Have any of you checked out WEtv’s new show “Little Miss Perfect“? It’s a look at the (often frigtening) world of children’s beauty pageants. I caught the show last night and found myself horrified and amazed all at the same time. I’m going to say it up front–pageant moms scare me. It seems like these women will do anything and everything to make sure their child is crowned the winner.
I flipped on the show just as young Ashley’s mom talked about reactions she gets from non-pageant parents. “I guess you would think we’re doing something wrong if you have an ugly child,” she said with a straight face. Of course, I snorted with laughter. Yeah, everyone who thinks it’s silly to spend $1200-$1500 on outfits for a pageant where little girls prance around wearing too much make-up has an ugly child.
See, I have no problem with little girls, teenagers, or adults competing in beauty contests. I don’t think they are horrible events that objectify women and ruin the women’s rights movement. There are scholarships and other rewards for winners of beauty pageants. I don’t particularly like them either because they do seem to value beauty above everything else (even with the talent and question portions, an ugly girl wouldn’t have a shot). What troubles me is that the beauty all seems so fake.
Fake tans and hair pieces and glizty make-up and glittery costumes all give these little girls a look that is truly out of this world. I mean, seriously, why on earth does a 9 year-old need to wear a wig? And more make-up than Joan Rivers? These girls are beautiful without all that other junk, so why hide the natural adorableness behind a mass of curls, frills, and false lashes?
The mothers of pageant participants argue that the little girls like it. I guess they do, but then again, most 6 year-olds like wearing make-up and dressing up like princesses. Some of these little girls started competing in pageants at the age of three! What happened to the good ol’ days when a kid could be a kid?
And there were times when the girls on last night’s episode–Ashely and Brandi–clearly were not having fun. One of the girl’s kept messing up her dance steps for her talent routine. Her mother “encouraged” her little girl by yelling, “You’re gonna do it until you get it right.”
The girls didn’t really seem to care if they won (of course, their houses were already overflowing with trophies and ribbons. One mom was even making a quilt of award ribbons for her daughter). The mothers, however, were frantic as they primped and coached their daughters through the various elements of competition. If these wasn’t a reality show, I would have thought the whole thing was a spoof on the stereotypical pageant mother. I was scared to know they really do exist. Ack! Should you or anyone you know get attacked by a pageant mom, just throw a can of aerosol hairspray in the opposite direction and RUN!
(Then again, pageant directors seem pretty scary, too. Check out the video below.)
She is Beloved 
I had a friend whose daughter was in pageants and she tried to convince me to get Hannah (who was maybe 4 at the time) in them as well. I refused, not only because if the cost, but mostly because I didn’t want my daughter to be judged on whether or not she was “prettier” than the next contestant. I didn’t want her to think that her beauty was determined by someone else’s opinion. I don’t judge those that participate, but I do think they are walking a very dangerous line with their impressionable little ones.
A SAD COMMENTARY ON THE STATE OF CHILDHOOD IN AMERICA
I just watched it and I am horrified by the behaviour of the mothers.
They spend, well the mother of Ashley and a lot of those other moms , lots of money and there time. every thing is about there daughters and I agree why do they make these girls like fake adults?
All that make up, the fake smiles. Why not a real smile? I preferred the blond girls mom over the other one but the dark girl was better.
Go Ashley R she rocks and shines like a star
WE DO PAGEANT AND WE LOVE LOVE THEM AND IT HAS OPEN MY DAUGHTER UP NO I DONT AGREE WITH MOM WHO GET MAD AT THERE CHILD FOR NOT WINNING WE DO IT BECAUSE IT IS FUN AND ALSO MY DAUGHTER WINS ALOT AND WE DONT SPEND ALOT ON OUR OUTFITS OR MODELING WE DO OUR ON THING AND SHE ROCKS THE STAGE .********** GO HOPE YOU KEEP UP YOUR DREAM AND DREAM BIG SISTER AND THAT IS FOR ALL THE LITTLE GIRLS OUT THERE …WE SAY YOU WIN SOME YOU LOOSE SOME HOLD YOUR HEAD HIGH AND GO ON DONT LET ONE GET YOU DOWN ,DREAM BIG…,..GOOD LUCK TO ALL OUR PAGEANT SISTER OUT THERE …
It’s quite obvious (case in point; post #6) that pageant participants are of lesser intelligence and less successful than the majority of the population. So I guess, if you don’t have brains, the only thing to rely on is beauty. It’s a shame because if the girls had different mothers, they might very well become productive, successful, happy women someday, but as it is, they are doomed to follow in their mother’s footsteps and become losers who focus on the shallow and unimportant. I mean, name one famous, successful person who regularly participated in beauty pageants? (Miss America does not count.) The mothers keep saying how looks ARE important and will determine success in life, but if that’s true, how come there are no scientists, professors, business women, politicians, etc who were in beauty pageants? It’s so white trashy.
AC, actually I can name several women who were beauty queens that went on to live successful lives–Diane Sawyer, Fox News’ Gretchen Carlson, Sarah Palin, and Delta Burke. However, I’ve always sort of hated the idea of beauty pageants…and yet I like to look at the contestants’ dresses!
Gigi, I think the Michael guy who hosts the pageant is the problem. I mean, does he really think he can sing?
I don’t really have a problem with pageants either. As long as the girls want to do them. What I do have a problem with is “Little MIss Perfect” seems to be really fake. I don’t think it’s all on the up-and-up. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there’s something odd going on.
