Before you panic, I said no. I left off the “hell, no”, but definitely said no.
Now here is what happened. I DVR those “Little Miss Perfect” and “Toddlers and Tiaras” Shows. Its like a train wreck that I cannot leave alone. I generally watch them alone at night when there is nothing on tv, but yesterday I had two of them taped and she was down for her nap so I popped them on to take a break.
Watching the moms on that show make me feel like a good parent on my worst days.
She woke up with roughly 10 minutes left of the show so I just finished it instead of switching it off. She sat down next to me. She was enthralled.
The dresses. The glitter. The makeup.
She was all about it. “Mom, Can I do that? That dress is beautiful! I want to do that. Look, I can dance too!” (she gets up and demonstrates to me her ability to preen).
She went on for about 5 minutes in letting me know why she should be able to do a pageant. Mama is raising a salesperson.
Now I think Charlotte is a very beautiful little girl – without all that. Of course I let her play with makeup at home and dress up….but those are for family eyes. I also think she is naturally gorgeous. And honestly, not every mom or every child on those shows is a crazy person; just most of them.
But I would make a terrible pageant mom.
I wouldn’t pay $2000 for a childs dress even if it meant meeting the President or Leonardo Dicaprio and Charlotte is so highly competitive that if she lost, she would most likely tackle the poor little girl unlucky enough to be holding the crown, pop her in the head with a trophy, and run.
I am not kidding about that last part. She once spent an entire day ignoring me because I beat her on a race up the stairs in our house.
Am I being unreasonable?
Do you think she could have fun and actually just do it for the dress and the dance…or is the “sport” too damaged by crappy parents to ever consider getting something out of it at all – even if it was just fun.
~Trisha
PS I did enter her in a modeling competition though..(the page is kinda fussy..if you go and its blank, just refresh)..it comes with a 100K scholarship for school. Would love if you voted for her…not cause she is cute, but because she is smart and I would love to ensure that she has her education cared for. Looks only last for so long.
And that’s a REAL parental value.
I think if I had a daughter (thank God for boys) I would not have left off the “Hell NO!” These shows are insane!! I have never gotten through a full episode, but just the promos and the parts that I have seen are enough to drive me nuts. With the amount of money I’ve seen them spend on clothes and hair, plus all the MAKE-UP these kids wear. Holy crap! It’s a pedophile’s dream. Like I said… HELL NO!!
After you talked about this on FNL. I hadn’t seen either show. I thought it was ridiculous when I first heard of them. So, I couldn’t sleep, I found Little Miss Perfect on the On Demand and watched an episode. What a train wreck! I ended up watching the other episodes Saturday night on there. The Director gives me the creeps. He is not too bright. He said and I quote “The animals have Dr. Suess (he means Dr. Doolittle) There was another one too and I was like this guy is an idiot. I feel so sorry for those little girls, The moms are total bitches. Don’t you wanna be Little Miss Perfect? Let’s give our kids 500 pixy stix so they will stay awake while wearing their fake eye lashes and gobs of makeup. Flippers (fake teeth)are the scariest thing ever. One of the girls outgrew her flipper and she had to make a new one and it looked like a mouth piece they use in electroshock therapy. You are right its like a train wreck you can’t stop watching. Charlotte is beautiful and doesn’t need anything fake.
My girls wanted to do Rodeo Pageants and I honestly think it would be fun for them – but I worry too about the whole disappointment thing! I don’t think pageants are bad unless the parents are the ones getting all crazy with them LOL! BTW – voted for the beautiful Charlotte
remember there are TWO types of pageants- those you see on toddlers and tiaras that push the makeup and $$$$ dresses, and the local ‘non-glitz’ pageants. I abhor the first, but non-glitz are ok- They BAN makeup and kids are in regular clothes. They can be very fun if your child has a great personality and is willing to be on stage and smile and show how lovely they are NATURALLY. Yes, little girls LOVE winning tiaras- it makes them feel like princesses.
As ya’ll are in the south, check and see if any of your local festivals have little miss festival pageants- they can be a fun way to try a non-glitz pageant! And yes, sometimes there are alot of perks like college bonds, so keep that in mind
rubbing my eyes after your first two sentences. I swore I read that she asked you if she can get Pregnant. LOL DUmmy me!
Off to vote
Scholarships are fab now if I only had one for my college graduate son that would of been A Woo whoo Moment.
HA! I Tivo both of those shows too and usually watch them alone. Although my husband will watch if he comes in.
Annabella started to ask once and I told her not to even finish that sentence. Although the thought of spray tanning my wiggly five year old does make me giggle a little.
Holy crap!! I entered Annabella in the same competition. had no idea that it comes with a 100K scholarship. I am so much more excited about begging for votes now!! WOOHOO!
just be careful..the fineprint says that you cannot offer incentives for votes like a contest, etc.
That’s an awesome picture!
I commented on your fb, but I wanted to add that I am in shock with how much these parents will pay for this crap. Most of the time the payout isn’t close to what they put in–and by the looks of it the money should be used for other things.
Did you see the Eden girl was on again this week?! Her own doll?! Lord help us…
ps-voted! Good luck!
YES!! i saw that..eden wood. The next jean benet ramsey
I totally get sucked into those shows too… but I’ve always wondered how the parents justified it.
Mostly, they strike me as people who are living vicariously through their children.
Don’t get me wrong – I have a daughter who would be just as enchanted. Girly-girl all the way. Only reason she doesn’t go out in public with enough makeup on to get confused with a 7-year-old clown is because mommy has forbidden it until she’s 23.
Your daughter is lovely. Great call on keeping her out of the “you’re not important unless you are prettier than some other little girl with vaseline on her teeth” circuit.
OF COURSE I’ll vote for Charlotte! College is so expensive these days and that would be a great thing for her to win!!! I hope she does!
I do NOT blame you one bit. If I had a girl, I would let them enter pageants…over my dead body! I watch those shows, too, and cannot believe what those poor children have to go through. Ugh. It’s revolting.
Modeling competitions are different. I have mixed feelings about them, but I certainly think there is a bit more dignity involved.
I wouldn’t do it, but if I did, I would let her natural beauty shine on its own. There are moms who don’t do all the false eyelashes and lipstick and stuff. I think it’s much better without all that.
Charlotte is stunning! And I don’t think you’re being unreasonable. Those pageants come with too much drama…in my opinion.
Hugs and Mocha,
Stesha
My daughter has been in quite a few pageants (and placed)…but she does it because SHE wants to, not because it’s my dream. She hasn’t done one in about a year (b/c of financial issues) but I have never paid outrageous prices for a dress b/c I just don’t agree with it. People always remark what a sweet, even tempered child she is when we do pageants. We have seen some horrible parent/child relationships (just like on that show…but we have rules about her attitude, behavior, etc. It is possible…but it’s hard to get over some of the parents’ actions sometimes. Sometimes you make new friends though too.
LOL Yeah, I wouldn’t be able to do that either. Some of those moms are crazy! I voted for her for the contest though. Good luck!
I wouldn’t do it. Even though I think it would be fun and I wanted to be in one when I was little…it’s a lifestyle and one I don’t really want for my daughter! I want her to know that she is so much more than a pretty face!
She is beautiful I love that picture of her
but as you I would say no to pageants! It maybe starts as fun but it sure turns into UGH for all those kiddos! Off to vote for her 