The image of six-year-old Jan-Jan Suan, crying while gyrating like a macho dancer in Willie Revillame's TV show, "Willing Willie," looms large once more, now that the MTRCB (Movie and Television Review and Classification Board) has slapped a one-month suspension on the show.
And now that the dust has settled somehow, the lessons continue to haunt us. They force us to take a closer look at child stars and performers once more. It makes us examine how we're treating these innocent ones who have no choice but look to older people for protection.
Are networks protecting them or pushing them deeper into a quagmire they may not get out of? Are they pawns -- of networks or lazy, ambitious parents -- or typical children who think acting in front of the cameras is what else — child's play?
Abnormal venue
Showbiz psychologist Dr. Randy Dellosa has not-so-good news.
"The entertainment industry is an adult-oriented work environment and therefore an abnormal venue for children to grow up in," he observes.
Thus, little ones who eke out a living in this industry suffer the same frustrations and pressures their adult counterparts do. Children feel the heat when people pit them against other young stars in the name of intrigue. Very young showbiz wannabes who audition and fail to get the nod in reality talent shows, Dellosa continues, feel a big blow in much the same way their elders do.
Another source of pressure, he adds, is acting out adult scenes and situations. What does the child know of violence, death, sex, etc.? And yet, he is made to act out scenes surrounding these issues.
Dellosa warns that this "creates a damaging impact on their minds which may affect their personalities as they grow up."
Now, do you wonder why some child stars grow up regretting their lost childhood in their pursuit of fame and fortune?
'Child Star Syndrome'
Dellosa points out that the whole thing is called the "Child Star Syndrome." Its symptoms are achingly familiar. The former child star turns into a major problem. He becomes rebellious teenager, suffers eating and anxiety disorders, turns to drugs and alcohol and gets very depressed.
Once they grow up, Dellosa says, they are forced to adapt to the harsher experiences of the real world. Some can't accept the fact that they're no longer the center of attention. A younger, cuter child is. And the truth hurts.
Others, adds Dellosa feel trapped in a goody two-shoes image. They can't be themselves.
What can the parents, and the network do? Dellosa offers suggestions.
"Parents must make sure showbiz is merely an `extra-curricular activity'. They also must make sure it doesn't create undue stress or pressure on the children, and should not keep them from leading balanced lives."
TV hosts, he goes on, must be more sensitive to their guests and everything that happens on the show. Dellosa thinks a good TV host must take charge whenever something is getting out of hand on stage. He must respect age-appropriate games or activities.
As for the all-powerful networks, Dellosa is all out for values education, spiritual formation, sensitivity training and personal growth programs for young talents. Sadly though, he notes that life coaching and counseling services are hardly offered to stars despite the pressure they're going through.
Help Jan-Jan
For now, Dellosa says Jan-Jan may not even understand what all the fuss around him is all about. But it's wrong to think he doesn't need help.
Dellosa insists someone must help Jan-Jan make sense of what's happening. Someone must help him overcome guilt, shame and humiliation. His classmates, playmates and even cruel adults will still ridicule him. And Jan-Jan must learn how to deal with this.
Finally, someone must check on him for signs of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress and psychosomatic illnesses.
The issue has become a wake-up call for networks. ABS-CBN is drafting a child protection handbook that will apply to minors and news coverage on children. TV5 has its Guidelines on the Treatment of Children as Viewers, Subjects, Talents or Participants. A child psychologist will make sure these guidelines are followed. The network has vowed to assign a child welfare coordinator in every stage of production. It will also hold regular seminars and sensitivity training sessions for its talents and employees.
Let's hope these measures are not just band-aid solutions. Let's hope they last. And make life a little better for the little children who are sometimes victims of parents hungry for fame and fortune.
from their growth group activity, the lesson that surfaced was this: 
our needs for acceptance, acknowledgment, and affirmation aren't always going to be met by the people who we would like to receive them from. 
but just because our needs may never get met by these people who matter to us, it shouldn't stop us from being kind, loving, and concerned towards them. 
thanks dianne, marc, marie franz, merwin, michael, and miguel! i truly enjoyed our session :D
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what i basically shared was that michael jackson's facial transmogrification may have been due to a psychiatric condition known as "body dysmorphic disorder." 
to a family friend, michael admitted that as a teenager, his nose was so large that people didn't recognize him to be the cute little child star that they had known. he felt that people had rejected him for his looks and vowed to make people "love him again." 
of course, there are other factors that may have contributed to michael's odd personality and his body dysmorphic disorder. first, he was emotionally and physically abused by his father. second, his superstardom as a child deprived him of the usual developmental experiences of childhood. third, he probably suffered from chronic major depression since he reported experiencing an overwhelming sense of loneliness and alienation as he was growing up as a teenager. fourth, gender identity confusion and and a forbidden sexual attraction to young male children may have been issues festering in the attic of his psyche. fifth, he probably feared that he may never equal or surpass the previous successes he had achieved. sixth, as with all people with a peter pan complex, he may have been struggling with the inevitable onslaught of the aging process. and lastly, he also suffered from chronic pain disorder with a concurrent addiction to painkillers. 
and here are some renditions of michael jackson if he lived on to a ripe old age, with all the surgeries he's had:
with all these said, it is only fair to acknowledge the "familiar side" of michael. despite all flaws as a person, the legendary michael jackson will forever be loved and remembered for his creative genius which has inspired the artistic pursuits and development of many.
and below, you'll see the emotional themes, alliances, and conflicts of her family become apparent:
this is a simple activity, and yet it commonly elicits deep emotions, understanding, a sense of healing and empowerment not only for the client, but for all participants as well.
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He also thinks that this trend is more evident today because Filipinos have been repressed for so long. There were expectations to conform and not to speak up. “Historically, nandun na rin yung martial law, which was very repressive and pushed for conformity. After the 1980’s, nung nawala na si Marcos doon nag-boom yung opportunities for self-expression,” he relates.
In one of the programs for breast cancer survivors at Doc Randy's Wellness Center, survivors are asked to focus on their breasts and allow spontaneous imagery to surface. They express this imagery on paper, then they're encouraged to release their emotions. 
Doc Randy notes, "If we change the imagery in our minds, then it has an effect on our body, mind, and emotions. There are theorists who say that stress has a lot to do with developing cancer.... So we use art therapy to strengthen the immune system."