As far as the glitz pageants, I think they are silly. It’s OK to put a pretty dress with sparkles on and a little make up. Put when these girls have more make up on then I wear when I go out on the town to go to a club, there is something wrong. It’s weird looking to see a 6 year old with eyeline and fake eyelashes. I also hate the Flippper. There’s nothing cuter than a little boy or girl who’s lost a few teeth and they give you a big silly grin!
Michael you need new judges they do not need to be sitting by each other and do not need to be talking to each other during pageant……. That is a big no no….. I cant belive that people pay to have their beautiful daughters and granddaughters judged by these three………
Gail, that’s true. And sometimes the kids overheard their rude comments as evidenced by Wednesday’s latest episode.
I do believe that what these parents are doing to their children are wrong. But I must confess that I too am in beauty pageants but definatly NOT gltiz pageants. I do natural pageants to show my natural beauty not what other think I should be. Although most of you may hate this show and what they are doing I kind of like it. But thats just my opinion….
What happened to it? Now “The Locator” is in instead! I guess there’s always “Toddlers and Tiaras” over on TLC….
why isnt little miss perfect playing anymore?
there has only been repeats going on…and they are gettting PRETTY BORING! i love watching this show i am only 12 and this show has started making me think about doing a pagaent some day! i keep asking my mom…but, she doesnt really say alot!
well, BYE!
I do believe that pageants can be a good life experience for girls as long as they are age appropriate and is something that the girls wish to do not something that the parent is pushing and demanding. Of course the first pageant is always influence by the parent but I feel that like in my case I introduced it to my daughter but gave her the option of deciding to continue or stop at any time. She has loved it since day one and even though she hasn’t won a national tile to be able to represent her state she has loved making new friends ever year and just having fun and has been looking forward to this year’s event in August 09. She leave pageant weekend with at least 5 trophy every year there is many ways that they make the children feel that they are winners and beautiful no matter if they don’t have a national title. I myself am a pageant mom and I as a teen did a few pageants myself. I feel that the pageants have really opened up my daughter into being a more confident young lady this will be her 3rd year competing in American Coed Pageant she was 5 when she did her 1st pageant which is very age appropriate there is no make-up allowed for child under the age of 12 and 13-18 are allowed make up but it can only enhance their natural beauty they are not allowed to wear too much make up no artificial hair pieces are allowed no swim suite competition again I cannot enforce how everything is age appropriate. I would highly recommended American Coed Pageant to any family who is trying to do a pageant there 1st time this pageant is designed to be very family oriented, positive and again I’m enforcing always age appropriate. The goal is to help young ladies to develop poise and self confidence they learn how to conduct there self in an interview and they learn about public speaking by performing and speaking on state to a live audience along with importance life skills by interacting with other outstanding young ladies from different backgrounds and interests. I feel pageants are a good event that can be a great and fun experience but parents need to do their homework about the pageant just like when you’re buying a car or looking for a job you’re always going to find out its pros and cons first before you accept the job or buy that car. We as parents need to make sure also that it’s something that your child wants not something that your trying to outlive threw your kids.
I was quite upset after watching this programme – These mothers dress these children like adults, one was even dressed and made up to look like Marilyn Munroe- I found that quite disturbing – It seems to me these mothers are trying to live their lives through their kids. I think these children are to young and vulnerable to be put in this position. These mothers and the people who run these pageants disgust and horrify me
I’m watching this show and I’m both ways with it. One of the little girls looks like she’s having fun with her mom and the other girl is just getting yelled at by hers. That poor little girl Alexa just doesn’t look like she likes it as much as her mother does. I would have my daughter in pageants if SHE wanted to do it.
MOTHERS- ITS NOT FOR YOU ITS FOR THEM!!!!
Okay so the moms dress was $5000 and the daughters was $100 and WHOS the one DOING the pageant??? I think that lady must have been UGLY in high school or something. All the BOTOX is going to her HEAD!!!!
THIS IS JUST WRONG!!!! “IF YOU WIN WE’LL GET YOU A NINTENDO DS” WELL YOU KNOW WHAT….WHAT IF SHE DON’T IS SHE GROUNDED??? LET THESE KIDS BE KIDS AND HAVE FUN!!!
This message is regarding Hope Hernandez who appeared in Toddlers and Tiaras.I was shocked that she didn’t even win a trophy let alone a crown. She worked so hard and I felt terrible for the little girl. She had such a wonderful personality and so sweet and positive. So what if her glitz didn’t meet the pageants standards of “Glitz” the point is that she tried. Those judges and the so-called main woman in charge looked unorganized and rude.Even the manner and tone she used when announcing the contestants was so unprofessional. And that horrible dress..Geez it matched the stick she had up her *$$ beautifully!
I haven’t watched “Toddlers and Tiaras” yet this season. I still find it difficult to stomach when girls don’t win. Plus the amount of money a girl needs to win is ridiculous. And, yeah, those judges are always the worst-dressed…hahaha.
Any parent who is involved in this should have their children taken away by the state. I will have no sympathy for them whatsoever when their poor daughter is kidnapped by a sexual predator, drops out of school, becomes pregnant at 13 and ends up a stripper who is addicted to drugs because that is exactly what they are being taught. I guess nothing should shock me these days, but the fact that these parents are allowed to keep their children and keep parading them around as sex objects just tells you something about the sad state of society.
