Topic : 08/14 Trouble in the Spotlight

A lot of people think it's wrong to make little girls think that they are not beautiful enough unless they have fake teeth, change their hair, wear make-up, etc.  Well, it is wrong.  But guess what?  That's not the only thing that's wrong!  What about adult women?  Society and the media makes women feel as though they're not beautiful unless they "fakeify" themselves with make-up, possibly breast implants, changing their hair color, etc.  It's still wrong, whether you're 5 or 50 years old.  It makes me angry that men are portrayed as looking good when they look natural, yet a woman is supposed to have a push-up bra, wear make-up, etc.  Do you ever see a woman on tv who is not wearing make-up?  Even though they do put make-up on men at times, women are still completely "fakeified".  It's not ok to be superficial when you're a child, but it is okay to be superficial as an adult?  I believe that being truly beautiful is looking how you naturally are, not covered in make-up, fake hair color, and high heels.  All of this that the media does is to make money, making women feel as though they must have these products and they must look a certain way.  Think about it this way: What's more beautiful?  A fake flower or a real flower?  Some women are hiding under all that make-up and fake hair.  We are not supposed to be plastic Barbie dolls, no matter what age.  I wish we could all embrace our natural beauty.   

I hated what happened to Jon Benet and I do firmly believe that her competeing in these pageants contributed to her young lif being terminated. 

And this mothers attitude thinking that what she is doing is not wrong is awful.. 

I recently had the opportunity to witness one of these pageants and what goes on behind the scenes in the hotels they stay in while preparing . 

We were staying at the hotel to attend a ball tournament. 

  All these beautiful little girls where running the halls in the pageant finery and if you looked at the doors there were hair salons, spray tanning , nails salons, choreographers , costume shops and such set up for the girls to visit in the hotels rooms. 

mothers were in the hallways directing their children this way and that getting their routines ready and I repeatedly heard the mothers saying to the girls don't you dare cry you'll mess your makeup up ... or don't do that you'll ruin your dress , stand still  ,don't fidget, don't touch your hair.. 

and the most upsetting thing of all was a discussion that went on between a friends' and I with her 12 year old daughter we were sitting in the hall for some peace and quiet ( we had 12 ..11 and 12 year old boys in our group) Sarah had a crush on one of the boys in the group  and normally she gets all the attention ,she is a very pretty young lady , her mother allows her to wear blush and lipgloss occassionally...but this beautiful little girl was leaning against her mothers shoulder crying because all of these tarted up little girl roaming the halls had the boys all drooling and their eyes popping out of their heads and she was totally being ignored  she said she would never be as pretty as they are ... so I ask you just what message is turning these pretty little girls into plastic barbie doll figures that  think looks are all that matter and make other young ladies feel so inferior.. 

another thing that was upsetting was seeing littl babies as young as 6 months with makeup and wigs on  

what is the world coming to when a mother is allowed to do whatever she wants  just because she is the mother, these little girls are not allowed to have a normal childhood  and yes of course they are going to say they like it all and  that they enjoy it why wouldn't they it is all that has been drummed into the heads for as long as they can remeber.. 

and yes I believe the aunt and family has a right to speak up for health and wellbeing of the child ..we expect them to be there for our children if they are being abused in other ways why not in this way 

About Madison; I have never had a problem with moms who enter their kids into natural beauty pageants.  Note I said "natural beauty".  I think it is a great esteem booster and it teaches kids to learn how to take rejection along with winning.  It becomes a problem when you start teaching your child that, as long as you change every single thing about yourself, you're a winner.  Fake tans and fake teeth do not belong on elementary school children.  A preschooler should not own stock in Estee Lauder.  And I don't know any middle-class families who have ever spent 64 grand on a "hobby", cumulative or otherwise.  Mothers must be careful not to make their distorted obsessions their kids' nightmares.  And the fact that moms are threatening to kill each other because they are jealous of the competition is just wrong.  Most importantly, please stop posting these dolled-up photos of your kids on the internet.  It gives me the creeps knowing that many perverts have performed sex acts on themselves looking at that child's picture.  Ewww, why isn't that mom completely torn apart by that? 

Brooklyn is a cutie.  She reminds me of a little girl that is currently co-hosting a PBS show called Zoom.  Unfortunately, there are many, many blonde haired, blue eyed girls out there.  Her chances are pretty slim.  As cute as she is, there are no distinguishing characteristics to her.  Nothing makes her stand out.  I don't have high hopes for her chances.  A casting agent probably gets a thousand pictures just like hers every day.  I hope she succeeds, but her mom needs to realize the odds aren't good.  I mean, how many kids do I see walk out of my own daughter's school every day that look just like Brooklyn?  At least fifty, and it's a smaller school.  I wish her luck anyway. 

Hunter is just charming.  He's going to take massive flack for being in pageants, and there's nothing that mom can do about it.  You can't change society's views, no matter how hard you try.  If he likes it, and he's willing to put up with the crap, I say let him.  I just have a bad feeling that Mom's own disturbed visions for him are affecting her hearing where his wishes are concerned.  Take the time to find out if he is willing to get made fun of for his "hobby".  And other people need to realize that this mom is no different than the mom who makes her son play football even though he hates it because it makes him a "man".  That's a stereotype.  Nobody should do anything they don't want to do. 

I hope all the moms make sensible decisions and carefully weigh the consequences before they proceed.  Think of the future of these adorable children and the affects of their pasttimes.  Take your own thoughts and opinions completely out of the picture.  Only then can you make an intelligent decision concerning your kids.  Good luck, no matter what you decide! 

I personally have never put my daughter or son in a pagent  

I do think there are good reasons to be in a pagent but I also agree that they have taken the real beauty of our children and have turned it into something creepy and ugly and that why is it so wrong to see a child without makeup I understand the cute ruffly dresses I don't understand the makeup and the fake hair and teeth I probably never will. 

I believe a kid should be able to be a kid whether it is on stage or just at home that is the only way they are going to have a happy childhood. I love watching my children on a daily basis love that my son is shy sensitive kid and has a smile that would light the world that does not mean I want to dress him up and put him on stage I would think more of it if they judge the kids on their real looks and not on what we can add to them to make them look like little adults.  As on the same token I love watching my daughter have a fine mixture of beautiful princess and tom boy that she has the confidence to tell a person in a nice and respectful way that she was hurt by them. I don't see that with most pagent children I see them being put on a puppet strings and told what to do .