“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”  “A chip off the old block.”  “Like father, like son.”

They say that children are often like their parents in many ways.  Depending on the parent, that may or may not be a good thing.  And if you’re the child of a celebrity, you’re typically scrutinized more than the average kid, and often held to a higher standard just because of who your father or mother is.

This is especially true in the entertainment industry when Mom or Dad is a national or international star, and truer still if the son or daughter chooses a career in the same profession.

“Children of celebrities are often given special attention not for who they are, but for who their parents are,” said John Altman, an L.A.-based psychiatrist who has treated many stars’ children.  “They may feel they’ll never be able to measure up to this hyper-idealized version of the famous parent.”  Added psychiatrist Carole Lieberman, “The child becomes interesting to us simply due to their genes, and the media feed this interest.  Some offspring develop problems over this, but many lead normal, well-adjusted lives, even when they become celebrities themselves.”

In the popular music arena, we have many compelling stories of children of rock stars who also pursued careers in music, with varying degrees of fame or success. Read More