EEEWWWW..it’s all I have to say.First of all, the moms are all pretty , how can i say it nicely, ..ordinary common folk, from towns like “little town” NC or nowheretown, SC. Since they have never realized their dreams, they do it thru their poor daughters who don’t know any better.Have you seen these moms? They do not even know how to dress.Do they know that they are being televised? probably not since they are so obsessed with their daughters winning, they use their children to “follow their unrealized dreams”..it’s disgusting!
i just would like 2 say i support all the moms of tlittle miss perfect. people are so narrow minded these days. it’s nothing wrong with letting ur child have a little fun in an pageant. it’s not true that they will get prego at the age of 13. it takes an idot 2 say that in one of there comments. and it’s just a pageant its not like these little gurls are posing for playboy it’s just a harmless pageant. some pageant moms and daughters i support u all the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am 18 years old, and from the first moment I saw this commercial I thought it was hideous. In today’s society girls learn all too soon what it means to feel inadequate because of their looks. It’s one thing for little girls to play dress-up and enjoy looking pretty, but to be put on display on national television and have their own mothers (not to mention the entire United States) scrutinizing them and criticizing them for the way they smile and carry themselves is simply cruel.
And this show is only partially about the girls themselves anyway – it’s predominately for the mothers’ benefit; mothers who are obviously not cognizant of what such an ostentatious spectacle will do to the self-esteem of the girls who don’t win. Besides, I get the impression that the mothers who subject their daughters to this nonsense won’t exactly be supportive if they are the mother of the “losing” child.
In response to comment #24, the one before mine, I feel that there are a few items to address. Firstly, this pageant is very different from “letting ur child have a little fun”. Mothers, good mothers, take their children to have fun in a playground, not to prance around decked out with boas and sequence.
Honestly, I had to stop watching “Little Miss Perfect” and “Toddlers and Tiaras” because they became so nauseating to me.
Women spend their entire adult lives trying to “look” a certain way, young girls actually starve themselves and come close to dying trying to “look” a certain way, why not give these little girls times to be little girls before the pressures of life fall on their shoulders. I keep reading that the little girls look happy, well, they would look just as happy riding a bike, jumping rope or baking a mud pie. To insist that fake tans, fake eyelashes, fake hair, fake smiles can develop into real self esteem is ridiculous. Most of the moms are pressuring these girls to look beautiful and yet they put no pressure on themselves to combat the trailer park look, which clearly indicates they are living through them. None of the pageant celebrities you mentiond above did this as a child they were grown women
These “mothers” and I say that loosely are trying to live out their fantasies through their children. This is as sad as it gets, these kids are naturally pretty without all that war paint! I think these mothers could use the war paint themselves as most of them are hogs who look like three miles of bad road! LET YOUR KIDS BE KIDS!
My daughter is 5 years old and has done a few pageants. What people don’t understand is it’s not just judged on which girl is the prettiest but also who carries themselves the best. It is boosting these little girls confidence and self worth. The people who think it’s “discusting” are the ones who have serious issues!
Yeah and when you (#29) say how the girls are judged on how they “carry themselves”, you mean prancing and switching their hips around on stage like some future playboy bunny? Yeah, ok. Look at that picture at the top of this page…it’s horrifying! That little girl looks 40 yrs. old. How is that beautiful? These pageants are disgusting and so are the “parents” who force them to participate in them! A word to the parents, Get your own lives and let these girls live their own.
Oh my Goodness,
I can’t believe how children’s pageants have changed so much compared to when my daughter competed. What happened to the natural beauty and the fun that goes along with it? When my daughter was in pageants, they were not allowed to wear all that make-up, fake lashes, etc…they would be disqualified. We live in California and they have some of the toughest pageants here, my daughter did hold many titles and won overall many times but when it started not being fun anymore for her and she wanted to stop then she stopped competing. Are you mothers out there now putting your child in there for her or for you? When you get so competitive that you have to bad mouth another child or it’s no longer fun for your child, it’s time to get out.
Horrendous.
This show frightens me. They show the names of the towns where these girls live and even their houses. I think the show along with the mothers have exploited these children to Child Predators along with total free access and blueprints to their houses. It disgusts me and I am praying nothing happens to any one of these cute innocent children.
Intelligence is not a factor in competition as shown by the idiotic former Mrs. Rhode Island and Puerto Rico with a complex who spent $5,000 on her dress in the mother daughter competition and then proceeded to talk about how much $1,000 was as a prize. Really – do you not see that you lost over $4000. That was $4000 that could have been placed in a college education fund for that child. What a role model. I felt sorry for her daughter. You could tell her daughter was not enjoying any part of the competition.
Thanks for all your comments! The amount of money that goes in to making a little girl look like, uh, that is ridiculous. Plus with the entry fees and what not, I don’t see how the $1000 prize is great at all. Obviously, the pageants themselves are making moolah on the whole deal.
