[KHTS] – The Brady Bunch’s youngest daughter, Cindy, played by Susan Olsen, stopped in the KHTS radio studio for the “Friday Matinee” show with T. Katz and George Cummings to discuss her experiences while teaching in the Santa Clarita Valley.

The Santa Clarita resident, artist, actress and mother teaches child acting at Vibe Performing Arts Studios in the Valencia Plaza on Lyons Avenue.

Olsen as Cindy on “The Brady Bunch.”

While Olsen said she had reservations about teaching children how to act, at the end of the day she felt compelled to.

“It would have been unnatural for me to not do it,” she said. “I firmly believe it would be cruel to not let me do my job.”

The bottom line, Olsen said, is that acting can benefit children by helping them gain confidence, and if that leads to an acting career, that’s not necessarily a negative thing.

“Some kids are so adult, so capable, if they want a job and they can handle it, by all means,” she said. “The horror stories – 9 out of 10 times it’s the parents.”

Olsen hasn’t dealt with the infamous “stage mom,” and she thinks the idea that these parents are always driving their kids all over town trying to get them auditions at any cost is more of a myth.

Susan Olsen (center) is flanked by George Cummings and T Katz.

“I’m lucky because I have Santa Clarita people and they’re normal, I think they would like for their kids to work professionally but they’re also just happy with their kids,” she said. “Some bring them in just to help them with their shyness.”

However, Olsen did warn that professional acting can be especially tough on children.

“I teach kids that if you get a job, children have to act more adult than the adults because if something goes wrong, you’re the first to blame,” Olsen said.

To listen to the entire interview visit our Friday Matinee page.

Olsen teaches a beginners class for children ages 6 to 12 years old, a professional kids class for the same age group who have experience or who have already taken the beginners class, and a teenage class. She added that she will sometimes put younger kids in the teenage class if they have experience and are mature because it gives them a little challenge.

And if you’re a Brady Bunch fan and would like to learn more about where they are now and see some of the Brady family in person, there will be a Brady Bunch Reunion in August.