If your daughter (or son) wanted to be in a pageant...

[zoebartlett]

Okay, I KNOW I posted in this thread earlier this morning but it''s not here now.

Anyway, my post began "No no no no no." I (admittedly) don''t know much about the pageant world, and I don''t understand the appeal at all. The show "Toddlers and Tiaras" makes me cringe, and the attitude that the stage moms and the little girls have is appalling. Let them be kids, for crying out loud! I know that scholarships come into play when pageant contestants are older, but I''d much rather have my child receive a scholarship another way.

 

[iheartscience]

No kids, but no way in hell would they EVER be in a pageant. If they really wanted to perform I would *maybe* let them get involved in dance. However, any kids I have will be encouraged to play sports, preferably team ones like soccer. I think sports focus more on physical fitness and actual learned skills vs. just looks. Even dance and gymnastics is too body-focused, in my opinion.

That said, I LOVE the shows about pageants! Toddlers and Tiaras and Little Miss Perfect or whatever it is are fascinating to me. So SICK!

 

[Kaleigh]

No way. I hate the way little girls are all made up, have flippers, fake tans.. Not anything I can be comfortable with...

My brother was on TV, he wanted me to take Ash for print ads, and commercials... I took her on a few rounds, she was booked, but we said no when it came down to it.

It''s not something we were comfortable with.

 

[jas]

Date: 5/19/2010 8:49:39 PM
Author: Kaleigh
No way. I hate the way little girls are all made up, have flippers, fake tans.. Not anything I can be comfortable with...

My brother was on TV, he wanted me to take Ash for print ads, and commercials... I took her on a few rounds, she was booked, but we said no when it came down to it.

It''s not something we were comfortable with.

I''ve not seen the show, so, ummm, what''s this now?

 

[Guilty Pleasure]

I am disgusted by the sexualization of children, but I will say that assuming all pageants or pageant mothers or the experiences of contestants shown on these "documentaries" is analogous to someone saying that they would never plan a large nice wedding or be a bridesmaid because they''ve watched a few episodes of Bridezillas.

I am 100% sure that a great many of youth pageants, contestants and their parents are not adequately depicted by these shows.

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 5/19/2010 8:51:09 PM
Author: jas

Date: 5/19/2010 8:49:39 PM
Author: Kaleigh
No way. I hate the way little girls are all made up, have flippers, fake tans.. Not anything I can be comfortable with...

My brother was on TV, he wanted me to take Ash for print ads, and commercials... I took her on a few rounds, she was booked, but we said no when it came down to it.

It's not something we were comfortable with.

I've not seen the show, so, ummm, what's this now?

Fake teeth to fill in the gaps of kids that have lost their front teeth... It's like a retainer that slips in.. And is not cheap!!!

Most kids at this age are misssing a few teeth, their front teeth.. So they make these flippers to fill in the blanks..

 

[Mara]

no and no.

people keep telling us to enter J in cute baby contests, and i am like whyyy?? i know my kid is cute, who cares if anyone else thinks so?

our friends kids'' are in show biz..they did some type of reality show where teenagers say they want to have kids and then they have to watch these kids. they have twins, so they functioned as ''one'' of the babies on the show. i am sure it padded their finances since the mom was SAH, but she was always traveling to and from LA and all this...it seemed kind of like a crazy whirlwind lifestyle and she says the kids spent a ton of time in hotel rooms their first year.

 

[packrat]

No, I don''t think we would. Firstly, the things are expensive. Second, I can''t stand seeing little girls looking like that and doing those bump and grind dances and shaking their butts-it just makes me cringe.

London was in dance this past year and for her recital had to wear make up-she looked so beautiful (and wasn''t made up "doll like" the way the pageant kids are, just basic make up) but it really..bothered me. I know it was only so they weren''t washed out by the strong lights but still-it''s weird seeing your 6 year old looking like a woman.

It sounds so horrible, but it makes me feel like it''s something pedophiles would like, you know??

 

[somethingshiny]

For what you see on TV, Oh hell no!

However, I know 2 kids who were in pageants as toddlers. These pageants were NOTHING like you see on TV. They both placed at state levels and got great prizes. The categories weren''t things like "glitz" but things like "sports wear." They wore Target or Kohl''s clothes and paraded around on stage. There was no makeup allowed, no dance routines, no crazy stuff. Just kids being cute and breaking into commercials and stuff.

So, all pageants aren''t created equal.

 

[lovelylulu]

Date: 5/19/2010 11:48:26 AM
Author: ChinaCat

I mean, when I was a girl, my goal in life was to either be a Solid Gold dancer OR a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. The hair. The glamour. The gold shoes. The white boots. My little girl self was dazzled. My parents were horrified, but you also have to be careful about crushing a little kid''s dream. So they let me take dance lessons and hoped I would grow out of it. I did. Sort of. Somedays I do wish Solid Gold was still on, and I could be out there spinning on the floor, with my waist-length hair flying behind me, instead of stuck at a desk and arguing with people that just like to argue.