I have 2 nieces who are both in pageants. they have won a variety of titles such as Little Miss NC, state titles and others.
both girls are bright, do good in school, play the piano, and also do dance, tumbling & floor. It has helped both of them acquire more confidence in themselves. They do both, natural and glitz. They get to meet some really nice girls, their mom networks & does hair and make up not only on her girls , but on several other girls as well, and she also helps by spray tanning other girls too. I think if some moms took some lessons in being nice to other mothers, they would get along better. EACH mother thinks their kid is the prettiest, I myself think that both of my nieces outshine everyone, but that is just our opinion. I would never get on a discussion board to knock any girl or mother. As far as “the children should be taken away, I believe that is much to harsh a sentence for a simple pageant. I think it also prepares them for th adult world when they don’t win every time. One weekend you OWN that stage and won a title, at the next pageant, you do great, but someone else maybe does better in interview or WOW wear, so next time they may not place or may come in as runner up. In the real world you are not going to get everything you want every time you want it. Both of my nieces are very generous with other girls, they always tell the winner they did a great job, they don’t prance off the stage mad just b/c they didn’t win, and not winning every time is the real world. I know that some mothers are very pushy ect, but that is their nature, but as i said earlier, there is no cause to come onto a board and trash talk anyone of the girls or their mothers. Just b/c not all mothers are still a size 2 from high school,that is not something I feel should even be talked about. Also if the mom’s are doing everything, hair, makeup tan, they have to just squeeze in a little time to clean up a bit. Myself now, the camera would not find me or my sister w/o make-up on. It just takes some extra planning to make sure you have time for it all. In closing, I think it is a good idea as long as when the girls are ready to stop, then they be allowed to stop. If it is no longer fun for them, you will see it on her face. But moms do remember if it says “full glitz” you are not doing your child any favors by saying she should be judged by her natural beauty & then not do the glitz, that hurts your child’s chances. if you want to do natural & that is what you prefer, then don’t enter them into “Full glitz”. I love both. Hope everyone has a great night-really enjoyed the 1st show of LMP
I think what bothers most of us so much is that these little girls are encouraged to learn “sexy stripper dance moves” for their routines. That’s just sick, as is the “suggestive wink/finger to the pouty red lips, Lolita” combo move. I bet every pedophile out there is watching. What’s next? Pole dances for 5 year-olds? That might seem “cute” to the parents or judges, but it makes me sick to my stomach. I agree that the income/education level of the parents of these families is quite apparent in their clueless quest for glory.
Also, I don’t see the need for fake tans, hair pieces, false teeth, etc. “Glitz” should only refer to the clothes they wear, which should also be age appropriate, not a Britney Spears costume. What strikes me is that most of these girls are not really all that cute without their “glitz.” In fact, they look like their moms, who are obviously trying to boost their own self-esteem by “proving” their daughters are pretty. That’s just sad. And when the moms say their daughters have “personality”, what they really mean is bratty precociousness. You don’t see too many sweet, well mannered children in this show.
It’s also flat-out ridiculous to watch the moms (or worse, dads) coach the dance moves from the sidelines. Shouldn’t part of the real competition be to see whether or not the child can learn the moves on her OWN? Otherwise, let’s just have the moms do the routines! At least that would be more age appropriate. It would also make for great comedy!
P.S. When you reply to this, please note that red underlines mean something is misspelled! See how easy they make it?
There have been some interesting comments made regarding “Little Miss Perfect.” I had the misfortune of being sick in bed with nothing on TV but reruns of this show. All in all, the little girls seem okay. They are so young and seem to know nothing but pageants. So completely sad in my opinion.
The mothers are a whole other story. This is most likely going to seem rude, but for the most part the mothers are fat and matronly. Maybe they should focus on a treadmill and weight watchers rather than false eyelashes and faux tanning for a SIX year old CHILD!!!! What kind of role models are they?? Americans sure aren’t getting any slimmer…….
I am not sure if this is a southern culture thing but here in the midwest (I am refuring to my hometown of Chicago), parents are trying to get their kids prepared for Ivy League schools at a young age. The moms in my neighborhood are paying for private tutors to teach their children a second language, not rhinestone dresses. I guess Chicago is different because all the moms I know here in the city are so into their children becoming sucessful adults not “beauty” queens. All the queens I know live in Boystown.
LORD HAVE MERCY!!! What a HOT MESS!!! And what’s with the FAKE teeth and tans??? These “country bumpkins” moms (dads) are out of their minds!!! I’m from Georgia and I don’t remember all of this kind of pageant drama when I was growing up. Mostly back then (80’s) pageants meant competing for some amount of scholarship money. These moms are spending more on entry fees, and “GLITZY” customs than most college students spend on books & lab fees for one semester! If some of these little girls are not too brainwashed, hopefully they will decide to go on and do something productive in life…like go to college and they do decide to go to college, they are gonna be mad as hell at their parents for spending money that could have been used for their education instead of on all of this pageant foolishness. I agree with several of the previous comments…this is NOT the little girls’ fault, the blame for this madness should be place squarely at the feet of their moms’ & dads’
Just watch “Little Miss Sunshine”.
They get the whole pageant schtick down perfectly.
I CANNOT watch “Little Miss Perfect” without reliving every moment of that movie!
Ok. where to begin. I participated in ALOT of pagents when I was younger. I am not a stripper or any of the things that one insane woman who posted on here said I would become. I loved every minute of being in pagents. I had a flipper and fake hair. so what. who do you people think you are to say its wrong. Do people tell you how to raise your children? you people bash something that teaches little girls poise and self confidence. You wanna talk about something that is wrong talk about how little boys are encouraged to be football players. how barbaric is that. lets encourage boys to do a sport where they can get their neck broken or sustain brain damage but lets bash a hobby because it requires make up. you people need to grow up. you make comments about pagent moms wasting time yet you all seem to have time to get on here and post your pathetic uneducated opinions. why don’t you actually learn something about pagents besides what you see on tv before you hate on them.
Michael Galanes said, “Come out and try to really sell it!” What EXACTLY are these LITTLE children SELLING??? This program is producing Little Miss FUTURE rape victims and porn stars.
