Is it ego that drives parents to put their kid in show biz?

I was saddened today to hear Corey Haim was found dead of an apparent drug overdose. He is just one more in a string of child stars to have met an early demise. It got me to wondering why anyone would let their kids become actors as children. I am pretty sure that no matter how much they begged, I would not let any of the boys be in the movies.