Todays topic for debate - Pageants

[aliss]

I don't like it. I think it sexualizes little girls.

I don't care if my little girl wanted to or not - she might want to prance around in makeup and a little skirt at 13 years old, oh hell no, it's up to me to say no to things I disagree with, whether or not she wants to or not. Just because she wants to do it doesn't mean I have to say yes!

I have nothing against those who allow it or watch, etc. That's their parenting choice. This is mine.

Then again, I have a boy so he wouldn't be allowed in them anyways. People say there's no sexualization of it - that it's just allowing kids to play dress up - then how come boys aren't allowed? Or would that just be a talent show.. because nobody would judge a boy on his looks.

 

[KittyVentura]

Hmmm. I don't really know. I don't agree with make up/fake tan/OTT outfits on young'uns... if there was a padgeat where they just got to dress as babies, act like babies and be made a bit of fuss over then maybe I would xx

 

[aliss]

Can you imagine a real baby pageant?

They would just try and put the trophy in their mouth. Or the toddlers would argue over one particular object. Tears! Tantrums! A tiara tossed right at a judge

 

[Mrs Mayhem]

now that would be funny!!

 

[Kalah]

No I would never let my daughter do pageants. I think it would teach her that beauty is more important than it really is. I don't want her to ever think she's less a less amazing person because she didn't win. I don't want her to think she needs makeup to be pretty. I especially don't want her to think being pretty is a competition.

 

[scotsgirl]

i wouldnt like my daughter to be in one. fake tan and wayyy too much make up if u ask me. we should leave our kids kids as long as possible...
on the other hand i have no objections to baby competitions.. is that another thread?

 

[Mrs Mayhem]

i wouldnt like my daughter to be in one. fake tan and wayyy too much make up if u ask me. we should leave our kids kids as long as possible...
on the other hand i have no objections to baby competitions.. is that another thread?

I did wonder if I should add baby comps to this, but then to me they are very different, personally I wouldn't enter LO in one, but I don't think they are on a scale with pageants, no make up, hair etc...

 

[New Mrs W]

I probably wouldn't because as my child is just sooooooooooo beautiful I don't feel it would be fair on the competition!!

 

[amygwen]

No, I would never do that. But each to their own.

 

[leelee]

I wouldn't do it (either pageants or comps). I don't believe in judging someone by their looks. It goes against everything I believe in.

 

[greenlady]

No I wouldn't. Apart from all the same good reasons everyone has mentioned - sexualising children, placing importance on looks, not liking the thought of make-up and fake tan on a young child etc - I would actually rather spend the amount of time that it would involve on some kind of hobby that would either better serve her in later life or just generally be more fun and interesting
e.g. music, art, sports, reading and imagining, generally being a kid and letting that beautiful young mind be free from the conventions of society for the short time that it will

 

[bubbles123]

I don't mind baby competitions, as they are just pictures of normal babies so are fairly harmless. Once you get into the realms of putting them in grown up clothes, make up, dance routines etc that's where I start to feel uncomfortable. I wouldn't want to enter my child in one. If they had a talent I would support them if they wanted to enter a competition though, just not a contest based on looks.

 

[cleckner04]

Just my own personal opinion but no absolutly not - not if they wanted to, not if they begged me, not if they cried the house down.

I don't think a beauty based pageant is appropriate for a child of any age. I don't think the makeup, outfits, hair, tanning, fake eyelashes etc are acceptable. Over my dead body would my daughter do some of the routines I have seen on that Toddlers and Tiara's show. I fail to grasp the value lessons in such an activity and I personally feel that pageants ground themselves in outdated and negative gender stereotypes. I would rather my child be outside playing, getting dirty and being a kid. They have their whole adult life to fret about their appearance and act like a grown up.

That is just MY own opinion for what I would do with my child - its just a disscussion not an inditement

WSS^^

I don't want Emma to think she's better than some other kid because she looks better. I want her to learn to have values and morals and to know that looks aren't everything.

 

[cleckner04]

I probably wouldn't because as my child is just sooooooooooo beautiful I don't feel it would be fair on the competition!!

That made me giggle.

 

[honeygrl]

I can't even watch that toddlers and tiaras show because I get so disgusted by all of it. While I don't judge parents in general who let their kids do normal pageants when they are teens and older, I DO judge the ones on that show because I swear they all have some serious problems. Either they let their kid talk to them like crap, or they dress their kid like a stripper and teach them to dance like one, or they force their kid to grow up way too soon.. or all of the above. I mean, who can look at a little girl wearing hooker clothes and say any of them look good that way? There isn't a child that age in existence that should be in that environment or is mature enough to handle being rejected based on their looks without it doing some MAJOR long term damage. Of course, I have doubts that any of the parents on that show care.. they obviously aren't looking out for their child's best interest. My bets are that 90% of those poor girls will end up sexually molested early on in life and then strung out and screwed up for the rest of their life.

Once they are safely in their teens and have a little understanding of right and wrong and have the emotional maturity to deal with rejection I don't see the harm in letting them do it if they want to. I think there are teens mature enough to understand that losing doesn't mean there is something wrong with them.

Toddlers in stripper clothes is just sick, sick, sick though. Plus the weird adult looking made up face and hair with the body of a 3 year old just looks plain creepy. Like haunted dolls who's eyes follow you around the room type of creepy.

 

[rubixcyoob.]

Over my dead body.
Maybe when my child became old enough to handle winning and loosing as well as taking criticism then it would be there choice. But when they are still a child, no way in hell.

I do not want someone telling my child if they are pretty or not. Ingraving it into my childs head that they have to try and try and try to be 'accepted'.
My children will never grow up thinking looks are the most important and what others base you on. Nor will they grow up to feel as if it is okay for someone to objectify them like that.

Plus, I would never in my right mind put my child into those outfits, with fake tan and eyelashes, full face of make up etc. The thought makes me sick.

What is wrong with babies being babies?

 

[aob1013]

If my child asked? Yes. However, they wouldn't be caked in makeup/fake tan and look like mini women, not at all. And if they wanted to stop, they would - i wouldn't force them to carry on. I don't like the idea of ranking someone's attractiveness. I would rather raise a kind child to be honest and put all my effort into that. I would definately try and deter them from doing it.

A child/baby that couldn't ask? No. Don't believe in forcing my kids to be somebody or do certain stuff. Not my thing.

 

[SKATERBUN]

hmm not a pageant but maybe a talent competition if she wanted to do it

 

[Laura2919]

I dont like seeing a 5 year old wearing two ton of makeup, fake tan, big jewellery and high heels so no, I wouldnt enter Chloe and Jaycee.
I have sent their pictures off to sunbeams and others where I dont have to make them look like they are a 5 year old barbie doll.. Children dont stay children for long, why would anyone want them to grow up before their time.

 

[bky]

They creep me out in a big way.
A relative suggested I ought to enter Lucy in a baby competition, but I don't think I would because A: creeped out, B:I'm not sure I'd like to interact with people who would, C: having a baby is enough work without competing!