This is sickening… so wrong…these are little girls not woman..the little miss perfect shit…seriously…people waste there money exspecially for college education…this world and generations of childeren are going down the toliet…and the show talks about fat people…they need to look at them selves..they dont eat..there sticks.. This needs to stop ..put your childern in school and stop spending your kids college education on fake pagents that dont do anything to help you or your childrens lives.
If you are a pageant mom and are spending to much on dresses go to the url above to get beautiful pageant dresses at amazing prices.
This is for the people who are defending this rediculous pagent, you people who don’t like the negative comments on here about the little girls, the moms and the pagent itself need to realize that when these pagent contestants are on national television they are putting themselves up for scrutinizing and criticism from the viewers, good grief! what did you expect people to say about a horrible show like this where the little girls are made up to look like hookers, you can defend this stupid show all you want,but your just making yourselves look like a fool and brainless,cause any mother who truly cares and loves their child would not think twice about putting them in a horrible show like this for all the child molesters out there to get off on and then for TLC to show the house and the city or state they live in is telling all of us that not only are the moms fools,but so is TLC, stupid is as stupid gets!, if you dont like criticism then dont expose yourselves and the little girls to it its as simple as that.
my dautger wants to enter the little miss perfect and i do not know where is it.
Ok, Where do I start?
When I was 8 years old, I fell in love with pageants on tv. It was the Miss USA pageant, and I loved the sparkle and the glamour of it all. This was back in 1988. Usually my mother had her nose in a romance book, and I was off riding bikes, being a tomboy. I could not get those images out of mind. It was something I wanted to do so much. My mother wouldn’t have any of it. Of course if it required her getting off her ass, it wasn’t worth doing. I begged her every year to let me at least do the local fair pageant, and still the answer was no. I begin clipping out articles out of the newspaper, if it featured a beauty queen. Yes I was getting obsessed. My mother married a jerk of a man. I was constantly berated, called names, and because of my stepdad’s job as a garbage man, even wore hand me down clothes fetched out of the trash. The thought of becoming Miss America or something more, was what kept me going sometimes. My family life escalated into a worse situation and I was taken out of the home. I went to live in a group home, and a year later, my therapist gave me the okay to participant in a pageant!! It was a local pageant and the director sponsored my entry fee, I borrowed an old prom dress from a staff member at the group home, and another staff member did my hair and make up. I did awful in the pageant, but it didn’t discourage me. At 13 I did another one in the Fall, did a little bit better. I took a break during my high school years. I was in choir, played the cello, competed on speech and drama team. My foster mother didn’t really like the idea of pageants, and when I got out of the foster care system. I finally won my first pageant at 18. I never become Miss America, but I credit my poise and speaking ability, and being able to sing in public to pageants. I now have an 8 year old daughter, and she did a lot of pageants when she was younger, and we do a couple here and there. I am happy that this is something I can do with her, that I enjoyed doing in the past. We did a lot of natural and some glitz, but not doing the fake tans/hair/ and teeth thing. We love cuddling up on the couch eating popcorn. She finds the girls she roots for, and I look at the pretty dress, and see if I recognize anyone, or if I can spot a couple of my daughter’s dresses I made. I know people who aren’t involved in the pageant world make assumptions about these children’s mothers and think how bad moms they must be for subjecting their children to this. (quel horror) make up, and rhinestones. They just don’t know how much goes into it. I myself would have loved it, if my mother cared as much for me to actually do something like this when I was a child.
You know it always cracks me up when people who want to prove a point (in this case, the hardcore supporters of child glitz pageants) get on a blog or forum AND TYPE LIKE THIS!!!!!!! All capitals is the equivalent to screaming in someone’s face and is exceptionally rude. Not to mention the inane vocabulary, complete lack of grammar, and a multitude of spelling mistakes and missed capitalization – other than the screaming of course..
News flash: If you’re going to hand someone their @$$ on the internet, at least try (just a litte, it’s not hard, I promise) to look like you have a higher IQ than a rock. Also, please remember – fighing on the internet is like being in the special olympics: Regardless of whether you win or loose, you’re still retarded at the end of the day.
Now, as for Pageants themselves – I support the idea of pageants in that they are supposed to give these girls a chance to shine and excel in something. Competitions are a common thing with kids – dancing, karate, sports, and so on are something most of us took part in as children. Pageants, how they end up being executed are entirely wrong, and they lend themselves to a bad reputation. I’m not a mother, but I do have common sense – oh, and two doctorates in Anthropology and Psychology to back up my opinions.
Some of these mothers – Trinity’s Mom from “Little Miss Perfect” is a big one that comes to mind. This woman apparently couldn’t do pageants as a child like she wanted, so she’s now doing her best to live vicariously through her child. She was a jittery, nervous wreck all through the show, almost to the point of tears when Trinity forgot her steps on stage. This woman needs a serious psychological elvaluation. Her husband seemed to have his head together, but how he can stand being around a neurotic nutbag like his wife without a long, involved amount of professional training to deal with unstable nut-jobs, I don’t know. I feel sorry for her children more than anything.
Well, it depends on the brand for me. Throw a can of Suave…I’m staying put. Throw a can of Big Sexy Hair and I’m running after that for miles!!!!!
