Topic : 08/14 Trouble in the Spotlight

Please tell me when an "AVERAGE" figure skater ever won gold at the Olympics, or an "AVERAGE" gymnast became the most decorated athelete in the sport.  Or how about an "AVERAGE" dancer?  When has an average dancer danced with the likes of the NYC Ballet?  Or a singer with an "AVERAGE" voice, has one ever been accepted to Juliard?  Or just an "AVERAGE" athlete for any High School team, how many receive scholarships for Division 1 schools?  Does an "AVERAGE" student become class Valedictorian or get accepted into a top notch Ivy League school?  Does the "AVERAGE" instrumentalist get first chair in their section in the Orchestra?  Hmmm.... Does the "AVERAGE" cook get a four star review?  Or what about the simple "AVERAGE" employee?  How often to they get that huge promotion or move their way up to the top of any given company?  Beauty Pageants are no different then any of these examples, they are nothing more than another form of competition.  And wether it be other activities, or sports or just daily living, competition exsist in every aspect of the world today.   And even an athelete, who is above "AVERAGE" or on the level of what I spoke of above, comes to a competition not prepared, without practice or training, without the proper equiptment, etc.....chances are they are not going to perform their best or do well that day, despite any skills or attributes they may possess.  Pageantry is no different.  Even if the most gorgeous child you ever laid eyes on steps onto the stage,  and despite what they are wearing stands there and is uncomfortable or shy,  has no modeling ability or stage presence, projects no personality etc.....they would have as much chance of taking home the crown as the athlete on an off day would have of capturing that medal.  And kids involved in pageantry work just as hard as any one else who participates in an activity or a sport.  There are things to learn and I beg your pardon but it is far more than what you refer to in your above post as "prancing".  Proper foot placement, steps, how they carry themselves and project who they are while on stage; some forms of modeling done at pageants is no more different than a dance routine with diors, and heel stretches and so on and so on.....   And I can assure you as well that when these kids who participated in pageants grow up and become adults they will be at absolutely no dissadvantage then any other person, and will be functional, successful adults in whatever endeavor they wish to pursue.  Because pageants are only one small aspect of their lives and does not solely define who they are.  We have been involved in pageantry for some time now and I can tell you quite a bit about the type of kids we have encountered throughout our experience.  The average pageant kid, is an A student or better.  Every single child we have met in our time in pageantry, who are at school age excel in Academics in some way.  We have known plenty of older teenage pageant competitiors who have graduated top of their classes and went on with scholarships to good colleges to pursue a plethura of different careers.  Many kids involved in pageants are also accomplished in other areas.....many are accomplished musicians, singers, dancers etc.....  Many are athletes in higher level sports, gymnasts, skaters, swimmers, soccer, basketball...etc.....Some of these girls are tutors, or instructors or teach younger children in the areas they excel, wether it be academic or extracurricular.  They are very involved in their churches, parishes, temples, synagogues etc.... we know quite a few ourselves who are even catechists.   These girls are very involved in their communities, volunteering their time for  numerous different causes.  Many of which even founder their own organizations for certain causes, and I am not talking about only older teenage girls, we know numerous younger children, who have their own  charities and spend time collecting hats and mittens for the poor or care packages for foster children or our troops, who collect awesome amounts of can goods and supplies for the needy, raise money for cancer  etc..... and this is merely a small fraction of the things these girls are involved in besides pageantry that truley define who they are and might gauge what type of adult they will grow to become.  So as I said before I assure you that their "LOOKS AND ABILITY TO PRANCE" per say would be the last thing they would need to fall back on to lead fulfilling lives.   I would also like to take just a few more minutes of your time, to tell you a bit about the "type of people" pageantry attracts......I have yet to encounter a person I would consider questionable.  The families we have met are good, decent people, many of which have become some of my closest, dearest friends.  I have met "pageant moms" who would go out of their way to help someone new to pageantry, with tips or support, what have you, I have met  mothers who would take the shoes off their daughters feet when she stepped off stage to give to another child, most often then not a child in the same division or age group, who forgot theirs or realized the oned they borught no longer fit.  I have seen Mothers and Fathers for that matter who have dropped what they were doing to help another parent or child with a ripped outfit or a dress that wasnt fitting properly , with last minute fixes.  I have been in ballrooms during competition, where the entire room cheers loudly for every single kid who steps foot on the stage, not just the kids they know or their own, who are there at the end of the stage to "high five" or hug and give encouraging words to each child as they complete their routine..... yes, there are those who do not, BUT that is no different than any other activity.  I have seen the same qualities in the parents of kids in dance or gymnastics, or any other sport that we have been around for that matter, and I have seen parents in these same activities, snicker or sneer or point and whisper at other children as they walk into dance class or the gym etc...  BUT I would never make the generalization that these charecteristics are something that would be "EXPECTED" by every person involved in such activity; And for you to do so about people involved in pageantry does nothing more than show your ignorance.  I have absolutely no problem what so ever with people having opinions that differ from my own.  I do however feel that in order for anyone to form an opinion on any matter, their opinion should be an educated one, and based on facts and knowledge from both the pros and cons of any given subject.  And as far as Pageantry is concerned, opinions are nine times out of ten one sided.  The general public bases their feelings on the matter, solely on what is is they see on television, and have never attended or even known someone involved in pageants for that matter.