An absolute no to pagents and just had to quote china''s post because it completely had me giggling

 

[lilyfoot]

Date: 5/19/2010 10:44:46 PM
Author: somethingshiny
For what you see on TV, Oh hell no!

However, I know 2 kids who were in pageants as toddlers. These pageants were NOTHING like you see on TV. They both placed at state levels and got great prizes. The categories weren''t things like ''glitz'' but things like ''sports wear.'' They wore Target or Kohl''s clothes and paraded around on stage. There was no makeup allowed, no dance routines, no crazy stuff. Just kids being cute and breaking into commercials and stuff.

So, all pageants aren''t created equal.

I agree! I would like to think that I''m going to be able to support my child in whatever choices he/she makes. Pageants, sports, music, art, whatever!

 

[lulu]

I go to both my grandaughter''s dance recitals every year. They are 9 and 11. A lot of the routines have them shaking their booties in a very unchildlike way. I don''t like it but I keep my big mouth shut-they''re not my kids. But if the idea of a pageant was ever broached I would speak up. I think they attract pedophiles.

 

[Laila619]

No. I wouldn''t want my daughter(s) in that sort of thing, parading around in clothing and makeup that is waaay too mature for them.

 

[MrsBettyBoop]

If I did, it would be over my husband''s cold dead body. But I don''t like the idea myself. Now if any of my girls ASKED to get into the teen pageant stuff I would be supportive, but it would probably be over my husbands dead body too.

 

[Steel]

So,

How do these toddlers know about pageants, to want to compete?

Oh yeah, of course, it is in Toddler Weekly; the section between ''inventive ways to break the VCR'', ''How to make even the sturdiest nappy leak'' and ''101 ways to refuse to eat your lunch''?

 

[asscherisme]

I have 2 daughters and I say NO way. Not in a million years.

 

[Mrs Mitchell]

Date: 5/20/2010 7:55:09 PM
Author: Steal
So,

How do these toddlers know about pageants, to want to compete?

Oh yeah, of course, it is in Toddler Weekly; the section between ''inventive ways to break the VCR'', ''How to make even the sturdiest nappy leak'' and ''101 ways to refuse to eat your lunch''?

This is my new all-time favourite PS post.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

I agree with others that there is a significant difference between the natural competitions and the glitz ones.

I don''t know, though.... I just don''t feel comfortable with encouraging little kids to grow up thinking their physical attributes mean so very much.... They learn that so young these days, as it is. I certainly don''t want to further encourage it.

We have friends who won''t allow their children to do dance or gymnastics because they feel it over sexualizes their kids.... I don''t think we''d go that far, although we likely would choose a teacher with more conservative moves and outfits. (Some of the shows we''ve been to for friends'' kids have had scantily clad little girls, and although innocent, I sometimes wonder if random people come to the shows for their jollies. Isn''t that awful that I think that way at times??)

 

[brazen_irish_hussy]

The simple answer is no. I want my children to grow up being valued for their skills, not their looks. I was in dance contests and dressing up was a big part of it, but it was still about my actually ability to move my feet quickly and precisely. If they want to dance, swim, play music, sing, do sports and other things that invlove competing, that''s fine because they are doing something to win. Walking in high heels and Tammy Faye make-up to say something formulaic about world peace as a way to get ahead is not something I want to instill in my offspring.

That being said, once they were teens, if they wanted to and it didn''t hurt their studies, I might allow it.

I really was an ugly ducking until about 17, and I learned that to make my dreams come true, I had to work and use my brains, not hope someone will hand everything to me because I happen to have green, almond shaped eyes and a great rack. Unless you are Lara Croft, that is not what makes a successful archaeologist and my eventual looks are not what have brought me all the good things I have in my life.

 

[Porridge]

Nope, no way, those pageants freak me the hell out. The people who run them (how they are portrayed on tv, at least) scare the living daylights out of me.

 

[KaeKae]

No, I wouldn''t. In fact, a couple years ago, DD1 recieved an "invitation" to participate in an informational seminar regarding the Miss Teen California pagents. Unfortunately, she got to the mail before I did that day and decided she REALLY wanted to. No, not on her life! Of course, I was the mean mom, who was squashing "her dreams." Dreams she hadn''t dreamed until that afternoon, of course. Sigh.

I used to know a couple women who participated as adults. One in college and afterward. She did well, getting to the state level of Miss America. I think she was runner up once or twice. The other got involved in a smaller group, based on her family heritage. She did well, but got her 7 year old niece involved eventually. Unfortunately, the niece didn''t do as well, I felt so bad for her when I learned that she was the only girl in her age group to leave without placing or winning one of the other prizes. Poor girl. That sure didn''t do much for her self esteem.

I agree the "Toddlers and Tiaras" is one of those shows that makes me cringe, but I''ve watched a couple times, shaking my head through it.

 

[jaysonsmom]

No way for my kids. I can''t imagine spending so much time, $$$$ etc to look so "unchildlike".

Ever noticed that the moms on Toddlers and Tiaras look NOTHING like their glammed up daughters? They are all living vicariously I guess.