We love the show. My daugther did her first pageant at age 14, and has grown tremendously since then. If you look a little deeper, you’ll see the huge accomplishments made by most of the “pageant girls.” I’m talking community service like crazy, connections all over the United States, pose, interview skills, public speaking, etc. They have goals, focus, and don’t have time to be out drinking, doing drugs, and engaging in inappropriate behavior because pageants are hard work, and preparing for them requires tons of time. They have to be well versed in their community, on current events, and just knowledge in general.
There are many different systems that fit different personalities; some reward high GPAs and community service more than beauty. Others are more beauty based. As for the younger child pageants, these kids really do seem to love it. (Most of them.) There is the occasional nutty mom, which is unfortunate, but you see it in little league, dance, cheerleading and every other sport. There are lots of natural pageants for the little ones where they wear little or no make-up, no hair pieces, etc. But for the glitzy pageants, little girls usually like to dress up — and that’s what it is, playing dress up, making friends, and competing. Don’t knock it till you’ve looked a little closer.
This show teaches little girls that beauty is better then brains. Come on if you have to enter your child into a beauty contest just too see how beautiful she is then that’s just sad. If any of these girls ends up killed by some pedo I blame the mothers.
In all honesty it almost brings me too tears seeing how these little girls are dressed up too look like little hookers. I have been babysitting a 5 year old girl and her brother for over a year. I could never see her or would never wanna see her dressed like these little girls since I think shes beautiful the way she is.
I don’t have any experience in pageants but I am looking for a job and I can appreciate how this kind of experience could be really helpful to kids when they grow up. Interviewing for a job is so much like pageantry. You have to look the right way, say the right things and impress hiring managers based on nothing more that impression made in a half hour or so. A girl who has been in pageants will probably know how to push the right buttons because she has had practice.
As for the costumes, while it is true that some go overboard and look a little creepy, there are others that exercise taste and restraint giving rise to really adorable images. I recall that the judges have given the best compliments for clean natural looks while giving criticism for those which are obviously over the top.
If my daughters expressed interest in participating in this hobby, I would be supportive and do all I could to steer it in a healthy, life enhancing experience.
You know pageants is the same as any other sport. What about girls in gymnastics where those leotards all up there buts training from morning to night not aloud to have any fun or life with friends because of their training. Usually its the parents choice in having their kids not have a life because of their training. What makes that so different then pageants. These girls are living a princess life. Beautiful dresses, makeup, hair. its fun. Now I don’t agree when the pageant becomes all about her instead of the kid and I don’t agree with parents forcing their kids to do them. But if the child loves to do them let it be. Leave this people alone. I have experience I have a daughter who loves pageants and we do them but I have a daughter who loves gymnastics and we do that too. I also have a daughter who loves dancing we do that too. My kids choice is there choice and it is all a sport. We should look at the positive of things and not always with the negative. Pageants have shown my kids to be outspoken, poised, confidence. We don’t do fake hair or teeth or tans or anything fake for that matter and they do just fine in pageants but I would never down another kid for doing it. I sometimes think people are just upset because they would never dare to do what these kids would do to look beautiful. As for judging come on people in every sport there is a judge whether it be a referee, or an actual judge. My kids played soccer they were judged there by a referree to make sure they were playing correctly. My kids have done modeling and they get judged at there auditions. tHey have done gymanstics and they get judged by their coaches and so on and so on. So really leave pageants alone. Its no different then any other sport. As long as its fun for the kids and its about the kids not the parents then so be it.!!!
Why not just pin a sign on your child that says…CALLING ALL CHILD MOLESTERS! If these mothers think it’s fun to dress up their innocent babies like high price call girls and give their full names as well, then they need major help.
The title of this show caught my attention, “Little Miss Perfect”, and I had to turn it on. The name itself should raise a concious red flag, as nothing, and no one is “perfect”. when I actually saw what it was about, it was even more disturbing… Not only are these women exploiting thier small children for thier own self gratification, they are piling on mounds of make-up, and sequence, and teaching them that “this” is the measurement of perfection in a woman. I have read the blogs here, and some people include statements like “self assurance, poise, confidence, etc…” Wow… I wonder if these young little girls realize that they dont need fake hair, fake teeth, fake everything to be confident, poised, and self assured. These mothers are setting the worst example ever. Pushing vanity and superficiallity, rather than being responsible parents, and teaching thier young daughters strength, humility, and most importantly, that what we see on the outside, should NEVER determine our own self worth.
All you need to see why these pageants are wrong for children, is to see the little girl (a beautiful little girl) crying because she isn’t pretty. She says she loses because she is ugly. Anyone who claims this isn’t about beauty or this doesn’t have a negative effect on children’s self-esteem needs to see that. My heart broke for that little 5 year old girl. Even harder for her, she is the youngest of 3 sisters, and the older 2 win all the time.
The only child that seemed healthy and normal about this pageant, was a little girl named Jayne. She had her own ideas, her Mom supported her and didn’t push her, and she had a great time. When she got sick and couldn’t compete, she took it in stride. That pageant organizer, had the nerve to tell her that even though she was sick (she vomited in the middle of the pageant and looked ill), she should have kept going. Jayne said: “I didn’t want anyone else to get sick. And I just want everyone to be happy.” Of all the girls, she seems to be the only one to be enjoying pageants. Her Mom only puts her in pageants, because she loves to perform.
Most of the moms that I see on this show are fat and ugly. They are living their lives through their daughters.
