Toddlers and Tiaras and Disturbed People

I would have written on this topic sooner, but I didn’t have a blog back then. I initially wanted to put up pictures of all the girls, but felt that everyone can Google that themselves if they want to. I have a lot of strong opinions about Toddlers and Tiaras, so to all those moms out there who are entering their daughters in this pageant: don’t read this if you are not prepared to be criticized. Trust me, you will be offended.

Remember that adorable little girl who went on stage dressed in a costume from a certain movie? The girl’s mom defended herself in an article saying that it was supposed to be “comical” and that she did it because she loves Julia Roberts. Yes, Pretty Woman was a great movie, and Julia’s performance was capturing as always. So if you love Julia Roberts so much, don’t insult her by dressing your three year old up as her in a movie playing a prostitute, on international television.

Another sweet little girl’s mom gives her an energy drink that is half Mountain Dew and half Red Bull. Apparently the “pageant crack”, which are sticks of powdered sugar, did not give her daughter enough energy. I’m not sure how old the little girl is, but she is way too young to have that much caffeine in her body. Red Bull gave a grownup man a heart attack – it is terrifying to think what the effect would be on a toddler. It’s a fact that caffeine stunts your growth too, and this whole situation begs the question: does this mom want her daughter to be 3 feet tall all her life? Keep in mind that kids are cruel, and they will tease her for her height. Mom, will you being in the spotlight now really be worth your daughter’s misery in the future? I hope to God your answer is no.

These are just two extreme examples, but the bottom line still remains that this concept of televising little girls parading about in provocative clothing is disturbing. Watch clips of when the moms are getting their daughters ready for the performance, and re-think the word abuse. You will see the moms tugging at their daughters hair, while the girls scream because it hurts and they are tired. You will see the moms layering foundation, powder, bronzer, tanner, blush, and highlighters on their toddler’s face. Their skin is too delicate to handle that much makeup. I understand putting a little blush, and eyeshadow and lipstick on them, but not making your toddler wear more makeup than you would as an adult. People think that yelling at your child is abuse, but it’s not. This is abuse.

There are countless awareness programs out there to prevent sexual abuse against children, and yet, people are setting up their daughters as victims. Look at what happened to JonBenet Ramsey. She was involved in these pageants, and she was also raped before she was killed. Think about the type of people who watch this show. Like any other parent, these moms would naturally be upset if their daughter was sexually abused, or grew up thinking this behavior is normal. Unfortunately, these are only two of the many consequences of making your five year old look like a stripper.