Thursday, April 5, 2012

Toddlers and Tiaras


Toddlers and Tiaras is a television show about mothers putting very young children -- even infants -- in beauty pageants.  It's been on for a few years now, so most of you have probably seen it.

When I first stumbled upon the show, I thought it was a satirical joke.  Then, to my horror, I realized it was real.  Without telling you too much about my reaction to the show, I'm interested in your thoughts on it.

What do you think?



32 comments:

  1. I'm all for children playing dress-up, but please! outside of a reglemented, competitive and heavily gendered environment!

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  2. Oh my, I've heard of this ... this scares me! lol Some of the parents are beyond friendly competitiveness.

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  3. hi Shybiker,,,,is unfortunate

    hugs rose jp

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  4. Ridiculousness, pure and simple.

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  5. I had pretty much the same reaction. there's a part of brain that can not take it. it's too wrong.

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  6. I think its too young to put your children through this! They are not allowed to just be kids! The mothers are pushy and will say oh my child wants to do this, I think really the child wants to please the parent.

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    1. Young children are always eager to please their parents, so it's up to the parents to steer them in the right direction. The moms on this show are awful: their parenting, in my opinion, borders on abuse. They are misusing their kids to live vicariously and play out their own unfulfilled dreams.

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  7. First of all, I am so behind on you and your blog! I'm going to check out what I missed, so hopefully you will see a few new comments.

    I've watched bits and pieces of this show before. I think it's a very, very strange thing. I have never gotten beauty pageants in general, and certainly not for children so young.

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  8. Every time I see a clip from this show, I die a little bit inside. I mean, I'm not a fan of children, and even I can see how horrible this is. The mothers are even more sickening. The judges might be worse than the mothers. It all makes me vomit.

    http://www.glamkittenslitterbox.com/
    Twitter: @GlamKitten88

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  9. It makes me sad - I just can't stomach watching it. I think that the moms are missing something in their lives and they try to fix it by putting their children through this. It's kind of depressing in a way!

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    1. Exactly right, Beth. The moms are pursuing their own fantasies, using their kids in the process -- which is terribly wrong for childrearing.

      Most boys, myself included, can tell you stories about Little League baseball that are horrifying.

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  10. I agree! The first thought that comes to my mind is that it's all about and for the parents who get satisfaction from seeing their children in pageants. I feel sorry for these children and don't buy that they are really having fun doing this. If only kids could be kids!

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  11. I personally think it's awful-
    Childhood seems to be so much shorter all the time that I think it should be a time to be ONLY a child. You've got the rest of your ENTIRE life for all the other stuff.
    Putting all the pressure on the girls is awful.
    A toddler should not know the meaning of fat. Period.

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  12. I think it's gross.

    I cannot understand how anyone can say it isn't dressing a little girl up as a sexualized adult and keep a straight face. There is nothing "child-like" that remains in either their outward appearance or the routines and actions.

    It freakin' creeps me out.

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  13. The adjectives "gross," "horrific," and, um, "just plain wrong" come to mind. I hate those shows, and their mothers look like modern day monsters to me.

    I know, Ally, next time I'll tell you what I really think...lol.

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  14. I agree with Lynne. Also "abusive" and "evil." The things they do to those kids' bodies is not right. I don't see how something like this has not only gained popularity, but acceptance that it's "cute." Sure kid's can dress up - go ahead, but competing them?

    My MIL watches and I usually try to make negative remarks about the show in hopes she'll stop watching. Viewership and money is what keeps that stuff going.

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  15. A must-see film about how wrong all this is and what a real family with real kids looks like is Little Miss Sunshine. If you haven't seen it before, do check it out, it's uplifting and hilarious! I think you'd like it! :)

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  16. The first time I saw it I was SHOCKED!!! ... I cannot believe it is still on air. I do not even think young girls should be encouraged to take part in beauty contests or even fashion shows. Let me play with their dolls while they can.

    ∞ © tanvii.com ∞

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  17. i haven't seen an episode in its entirety...but i've seen previews and clips and i don't agree with it. i think pageants should be for children old enough to make decisions for themselves. the parents are forcing this on them, and for what? their own gratification? the children never look happy to me. let them be kids.

    [oomph.]