My opinion on pageants is that if the little girl wants to do it, let her, I just think natural pageants are the better way to go. If you put them in a glitz, don’t make them look like itty bitty prostitutes, take away all the spray tans, hair pieces, flippers,just let your little girl be naturally beautiful like she is. Like Taylor, the karate girl, she wore light makeup, no fake hair, no spray tan, no flipper. She was just being her. There ya’ have it, my opinion on child pageants
Wow, I think I’m in a little bit of shock after reading the blog comments. I am astonished at some of the people commenting. I think before anyone can have a strong opinion about this, they should probably know that THEIR grammar is incorrect. Do they teach little girls how to spell in these Pageants? I’m guess not.
As far as the pageant itself goes, I agree with most of the people commenting.
I think that little girls should be little girls. I know that maybe the contestants want to perform and enjoy it but, they are so little. If your six year old child said, “Mom, I want a pony!” are you going to go out and buy it for them? I’m guessing not.
As humans, we need to understand that there should be more focus on the real things in life for our children. Things like being able to feel confident when speaking, and to know that if they comment on something or have an opinion that THEIR errors aren’t in the grammar.
Ok, I’ve said my peace. (ish)
Just a little side note… ALOT is actually spelled a lot.
I think that some of the people that are commenting on this board really need some professional help! There is nothing wrong with little girls getting dressed up like a princess and getting on the stage and showing her self confidence! I do not believe in glitz pageants but not all the pageants are glitz and they dont have spray tan and fake teeth. There is something seriously wrong with some of the mother and the way these mothers are acting. Pageants should be fun and not something that has to be won but something you do to have fun! There is something seriouly wrong with the people that thing pageants attract sickos and the people that think this have something seriously wrong with them
If i may say so myself…..I have been doin pageants since I was 6 and they have given me the confidence and guidence to not care how people outside of pageants think of me…..it gives these little girls the confidence and makes them happy to get all dressed up and look like princesses….I really don’t understand why some of these people on here keep putting it down….I get total enjoyment out of beauty pageants and can’t believe people wouldn’t let their daughters do it….It makes them strong and gives us life skills and futhers our chances of reaching our DREAMS!
SICKO’S!! You’re spending ridiculous amounts on a scam! You’re pimping out your little kids and you don’t even realize it. All of you pageant mom’s, need to seek out some professional counseling. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.
All I can say is CREEPY CREEPY CREEPY……..The Moms need some Professional Help!
The pageant mothers (most of them pretty hefty) crack me up, especially when they are mimicking their daughters’ routines while out in the audience! If I was a judge, I would see if the children were watching their parents for direction, and grade them down for that. The child should know their routine before coming on stage. Jayne Dolinskey is my favorite, because she is so natural, cute, and funny!
Hi!
I think these beauty pageants exist because we are living in a time, where people want to be seen all the time, these mothers use their children as props to be famous and have succes.
I am a highschool student from Denmark, and I’m writing a big assignment about mothers staging (?) themselves through child beauty pageants. Does anyone know where I can find profiles or similar, where the girls are exhibited? Just to document that the mothers use some kinds of social networks to be seen. (I hope it is okay to write this comment on your blog, Amy?).
Emma
Emma…it’s absolutely OK. 🙂 Good luck on your assignment. 🙂 I’m sure they have Facebook pages and websites.
My friend, daughter and myself have been watching Toddlers and Tiaras and now we have Little Miss Perfect here in Australia. I think the pageants are no different to the dance, singing, music and speech and drama competitions here. The competitors wear costumes, make up, hair pieces etc. which along with the tuition, music, travel, hotels and entry fees become quite expensive. All this to win a medal or a trophy! At least the pageant winners get a crown and a sash as well. My daughter started the dance and singing competitions at 4 and still competes in the singing competitions as an adult. In fact, tomorrow we will drive 4 hours to go to the Queensland competition. All up the entering will have cost her several hundred dollars but she loves to do it. She now sings operatic arias, classical songs, musicals and modern but started with childrens songs and progressed each year as she got older. I have not lived my life through my child as some have suggested about the pageant mums. My passion is drama so I have had my own life on the stage. I don’t see pageants as being any different to what we do here. There will always be stage mothers and sporting mothers regardless of what activity their kids do. I have watched kids grow up to join Australian Ballet or Queensland Opera and can remember seeing a family of boys sing and grow up to be the Bee Gees. Not every pageant girl will become Miss America as not every singer will win American Idol. But they can look back when they are adults and remember what they achieved as children.
There is one thing that puzzles me. The Talent sections don’t seem to have a lot of actual talent and why do babies enter? They are a bit young to sing or dance. AND how does a 2 year old in a cone shaped Madonna bra win overall talent????????????? Out of all those entrants wasn’t there a child who could sing in tune or tap dance or play a concerto on the violin?????????
Regarding the comments about the mothers. If I was going to be on tv I would wear make up and something fabulous – but that is me. I know mothers who love to be in comfy clothes and don’t like make up so whatever works best for them. I do think however that comments about the mothers’ weight is hurtful when you don’t personally know them. I myself am an ex model who used to be able to model swimwear but because of having a serious illness and having to take medication for it that has a side effect of weight gain I would now be considered fat. Unfortunately we live in a society that judges people by their size.
My friend and I would like to start Glitz Pageants here in Australia. However we have only seen the parts of the show that involes kids they are following for that programme, we don’t know what an entire pageant is like Does anyone know where we could get a DVD or a download of a pageant?