THIS IS ABOSLUTLEY SCARY - THIS MOTHER BONNIE - THINKS IT IS OK FOR AN 8 yrs old CHILD to wear makeup, dye her hair, put false teeth in her mouth and spray a tan on her child???? HOW WAS THIS WOMAN RAISED???? EVERYTHING MUST HAVE BEEN ABOUT BEAUTY!!!! Her sister Kari seems very normal and down to earth- were they raised by the same parents? How can you put so much emphasis ON BEAUTY - YOU ARE SENDING THE WRONG MESSAGE TO THIS CHILD and alot of other children and parents...... People like this SCARE ME TO DEATH - EVERYTHING IS SO MATERIALISTIC, SUPERFICIAL- but I guess you pay your mortgage with your looks, and buy your groceries, LOOKS LIKE THIS MOTHER WILL STOP AT NOTHING - what will she push her daughter into next and obviously she won't STOP at nothing!!! You know kids today have enough pressures, why add more by going to one BEAUTY PAGENT where I know these little girls walk away crying because they LOST the pagent- just heard one last week crying and almost hysterical - AGE 9 - as she was being lead away "I am NOT PRETTY ENOUGH AN"YMORE!" Sick, Sick parents-  

thank god for people like Kari who can see the harm that is coming thats childs way, I would say at least Maddie has an AUNT LOOKING out for her best interest-  

  

What I would like to know is WHERE IS THE FATHER???????????? WHAT DOES HE SAY?? What about GRANDPARENTS????? PLEASE DON'T TELL ME THEY CONDONE THIS -  

  

I just hope Maddie grows up and is normal after HER MOTHER IS DONE LIVING VICARIOUSLY through her daughter and that she doesn't place importance on how beautiful she is - LET this CHILD be a CHILD- because that picture of her SICKENS ME - SHE DOESN"T even look REAL......... and when the wrong people get ahold of this child what will we be hearing then from this mother "OH I didn't know this could/would happen?" This type of mother I don't feel sorry for, I feel bad for the child.   

You may disagree with my views, but do not resort to name calling when answering my posts. Calling me ignorant is way out of line and I do not expect you to do this again.

Your post was very elaborate, yet I failed to see any real 'argument' that would be persuasive enough to make me think that 'beauty pageants' with young children could/can compare with Olympic contestants?. 

  

Most of these young kids are actually in these pageants because their parents are pushing the issue.  At such a young age they are taught to focus on physical beauty, oh and not to forget "proper foot placement, steps". These kids are also told how their parents are making 'big sacrifices' for them, money, travelling, debt, etc,  they really don't have a say in the matter but try to please their parents and their expectations. 

  

This is not an activity which the child can really learn anything, apart from being competitive for the wrong reasons -  beauty -.  I don't see what natural talent these kids are taught to nuture and excell in, how does make-up and hairspray teach a child how to love and respect themselves for who and what they are.   Parents who have 'invested' soooooooo much into their little girl I don't think are genuinly going to help and be concerned about helping the 'little girl who ripped her dress',. 

  

This whole pageant thing sends the absolute wrong message to kids, and I personally think that it should be banned. 

  

  

  

  

Well you would fail to see any real argument that beauty pageants/ pageant kids compare to Olympic contestants in my post, because that was not the point I was trying to get across. lol 

  

Can I ask how many children involved in pageantry do you know?  I am pretty sure that I can safely say that you do not know any.  So how would you know that the only reason these children are involved with pageants is because their parents force them to be?  My child has a very distinct mind of her own, and is very intelligent, she is more than capable of making up her mind about wether or not she wants to be involved in a particular activity or anything for that matter.  Even on a day to day basis, there are dozens of different things that she is not going to do, wether or not it pleases Mommy or Daddy or anyone for that matter.  She does pageants because its something she enjoys doing and she loves every aspect of it; and without knowing her personally, you have absoultely no basis to state otherwise, and that goes with any other child involved in pageants. 

  

Also, my daughter has never been told about the sacrifices we are making for her, because quite frankly there arent any.  The money we spent on pageants, is disposable, and there for what things we want to use it for.  Travelling is something we all enjoy doing, pageant related or not, we most certainly are not in debt because of pageants, and no one, not her or her siblings go without anything or lack for anything because of her involvment in pageants. 

  

No one particular activity, what ever that may be, defines who or what a person/child is or will become, it is simply one small part of an accumulation of many different things that make them who they are. 

  

Again you say that you "THINK"  parents so "invested" in their child wouldn't genuinly want to help or be concerned about helping out.  But you really dont know do you?  Cause you have never met any of these parents or have personally attended a pageant to see this first hand, not through a tv screen. So how could you?   

Hi Chelsey.  I tried to post a message to you earlier but it didn't get posted.  You didn't say how old you are or how long you have been doing pageants, but I had a few comments for you. First of all,  I was glad to hear that you believe in being natural, and you understand that fake things aren't meaningful because it is not the true person that is being presented.  I do hope that you realize that looks are a passing thing and it is important not to be reliant on them to get what you want out of life.   Girls have so many more opportunities these days than even a couple of decades ago.  You should take full advantage of this if you haven't already and explore all that life has to offer.  Develop your talents and skills and get a great education.  These are things that will last long after beauty fades.  Best of luck.  Julie

The poster who said that a girl that has good grade and voluteeners never will be Miss America doesn't know what they are talking about. Some of these gals have started their own foundations for charites and have to have top grades and talent. Although the current Miss America is very beautiful you will notice that it isn't the most beauitful girl that wins every years and that is because you have to have the brians to go with it!!  It isn't a beauty pageant but the leading organization for scholarships for women in the US!!!!

YES!! An average child can win these type of pageants if they work at it!!  Get good clothes, good stylist, and a tan.  If you went to one of these pageants you will see the children coming in a registeration and as a parent of a contestant you soon learn never discount that plain jane in line with you because the next morning she could be transformed into a winner!!  Also, it seems a lot of these people are jealous of the pageant kids. Not everyone can be gymnast or a basketball player.  Why because they aren't tiny or tall enough. I know a well known and respected pageant queen who has won thousands and she has crossed eyes!! Yes!!  She is extremely talents an amazing modeler and designs and sews her own clothes and is very dedicated.