, can be stressful.” Ultimately, they are a close-knit unit, and Dylan refers to his mother as “a huge influence on my career” and “a really fun source of inspiration.”

The High School Question

Life as a teenage social media star presents challenges not just for parents, but for the stars themselves. Paege and Dauzat (both of whom are represented by Scale Management) have taken different approaches to the question of education: How can someone who films, edits, and uploads several videos per week have enough time for their schoolwork?

For Paege, a big presence on the Internet has not prevented her from keeping up with her schoolwork. She always makes sure to finish her scholastic assignments first before working on her YouTube videos. While she admits it “can be really difficult to balance the two at times,” she feels she is now used to the routine. “Jessie is amazing at balancing her schedule,” her mom tells Tubefilter. “I really do not play a role in it at all. She is so self motivated which makes it really easy on me.”

Dauzat’s school life, on the other hand, has been more affected by his burgeoning career. “For my whole life, up until a few months ago, I have been going to a private school down the road from my house,” he told Tubefilter. “However, since my life has gotten so busy, there was absolutely no way to keep up with it. That’s when I made the switch to online schooling, which I am currently enrolled in.”

By switching to an academic option that better fit his schedule, Dauzat created the opportunity for a major career move. He recently completed a move from Louisiana to Los Angeles, which has brought him closer to his colleagues in the online video community. In the capital city of digital entertainment, Dauzat will now be able to build a bigger collaborative portfolio while also expanding his network.

Leaving The Nest

While it may be a boon to his professional life, Dauzat’s move to LA is a test for his relationship with his family. Despite the fact that they are now separated by so much territory, both mother and child are optimistic that the bond they share will not waver. “She really wasn’t for it at first,” said Dauzat of his his recent life decision, “but after lots of discussions with her, she is now supporting it!”

Laurie backed up this sentiment with her own words. “I don’t feel like it’ll be a negative change, if anything it should take on a very positive change,” she said. “I feel like with him being away, we’ll always have so many conversations and facetimes to look forward to discussing his new life in Cali and all his new and exciting opportunities! Plus, we have always been close and no distance will ever change that.”

In the end, raising a child who achieves extraordinary social media success requires the same combination of love, encouragement, and support that goes into any parenting experience. Laurie and Lynelle have faced extraordinary circumstances, but they have responded as any good parent would.

“[Dylan’s] career in social media took him away a little sooner then I had expected and that was a rough transition for me,” said Laurie. “I’m definitely used to it now and I know I don’t have to worry, because God is watching over my boy and doing mighty things with his life.”

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