Hi ladies,I am 44 and have always loved the beauty field and the glitz and glam of it.What could be more fun than a little girl playing dress up and feeling like a princess.I have always loved dressing my daughter up and taking pictures.I think the young girls look like dolls not sexual.I think people are viewing this in a very negative light.Paegentry is also a great way to bond with your daughter.There are perverts out there,but beauty is not perverse.Why do peoples minds always have to be in the gutter?
Those two female Judges on the show are disgusting. I felt ever so sorry for the poor little girl who was sick and had pains in the stomach and her mother let her go on and to the Michael Jackson routine. This child looks to me to be a very sick frail child and needs medical attention did anyone else feel the same way. Why are most of the coaches so fat and cannot do the routines themselves. Their hair looks like it has never been combed like most of the mothers. Who would be these has been beauty queens to coach your child.
I have to agree about the judges – why do they need to flash their boobs at every show. Some of the dresses Deeeeedeeee wears barely cover the boobs. And how is that ridiculous little dog of hers allowed into the hotels. Don’t they have some policy about animals. The other problem I have with the judges is that Micheal uses the same ones for every competition. That doesn’t seem fair as if girls want to re-enter the judges would have some bias if they have seen them before. Also this competition doesn’t seem quite right to me. Micheal adds up the scores while the judges are talking about the girls. Sometimes girls who have gotten bad comments from the judges still seem to win. I think Micheal may decide the winner himself if he doesn’t agree with them.
My girls ages 8 an 3 both compete in pageants. Never with huge amounts of makeup and never with fake hair. Tanning is a little different. My oldest is fair skinned and it helps bring out her features. She also has hi lites. As a pageant mom we have competed in little miss perfect and won: this pageant is a great system and not all the glitz you see in all the episodes. I have never spent over $100 on any combined outfits for pageants!!!!! The dance routines my girls do helps them learn how to learn steps and dances for when they try out for dance or cheerleading and those outfits and makeup are about the same. Pageants have given my girls confidence and poise. They make lots of friends. I take my girls hunting and fishing and muddin and 4 wheeler riding and we still do pageants. The things you see on tv is just the most outrageous to make u mad and keep you entertained enough to tune in to next weeks crazies!!!
I really think that the people that put their children in things like this were not given the positive attention they needed as children. I have 3 beautiful girls and I would never put them on display like a barbie doll!! All 3 are physically beautiful! But I have taught them that beauty from within is your TRUE beauty. I have been told over the years to put them in pageants, modeling etc.. I let them be who they are “inside” without trying to mold them into princesses, most of what these mothers do..were their dreams as a child. “Let your children be children, and grow and learn at their pace..not yours”
Let the girls grow up! It is in post-JonBenet Ramsey world!
OMG–for God;s SAKE let them be kids–this is horrible n degrading.
After watching a few episodes of both little miss perfect and toddlers ands tiaras I have become a bit addicted 🙂 when I was growing up ( in the uk) I would have loved to have had the chance to participate in any type of pageant, natural or full glitz ( I probably wouldn’t have come anywhere, but luckily my mum and dad bought me up to realise that nothing comes easy and we need to work hard to achieve our dreams) I did have the greatest opportunity to become a carnival jnr queen for my local town and also a princess for a few years too, which were the best times of my childhood. Like the US types pageants it taught me so much and gave me so much more confidence, I have since hung up my tiara and took to the stage, staring in many shows, I would never have had the chance to do this had I not been involved in the carnivals 🙂 so all I would like to say is, if the child is enjoying it and shines on stage, what harm can it do, if they don’t enjoy it though, pack that car up and find out what it is that will make that child shine and go try it 🙂 much love from the UK xxxx
G’day Pink Fairy
I have seen TV shows here about UK pageants but can’t seem to find them on the net. The one I have seen is Miss UK Photogenic for kids and teens. Do you have any info on that one. Please eat a jaffa cake for me. I ate them all over England and Scotland and can’t buy them here.
Im italian and i live in USA from 1 year. Im speachless about what i saw… Little girls that should play around make beauty competition????? And what is funny is that in this country everythings doesnt have sense. I go to the pool with my 8 months baby who just have diaper on ( thatshow we do in italy) and i hear somebody tell meto cover her because is EROTIC… But then they show those girls likethat on tv???? WOW!!! This competition is perfect for pedophile… Plus mothers who spray tan on those little girls???? Where are SOCIAL SERVICE IN USA???????
I hope child pageants will NEVER become popular in europe! Scary thought!
I started modelling when I was 16. I thought it would be good pocket money. I started hating it. My agent wanted me to give up school and go to Italy, but I decided to quit.
I finished school, went to university, travelled the world and never ever missed the beauty business.
Some mothers put their babies in pageants. That’s the life they know from early on.
They are NOT asked! Make up, false nails, false hair, false tan…They don’t even have time to develop and express their natural beauty. They learn that the only thing that counts is outer (fake) beauty.
They all seem so unnatural and brainwashed by their sad mothers/ parents. No kid cares about money, or looks. And they shouldn’t…there’s enough of competition, greed and shallowness in adult life.
These kids are trying to please their idiot mothers, that’s all. Underneath all this cheap looking glitz and glam is a lot of pain and as a human being you should be able to tell by looking into the blank stares and fake smiles that they don’t enjoy it! It’s a disgrace to children. And these kids have no voice…I watched a couple of episodes and everytime there was a case for CPS. Long term studies show that pageant girls have unhealthy relationships to their bodies and are more likely to develop anorexia, depression, body dismorphia etc… and other psychological problems.