Thursday, January 20, 2011

Toddlers & Tiaras

Surely I am not the only one who has way too much time on their hands after the kids go to bed, and views such awful shows such as Toddlers & Tiaras.

Really, has anyone ever done pageants?  Are they this bad????

Some questions--Why do they think it is cute for the girls to talk like a baby?  Seriously, get them into speech, it's not cute and they look ridiculous.

Last night's episode involved a girl with ADHD, Cassidy.  I live with ADHD, that girl, while she may have had it, also had a serious case of being a brat.  Being allowed to act the way she did, and to treat people the way she did?  She needs an ass whipping.  Her mom?  She needs one too.  Who sits there and talk about their kid behind their back and be jealous of the girl who won because she's the "whole package" and her own daughter is a mess?  The whole family got under my skin.  Really, you have to take money away from your bills to put your daughter in a pageant?  Don't even get me started on how idiotic that is!

Kiara was cute, and at least her mom was out there trying to earn money, and she actually questioned whether or not they would continue.

Ellyson, the daughter of the Airman, she was cute, but her parents about sent me over the edge.  I'm all about being supportive of your kiddos, but they obviously are living out their fantasies in their child.  They should be saving that $500 for her education, but I doubt that will happen.

I guess I don't get the whole pageant thing.  I was in Little Miss Exxon when I was about 4.  I was painfully shy, and it was torture to get out there.  I have those pictures somewhere, I'll see if I can dig them up.  I was a cute kid, but thank goodness there were no pageants after that in my future!

I have no desire to put my girls in pageants, so I am probably not the best person to watch this show.  Why do I find myself tuning in each week?  Has your child ever done a pageant?  How did they do?  Is it a regular thing?  Did you do them growing up?  Seems like a strange way to spend Gunner's my hard earned money!

9 comments:

Jordan said...

I did a pageant in high school, by my own choice, and yes, I am also very shy and reserved. It was however, a very good experience and was something extracurricular to get involved in for about 4 months. I didn't win anything, and that really didn't bother me at all. I made a few good friends, but as I mentioned, I did it on my own free will and was not forced into it!
But I agree, some people take it to the extreme!! I have a friend who puts her daughter in them, and her daughter LOVES them, but if she ever didn't she wouldn't be forced to stay in.

Amanda said...

I must ask that 20 times every time I see an episode. "All the parents can't be like this--can they?!" They have to be following the extreme cases. I hope.

I can't imagine that I would do any of this. I have all boys, so I suppose I'll never know for sure...but good grief.

DB said...

I think putting toddlers and very young children in pageants is utterly ridiculous. I just don't understand what benefit comes from caking them with makeup, frizzing up their hair and putting them in grownup styled clothing. Let them be kids. ANY benefit anyone attempts to convince me such as shyness, social skills, etc could just as easily be achieved via a different means such as sports, some sort of music class, or countless other possibilities. This has to be the worst example of parents living vicariously through their children.

Kara said...

You aren't the only one that watches horrible TV at night. I watch the show sometimes and I'm amazed at how these kids rule their parents.

I have never been around pageants. I would never put my daughter in one unless she asked to do it and then she would have to really, really ask. I don't understand pageants for little girls. It seems like the parents with the most money that can pay for the fancy dresses and hair extensions, wins.

Keri@GlamorousArmy said...

That show is crazy! If the kids want to do it for their self-esteem, it's one thing...but these parents spend a ridiculous amount of money on it.
Great blog, btw...new reader.

McMGrad89 said...

Never did a pageant, nor has Cait, but she does dance and it is equally expensive and time consuming. The benefit of it all is the improvement in her interaction with people and working on a team for one goal. Having Asperger's has certainly been a challenge for her, but in the end I think dance has made all the difference. After attending workshops on PDD and Autism/Aspergers and learning about their need for sensory integration including improving balance, I decided that dance was the way to go. (Un)fortunately, she was asked to join the competitive team and that's where the money has come in. These days she does solos. When I look back at the days when she would just wander around the back of the stage disinterested in what the rest of the groups was doing, I can hardly imagine that this is the same girl. I suppose pageants could play the same role, but there have to be limits.

Crazy Shenanigans-JMO said...

I didn't see this particular episode but I have seen the show before. Some of those little girls are totally into it and love it. There's even been a few who aren't brats and just have fun with it. That's what I'm fine with. It's the kids who throw giant fits and the parents who are obviously enjoying it more than the kids that I shake my head at.

Jessica said...

You are not the only one that watches those what I refer to as mindless tv shows. I watch the entire all the while shaking my head. It is sad. Really sad.
I did pageants...a lot of pageants. I only did one as a child. I did not like it so my mom did not put me in another one that is until I asked. As a teenager. I am glad I did it then. It was my choice, no pushy mom or pageant coaches. I was very, very shy and the pageants really helped me come out of my shell (so to speak) My age division was easy though compared to the younger girls (those who are being shown in the programs) It was like that when I did pageants 15+ yrs ago. The mothers to those little girls were doing such ridiculous things (fake hair, nails, more make up than I could ever imagine, and padding in the chest just to name a few) that I knew I did not ever want any part of that for my daughter if I ever had one. I do have one now and she has not done pageants. When she is older if she would like to then we will see, but not right now and not to those extremes where the child is lost under pounds of make up and fake tans.

sarah said...

My daughter had the pleasure of competing agfainst ellison in California last year and Todlers and Tiaras prtrayed her perfectly. She is a sweet and beautiful child and that is what we have exoerienced at pageants. My daughter Savannah has been competing in pageants for about a year and at 11 years old it is the greatest thing we have ever decided to do. Savannah has cerebral Palsey and uses a walker on a daily basis and after several years of looking for something that she could do as an extracarricular activity Pageants seem to just work. She does Glitz and Natural and even though she is a little different she makes it work. She is very competitive but is always happy with whatever the outcome. Pageants for us has been a saving grace. When I saw my daughter crying because she could not compete in the Special Olympics or her school field day it broke my heart. Pageants is her outlet to compete. It gives her the opertunity to practice and perform and reep the benifits of hard work. Pageants are more than young girls trying to look older or parents promoting bad behavior. They can also give young girls the opertunity to compete and sometimes show the world that being beautiful comes from inside.