Toddlers & Tiaras

I'm sure by now most of you have heard of or seen the tv show "toddlers & tiaras".

What do you think about it?

I am a bit mortified and speechless about what these pagent moms are doing. I don't think its right for a childs development. What are your thoughts?

I absolutly love that show, I think it's interesting. I wouldn't let my child do that (Only if it's a nautral beauty pagent) no glitz. But it's the childs opinion, look at Eden Wood. She decided to retire from the pagent world. If the mom was making their child perform in pagents, then I would be angry. Most of the mothers have told thier daughters (on the show) that if they don't want to perform, then they could leave. No questions asked.

These photos are fodder for pedophiles.  The mothers's disgust me.  I can't stand that show.  Imagine the psychological damage they are causing by establishing such a need for approval in that way.

These two look like they are 35-40 year old women that have been photoshopped to look more childlike and planted on children bodies rather than being actual children.  It feels like you can almost see aging lines on the cheeks that have been faded out. so weird.
 

Originally Posted by katana /img/forum/go_quote.gif

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I think the young girls who partake in pagents enjoy some aspects of it, but there are many mothers you hear about pushing and forcing thier girls to do things they dont want to, like eyebrow waxing, leg waxing, shaving, tanning and spray tanning, botox.....I recall a mothr on the news recently who was botoxing her 8yr old at home for pagents.

This is wrong on so many levels. Such as what Diva mentioned above about perverts and weirdos, as well as the psychological "trauma" to a young girl who is supposed to be having fun as a child, getting dirty, playing wth dolls and friends.

I don't think it is right to teach these young girls that they should be competing with one another for "most beautiful" and that they must be heavily made up and paraded around to accomplish that.

I would think these girls would grow up with an even more skewed idea of what their role is in society.

@Annelle your right, some of these girls really do look like miniature versions of glamourized women.

Why put so much attention on how a young child looks?

Shouldn't parents focus more on the child's math skills, social interaction, ability to kick a soccer sport (or be involved in another physical activity), etc?

Child beauty pageants are not popular in South-Western Ontario, thankfully.

I doubt the rest of Canada has embraced them either.

I went to a gaming convention in California back in '09 (Geeky I know <3), and our hotel was hosting a Little Miss America pageant. I wouldn't be so upset over much of it except, as stated above, the girls were made to look far older than they actually are, and their attitudes. We were treated like second-rate citizens by the CHILDREN! In fact, we heard someone's mother tell them that they should "ignore the nerds coming down the hall" in case they were in our way. It's really sad that they are encouraged to act as if they are more important than everyone else.

These pagents are not popular in Canada by any means, I think they are most popular in the Southern US states.

I can totally see these girls growing up with "a better then you" attitude.

I think, that those little girls look WAY too pretty for their own good... I can just see it as a problem later on in life, where they always "have to look good" and you get the little 13-15 year old girls looking like they could pass for over 21. If the child really wants to do it, I'm not going to stand in their way. But I wouldn't suggest that they do pageants .. I feel like many of those mothers are trying to live vicariously through their children.  It makes me uncomfortable to look at those pictures, because I don't even look that good/old most of the time lmao.

Being from the South, I have to agree that all pageants are very popular.  I don't agree with babies wearing makeup like that and getting spray tans.   My son did competition cheerleading for several years and I saw the very same thing with mothers and young girls.  A lot of them had abs spray tanned on.  ??  I just think kids should be allowed to be kids.  There's plenty of time for these girls to worry about makeup and hair and all that.

They look like midgets in a circus.

Originally Posted by Annelle /img/forum/go_quote.gif

These two look like they are 35-40 year old women that have been photoshopped to look more childlike and planted on children bodies rather than being actual children.  It feels like you can almost see aging lines on the cheeks that have been faded out. so weird.
 

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I don't like these types of shows. Yes it's a beauty pageant but what message is being reflected to these young girls? That beauty wins you prizes. I would think children would have a hard time understanding that it's just a pageant show.

Can't stand it, can't stand it, can't stand it!

I think any activity that makes kids grow up faster than they should is a shame.  I also think, IMHO, that pageants and other things like them are more for the parents egos than for the kids.  You see it in a lot of things but the pageants are pretty bad.  Other than laughing at some of the freaky parents, that show makes me pretty sad. 

