VH1 News: Little Beauties: The Ultimate Kiddie Beauty Pageant

[greatscott2000]

I think there should be a law against child pagents. The parents are horrible, the mentality is that if you are not pretty you are nothing in society. Can't they celebrate personality and intellect and instill it in young girls minds while they are young?

 

[Beauty Mark]

That's what they claim to do with the talent portion and if they have a q & a portion.

 

[MiCHiE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by greatscott2000 I think there should be a law against child pagents. The parents are horrible, the mentality is that if you are not pretty you are nothing in society. Can't they celebrate personality and intellect and instill it in young girls minds while they are young?

I agree. While some kids may want to do these things, I can see where it becomes a form of child abuse and exploitation in many cases.

 

[MAC_Pixie04]

There would never be a law against it. There are too many excuses and justifications that parents/pageant holders have to make them appear good. Legally, it's not abuse, but god I wish it qualified.

 

[MiCHiE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAC_Pixie04 Legally, it's not abuse, but god I wish it qualified.

I wasn't speaking of the pageants themselves, but I've seen specials where parents are damn near ballistic in their actions and behaviors toward the kids. It's just not right to push kids as far as they do.

 

[MAC_Pixie04]

ITA, especially the ones who tell their kids what they can't eat. I went to a performing arts high school, and a lot of the "stage mothers" were very controlling of their daughters' diets. I had a lot of hungry friends in high school. And the irony worked the same way, their mothers weren't in the best shape, nor were they particularly attractive.

 

[MAC is love]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAC_Pixie04 What the fuck kind of flaws and a four year old girl have besides a grape jelly stain under her lip?

lmao!!!

That was hilarious. I need to check this show out.

 

[Kimberleigh]

I saw this yesterday for the first time. I, too, noticed that the mothers that were pushing their daughters were heavy and not attractive. I literally gagged when one little girl said she wanted to "rule the world". Yeah, I know a lot of 4 year old girls that could think something like that up on their own...

 

[astronaut]

I saw this the other day and the one girl that kept talking about wanting boobs... that disturbed me. And she was also the one that went home with nothing and I remember her saying, "but I'm prettier than them". Yup, that's pretty much what it's teaching their kids, that looks are everything.

 

[Holly]

I had to help a woman pick out makeup for her 4 year old daughter in my store today. I automatically thoguht of this thread. She wanted bollld colours (hot pink lipstick, nearly red blush, dark eyeshadow) I was totally cringing when I was helping her

 

[MAC_Pixie04]

^^I won't help them when they come into my job. I try to be as nice as possible and point them in the direction of the little girls section that we do have, which lots of sheer colors and playful things. I push the fact that what we sell in top-shelf brands is too heavy to be on a 4 year old's face, and usually they get frustrated and leave and go somewhere else, but my morals can't be bought. I don't care if I lose a sale, I'm not gonna lose my integrity. The way I see it, by putting my brush up to that little girl's face, I'm supporting her, and I don't wanna ever do that.

 

[Shimmer]

My cousin's daughter does this.
One of her pages.

I hate it.
I don't support it, I won't allow it with my daughter, and I view it as exploitation.

 

[MAC_Whore]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmer My cousin's daughter does this. One of her pages. I hate it. I don't support it, I won't allow it with my daughter, and I view it as exploitation.

I imagine she is quite a cute girl under all of that makeup. Honestly, the pic on her face where she is wearing the crown and holding the money makes me sad. I'm not at all saying the below statements apply to your niece. Just based on what I have been exposed to:

One of my step-cousins did that too. I was always so sad listening to her mom go on about it. It really is a huge money making venture that uses everyone involved, IMO.

DH and I watched a documentary (in horror, I might add) on child beauty pageants. Sure some of these girls may enjoy some aspect of it, but it generally seems the mother is pushing it along. And IMO, even if they kids do enjoy it, it just isn't a healthy hobby for them to pursue. The ones that are really serious about it, keep a really full schedule. Wardrobe fittings, lessons for dance or whatever their talent may be, walking lessons, lessons on diction, clothes fittings, etc. Not much time to be a kid.

It went kind of like this, money-grubbing pageant owners and "consultants" raked it in, mommy kept trying harder and spending more so her child could win and the child was just halfway interested. Even when the child was on camera talking about how much she liked pageants, she had that same forced deer in head lights look that she did when she was up on stage.

It just breaks my heart to see them on display like that. It breaks my heart that the pageant scene doesn't raise any red flags with mommy and daddy. How can they not see the damaging aspects of it all? I guess I know the answer to that question, I just don't understand the mentality.

 

[Shimmer]

no no no, trust, you and I see eye to eye on this.

See, my cousin and her mom...my cousin was a pageant girl. She wanted to do the things. Rodeo Queen, head cheerleader, forward on the basketball team, Homecoming Queen, track record setter, cheered in the Orange Bowl while in high school, she had so damned many crowns and trophies they had to put them in a seperate room. It was insane.

And, I guess she is raising her daugher the same way. I know skylar's not a total brat, but that kid sure is brown for a little girl. And she's white. Well, part Indian, but still.

The idea of putting on makeup and self tanner and false lashes on my daughter, who is now TEN, is repulsive to me. I spend my days making sure her ass is covered, not that it's hanging out b eing shown off.

I don't support my cousin in what she's doing with her daughter, and I don't endorse it at all. I think it's disgusting exploitation at its worst.

 

[Beauty Mark]

Quote:

The ones that are really serious about it, keep a really full schedule. Wardrobe fittings, lessons for dance or whatever their talent may be, walking lessons, lessons on diction, clothes fittings, etc. Not much time to be a kid.

I think they're only serious about it because they're conditioned to. I don't think deep in their hearts that's what they want.

Quote:

And, I guess she is raising her daugher the same way.

I hear that's a vicious cycle, that the mothers are often trying to relive their glory days.

I just can't imagine spending all that money on the clothes, competition fees, etc. If I had children, I'd rather use the money for them to learn something useful, like a language or art classes or something that's relevant to the world.

 

[Shimmer]

She gets sponsors, and I know the little girl works by doing some (age appropriate) chores or extra stuff like that to make money for her fees or costumes or whatever.

If she's anything like her mom, she'll be good at anything she does. :/

 

[MiCHiE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmer See, my cousin and her mom...my cousin was a pageant girl. She wanted to do the things. Rodeo Queen, head cheerleader, forward on the basketball team, Homecoming Queen, track record setter, cheered in the Orange Bowl while in high school, she had so damned many crowns and trophies they had to put them in a seperate room. It was insane.

Please tell me all that shit landed her something good in life....I keep thinking about the former pageant queen on "Engaged & Underage" who was living in a trailer with her fiancé and 2 kids. I'm thinking, "Damn, where did your winnings go!?!?".....

 

[DOLLface]

I watched this for the first time yesterday and I was shocked at how some of these little girls were made up to look "flawless." The one thing I really noticed were their teeth, veneers or w/e it was weird to see that on those little girls. Oh, and the moms, you just know they are living through their daughters. The moms are more excited than their daughters who actually win. The one thing that creeps me out more than anything is a weird, pushy, controlling, you have to be perfect or else mom.

 

[Shimmer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ♥MiCHiE♥ Please tell me all that shit landed her something good in life....I keep thinking about the former pageant queen on "Engaged & Underage" who was living in a trailer with her fiancé and 2 kids. I'm thinking, "Damn, where did your winnings go!?!?".....

Shes' actually been quite the Cinderella story. She's got a good husband who loves her, a job she loves, and beautiful children. I don't think she has any complaints about her life at all.

 

[MiCHiE]

Well, that's good.