toddlers in tiaras?

[frugalmum]

Disclaimer-- I never would have watched this show but my 12 year old daughter LOVES it-- so I started watching it with her and now we're both totally hooked.   It's on TLC at 10pm.

What strikes me is how the families fall into one of two categories-- the families where they try hard to make it lots of a fun and a family affair, encouraging but not pushing their daughters and treating the pageants like mini family vacations.  And then the other camp, where usually the mom only is involved and relentlessly pushes and forces her daughter to do stuff.  I've watched maybe 5 episodes (2 from a previous season) and only last night did one mom strike me as truly abusive.  She forced her 5 y.o. daughter to get her eyebrows waxed and to wear false eyelashes even though they hurt her.  Omg, it was difficult to watch!

However I do enjoy watching the "fun" families where they encourage the daughters and are so enthusiastic and excited for her.

[mamatoablessing]

I don't watch this show...I have only caught clips on other shows. What little I have seen of this show makes me physically ill.  The sexualzing of toddlers is disgusting and borderline abusive.

I recently was reading some blog or another and it actually had a clip of a 5yr getting her eyebrows waxed by her mother...from what I could tell (I didn't play the video, just saw the first shot), that little girl was in terrible pain.  That is physical abuse, pure and simple.

[AnalogWife]

I've seen 3 episodes, all in the past week.  I genuinely am drawn to the "family" aspect of it, I can see how it can be the engine of the home, there were a handful of girls that I thought sincerely enjoyed the pageant circuit and had the personalities to deal with it.  One mother seemed to be chasing her DD's motivation (Mackenzie), and that seemed pretty much fine to me.

The rest of it, OMG.  I looked at my DH and said "and they want to arrest the Sister Wives...."  I see a lot of abuse and exploitation and selfishness on behalf of the adults.  Thinking about my precious child up there, being judged for (and losing) "most beautiful" makes my stomach turn.  There was one mother who was pitting her 1 year old twins against one another, she liked one better because she won more pageants.  And the pixie stix and the "special juice" (coca cola) and waxing and complete abandonment of parental emotions...it leaves me speechless, and heartbroken.  I can just see these kids growing up to despise their mothers, not to mention themselves.

But these are misguided (imho) parents, the biggest culprit is the show itself.  They obviously edit it to showcase terrible parenting, like the show's morals are so "superior."

[philomom]

My teenage daughter watches this show as "the show she loves to hate". One episode we saw recently actually had the dad call the daughter "his product". EWWWW!

[Summertime Mommy]

I dvr this show and my 6 yr old and I watch it together. She loves it, because she does  pageants too, but not at that level.  I have heard that these shows seek out crazy pageant moms, for the wow factor. I have never met a parent like this IRL. Most moms I know are all about keeping things fun and age appropriate and doing it because the girls enjoy being the center of attention and getting to dress up like a princess. I think these shows have a parent like that on every now and then, but not very much.

I was utterly shocked by the mom in episode that had her 2yr old in the Madonna costume. That was so messed up, I couldn't believe she got a title for it. I couldn't believe the mom who made her twin daughters compete against each other either. I could totally see that messing up the one who didn't win as much's self esteem.

[DariusMom]

The one I saw had a mom pitting the twins who were around six against each other and she so clearly preferred one that it was super-disturbing. I'm embarrassed to admit I watch it . . . but I do. In fact, my 8 year old DS and I watch it together. He likes the idea of being in a pageant because he wants a crown!

[pearl2]

There was one girl featured on the West Virginia Outlaw Wild Wild West Pageant (or something like that) who was just like Olive in Little Miss Sunshine--she choreographed all her routines herself, was totally cute, got up there and did her thing with minimal involvement from the parents. The parents were like, "We don't know why she likes these things, but we'll support her if she enjoys them." That was the ONLY one where I thought for one iota that they aren't on the craycraycrazy side of things of this world. 

[savannah smiles]

Originally Posted by DariusMom 

The one I saw had a mom pitting the twins who were around six against each other and she so clearly preferred one that it was super-disturbing. I'm embarrassed to admit I watch it . . . but I do. In fact, my 8 year old DS and I watch it together. He likes the idea of being in a pageant because he wants a crown!

Oh yeah, I remember that one.  I think even the judges were horrified by that mom and I was thrilled to see the less favored twin place pretty high.

I always feel concerned when I see a family of seeming very modest means going all out for the pageants.  It doesn't seem like you'll ever make back what you put into this kind of stuff but as long as you can afford to be in the red then it doesn't matter very much. If money is very tight, it seems a silly thing to throw your money at.

[WorldsBestMom]

Originally Posted by pearl2 

There was one girl featured on the West Virginia Outlaw Wild Wild West Pageant (or something like that) who was just like Olive in Little Miss Sunshine--she choreographed all her routines herself, was totally cute, got up there and did her thing with minimal involvement from the parents. The parents were like, "We don't know why she likes these things, but we'll support her if she enjoys them." That was the ONLY one where I thought for one iota that they aren't on the craycraycrazy side of things of this world. 

I really like it when it is the child who wants to participate in these Mini Beauty Contest and not the parents pushing them into it. Sure parents can introduce these contest to their children but they should not force the child to  participate in these contest if they are reluctant. Its good that the parents are supporting their daughter, who knows she may be Miss America one day.
 

[pearl2]

Yes! It was clear she was having the time of her life. You could tell she had definitely choreographed everything herself because it had none of those other dumb moves the other girls had. 

I think it's also sad that some of the moms look so incredibly unhealthy. Yes, I admit that's judging, but I can't help but wonder if they'd put as much effort, time and money into themselves and their health if they wouldn't feel the need to vicariously live through their kids. 

[nola79]

Ok, I just watched this show for the 1st time last night, and I totally got hooked. I must say, all of the adults on the show are super creepy! The kids were cute, but when they got all dressed up it wierded me out. They look like miniature 30 year old women....wierd. The moms and the head of the groovy girl pagent all had crazy eyes. Yet, I couldn't turn it off. I was on pins and needles waiting to find out who placed where. These people just have way too much time and money on their hands, I just can't imagine. I mean, $1800 to enter one kid?? Ones of the moms was talking about how her daughter had won around $18k in the past year, but they probably only broke even when you add in the cost of entry fees, travel fees, costumes, hair, makeup, dance lessons, etc.

I'll be watching again next week, though!

Oh, DH had to leave the room he was so grossed out by it

[betmina]

One of my friends told me to watch these, I'm just hooked, I mean it's disgusting but fascinating at the same time. We have seceral kiddie pageant shows in the UK too.

Baby Beauty Queens

They are disgustign as well, they are other vids on UK beauty pageants in youtube.

[mandib50]

i broke down and watched a few episodes. the show is awful. i guess i wonder why the parents wouldn't take all the money they spend on those pageants and put their kids in music lessons, or dance lessons, or sports or something that the kids would likely enjoy more.

[mandib50]

Originally Posted by betmina 

One of my friends told me to watch these, I'm just hooked, I mean it's disgusting but fascinating at the same time. We have seceral kiddie pageant shows in the UK too.

Baby Beauty Queens

They are disgustign as well, they are other vids on UK beauty pageants in youtube.