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  18. I think there are pros, I do, I do not think it is 100% negative and it has been made into entertainment for the shock value. I think the show is probably edited. That being said - I think its absolutely disgusting. I do not think many of the girls entered in these pageants (whether in general or the ones aired on the show)recieve any of the positive benefits that could come from a pageant. I was interested to read this as soon as I saw it in my blogger newsfeed as I watched an episode last night. There was a little girl, she was most likely 8-10 years old, and she had been put on a diet by her mother. She was scolded and harassed at her own birthday about eating cake and once the pageant which she was losing weight for came along, she had lost 10 lsb and the dress she was suppose to fit into was now too big. No child (who by the way, didn't even have baby fat)should be made to lose 10lbs to fit into a beauty pageant dress or for any reason especially when they are 9 years old. It disgusts me. As someone who has struggled with their weight and started dieting at 9 years old without any sort of pressure form anyone else, i cannot imagine the struggles this girl will have with her weight with her mother attacking her this way. I've struggled with a lot of disordered eating and she will be SO damaged and may never be able to get her mental and emotional ducks in a row to be a healthy eater. These mothers are RUINING their children.

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  19. It makes for good television and that's about it. It is definitely horrifying and wrong, but it is only one of many ways in which children are pressured and abused by their parents and other adults around them. To the best of my knowledge, the emphasis on weight is something that is a huge part of the youth sports world in general. I remember the 9th grade dance team at my school all being instructed by their coach to go on "diets"--which involved eating no additional sugars and seriously cutting carbs--for over a month until they had completed their performance.

    Anyway. I don't watch much TV as it is, but there's no chance in hell I'd watch this show.

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  20. i haven't watched it only seen clips and am horrified
    i am especially taken aback by the venues and the amount of people that AREN'T there
    should be band
    brett

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  21. I will admit to being fascinated by these shows- I think the stage moms are ridiculous and are pushing their children to do things they always wanted to do and I always feel bad for the little girls. Plus it over sexualizes them which is just setting them up for problems later on in life- my two cents!

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  22. I do not watch television, but I cannot imagine tuning in to a show like this. Children are the most naturally beautiful creatures on earth. It is simply a travesty to do this to that natural beauty.

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  23. I think its horrible. These children are at an age where they are developing an idea of who they are and are going to learn that they are judged by appearance. Not only that but they are going to learn that their normal appearance isn't good enough for two reasons, only one child can win and even if they do its only after they have been made unrecognisable through the application of make up and with hair styling and expensive clothes. How can they possibly retain a sense of normality?

    Sebbie

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  24. On the occassions that I've seen this show, my first thought is always, "I wonder who killed JonBenét Ramsey" and I can remember thinking that it was a very odd practise to dress your little girl up with so much make-up and fancy clothing. Too me as a mom, I simply cannot understand it. I am astounded at how much pressure a lot of the moms put on their little girls. We don't do that to boys - why?

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  25. I think it's horrible, and disgusting, have you seen dance moms, just as bad!

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  26. I haven't heard of this show before, but I heard of this "mania" and i think it's awful. Why should a kid wear make up and fancy dresses? she's not a toy, she's a human being and she needs a childhood. I am speechless.
    Life is a romantic poem

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  27. What is toddlers and tiaras. It is a way of glorifying emotional abuse to children, and rather then stepping up and saying how demoralizing, demeaning, rude, disrespectful, and fucked up these children are being treated by parents who really are living this fantasy through their child..instead it is the train wreck which society that will put up for all to see to reinforce the mistreatment and bad behavior and encourage that this type of behavior is socially acceptable.

    I can't watch the show. Its not just this show, its any reality show, because that is exactly what they are preaching, see how your life is better because we are showing you how bad your life can really be...

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  28. I think this show, because it is intended to draw viewers, showcases the most ridiculous and sensationalist mothers. It's obviously on the extreme end of pageantry and not every pageant nor "pageant mom" is like those shown.

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  29. i did pageants when i was little...I'm from South GA, and had hair past my butt; how could I not? ;) But it was none of this mess like it is now. all my experiences were fun ones, and i didn't have fake hair or teeth or any of that.

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  30. A new fantastic way to abuse children and traumatize their tender hearts for ever, knowing for sure that when they grow they will add up to a huge list of unloved adults with false priorities and miserable lives... Way to go people! Awesome really! Even if the experience "seems" fun to a young girl I cannot stress enough how all things bad make you feel surprisingly good! It freaks me out, even though I have far more serious reasons to freak out in my life right now...
    Greetings Ally dear.

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