Parents need to live their own lives and stop trying to live through their children. 

Debby

Originally Posted by Debglam /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I think any activity that makes kids grow up faster than they should is a shame.  I also think, IMHO, that pageants and other things like them are more for the parents egos than for the kids.  You see it in a lot of things but the pageants are pretty bad.  Other than laughing at some of the freaky parents, that show makes me pretty sad. 

Parents need to live their own lives and stop trying to live through their children. 

Debby

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As a mother who was once a paraded about pageant child...I couldn't agree more! Those "titles" are there for the parents! They want to be able to say that their child is the most beauitful, and has the crown to show for it. It does bad things to a kid to be marched in front of a panels all the time, and when you're not in front of the judges being constantly reminded that you will be soon. I say let the MOMS compete for once and see how they like it.

I live in Georgia and pageants are HUGE here. We even receive flyers from my daughters preschool about upcoming pageantry competitions from time to time. I REALLY don't understand it. Children should be allowed to  be themselves without starting their lives believing that life is a contest where you are put up on stage to be paraded and judged. I obviously love makeup and sharing that love with my little girl is fun but I in NO WAY would make her up like a porn star, tease her hair, put her in a skimpy outfit and waltz her around!!

I'm really really laid back about things like letting my kids play with make up, changing hair styles and colors, ect, but I don't know about these shows.  Personally I think they are cheesy and go too far.  Kiss dressing up and wearing make up is one thing, but these shows are obviously about the parents and the industry making a lot of money. I let my daughters wear fake hair pieces but I wouldn't let them get involved in pagents.

Originally Posted by SarahNerd /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I'm really really laid back about things like letting my kids play with make up, changing hair styles and colors, ect, but I don't know about these shows.  Personally I think they are cheesy and go too far.  Kiss dressing up and wearing make up is one thing, but these shows are obviously about the parents and the industry making a lot of money. I let my daughters wear fake hair pieces but I wouldn't let them get involved in pagents.

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I think what you're doing is very different from those psycho pageant moms, Sarah! You're letting your kids express themselves, and be creative to find out who they want to be in my opinion, but these pageant moms are doing it to please a panel of people. Those poor girls are learning that your main goal should be to please other people, and their taste instead of your own. Piper loves to wear fun eye shadow and we dye (non-permanent) her hair fun colors like pink, purple, blue or put glitter in it pretty much whenever she asks. I think your kids will so appreciate you letting them be themselves when they grow up /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> they're lucky to have you!

There's a huge difference difference between play and raising your daughters to require approval from 'judges' for all that she will do for the rest of her life.  These girls are going to grow up graving approval from an external source, from strangers!  I feel sorry for these children.  

My daughter and I played dress up.  I'm providing an environment where she accepts herself, loves herself and will look to herself for approval first.  

 I totally agree these pagents are more for the moms then the little girls.

It creeps me out that these parents see nothing wrong with parading around their made-up toddler infront of a panel of judges (a lot of which are males) looking to be told they are the prettiest.

How damaging is that to a young girls development. Being told she is only pretty when she is dressed like a vegas show girl (or adult) with fake hair, teeth, loads of makeup, spray tans and jewelry.

What ever happened to playing with lipgloss and nail polish with your friends then going out to play and being allowed to get dirty like a normal child.

These parents are spending thousands of dollars to make their toddler daughters look like street walkers and show girls, while at the same time damaging thier self-image and development.

I think these types of pagents should be banned. They serve no purpose then to make mom feel like she is raising a prized "piglet" instead of a little girl.

I think some of these moms are living through their daughters.

BreAnn - Sending home pagent pamphlets and flyers with preschool children is so wrong! I would be very upset, and demand that my child is not to be given any. 

Little girls are just that, little girls. Not miniature show girls dressed for the amusment of others.

Playing dressup and experimenting with mommys makeup is normal, pagents are far from normal.

I am glad I wasn't the only one who was creeped out by this show and pagent phenomenon.

My wife and I waltched a couple episodes over the holidays and damnnnn!! Some of those parents whould be put in jail or something! lol