Kids' Beauty Pageants: Good or Bad
By habee
child pageants - glitz pageants
There has been a debate raging for years about beauty pageants, especially about entering young children in glitz pageants. Many people think they're evil, claiming that the beauty pageants are more for the parents than for the children. Aficianados swear that their kids love doing the pageants. So who's telling the truth? And more important, are child pageants good or bad?
Child pageants can be good
Actually, there's some veracity on both sides of the debate. My grandaughter and niece have been doing child pageants for several years, and they both love pageantry. My granddaughter started when she was two. She won her very first beauty pageant, which started us on the road to other successes. She's won many times, and she's lost several times, but she always enjoyed the process.
For one thing, she absolutely loves her pageant dresses. In fact, once the beauty pageant is over, she doesn't want to take the dress off. She also enjoys playing with the other little girls backstage and has made several friends that way. She likes being on stage, too. In fact, when she was younger, we had a problem getting her OFF the stage. She would have perfectly happy to frolic on the stage for the duration of the baby pageant.
I'll be the first to admit, she doesn't care for the makeup session. It was a real problem when she was two. She just didn't want to sit still that long. As she got a little older, however, she understood more about the necessity of the makeup and began to enjoy "getting on her pageant face."
My granddaughter and niece are never in beauty pageants unless they want to be. When we see an interesting pageant, we tell the girls about it and ask if they'd like to compete. They almost always answer with an enthusiastic "yes!", but when they don't, we don't put them in the pageant. If we go too long between beauty pageants, they nag us about doing another one.
Child pageants can also be bad
On the flip side, I can understand why child beauty pageants get a bad rap sometimes. I've seen a few moms backstage who were awful. The kids did not want to be in the beauty pageant, and it was obvious, but the moms threatened and intimidated them into going on stage. When the kids didn't do well, the moms were angry with them. What did they expect? Stage personality is important in the total score, and the judges can tell if a child is happy or not.
Some pageantry moms and grandmoms are terrible losers. They blame everyone else when their kids don't win, instead of using the experience as a learning tool for sportsmanship. Kids are smart, and they absorb everything. They quickly pick up on the negatives of child beauty pageants. Or should I say on the negatives of bad behavior of some moms involved with child beauty pageants.
When my granddaughter has lost in beauty pageants, we always congratulate the winners. She usually runs up to the winner and gives her a big hug! This is the kind of adult we want her to grow into. We never dwell on a loss. We just discuss what we might want to differently in future beauty pageants.
Believe it or not, there are also bad winners at beauty pageants. Some moms absolutely gloat when their kids win. This isn't attractive, either. Being a bad winner is just as bad as being a bad loser.
The final verdict on child pageants
My final verdict on beauty pageants is that it depends on the individual child and on the parent's attitude. If the child wants to compete, and the parent can handle defeat without showing anger or frustration, then I think child pageants are a nice way to spend a few hours.
Pageantry can be a lot of fun. Most larger child pageants have a fun, upbeat atmosphere. These beauty pageants often sell snacks, toys, and pageant jewelry. If it's a baby pageant, they'll often offer baby toys for sale. Also, lots of child beauty pageants have costumed characters there to help entertain the kids.
To read more about pageants, click on the article links below.
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Comments
Yes, just like everything else, pageants include the good and the bad.
I'm sorry but that picture sleeping with her tanned legs, I would think would appeal to some of the sickos out there...I am an over 50 woman who majored in Early Childhood Teaching and I love kids...just think pics like that are dangerous..
Lizz, I never thought about that! I removed the pic. Thanks!
I feel that pageants are a way for young children to gain self confidence as well as have fun but it must be something that the child wants and not forced upon by the parents. Self image development and etiquette are basics needed to support your child in winning those pageants and coming out a winner thoughout everything else in life. My company teaches those things and more.
I agree. Our girls love them! Thanks for reading.
can just ask how long yous spent editing that picture of her? and why you would have to?
We had to because it was for a glitz pageant - all the other contestants entered enhanced pics, so to be competitive, we had to. Many pageants now are getting away from these and more into natural pics, thank goodness!
We all love our little princess Lexi.
For me no matter what she is beatiful. ;)
&+ Adorablee x
I am 11 and i loveee beaty peagents !
Everyone thinks it is bad because of the fake tans.
But its not really because it makes us kids happy.
Who is this?? Glad you stopped for a visit!!
I agree with you - there's nothing inherently wrong with children's pageants. And sure, there are some parents who get too involved, but the same happens when parents have their children in sports or any other competitive venue. And to answer your question about the investigation - Misty's friend, just this past week, got 15 years (if I remember correctly) for her involvement in the drug dealing. Misty is the step-mother. This girlfriend is a cousin of Haleigh's father. So - Misty now knows she'd looking at 15 years, at least, for her drug dealing. Will this encourage her to finally tell the truth, or discourage her? Other than that, there's nothing else new.
Thanks for the update, Sheila. Wow, so they still haven't found Haleigh.
'she understood more about the necessity of the makeup and began to enjoy "getting pretty." '
This is the part that bothers me the most. What is your child supposed to think when you tell them it's time to get pretty? I know that my mother would tell me that and all I thought was....I'm not pretty? I believe it's important to build self-esteem through positive reinforcement of natural beauty, and natural talents. I think it's disgusting that your letting girls that young think they need make-up to look good. Shame on you.
I don't tell her that - she knows what makeup is for. "Getting pretty" is her term, not mine. You know, competition, sadly, is part of real life. Kids are judged on their intellect, artistic abilities, study skills, and athletic skills all the time. I just don't see any difference between pageants and baseball. In sports, kids wear special gear to help them be successful, so I think of makeup, etc. for a pageant the same way. Of course, the girls also do natural pageants where they wear no makeup and compete in jeans and a tee shirt. I actually prefer these because it's easier on me, but that's not the kind of pageants they enjoy. They LOVE dressing up and putting on makeup! Our girls know they're beautiful without makeup, however. It's just part of the game of "dressup" to them. All three girls are good students and well rounded, with lots of different interests and hobbies. Pageants is just one of them. Shame on you for being so judgmental about people you don't even know!
Beauty pageants totally hurt girls. when i had a reletive go into a beauty pageant, she came home crying.
Amanda, sorry about the bad experience. You have to go in with the right mindset.
I think Beauty pageants are great for little girls they love it you can see it i watch it all the time on t.v. i think there great and they should so keep going for there dreams and if they dont win.. then thats something they have to work harder at but i think they love it you go girl keep doing what you do best sweatheart
love
Britters Lexi..!! p.s. your the best.! ;-)
Thanks a bunch, Brittney!
I appreciate this hub! My girls love the getting 'gussied up' and fussed over aspect and enjoy hanging out backstage with their friends, and making new ones admiring the other dresses. We only do the one local natural pageant but lately the oldest has started asking about doing more. I am not a pageant mom by any means and would rather be playing in oil working on my motorcycle than get up in front of a bunch of people judging my looks but my girls are girly girls (I swear they get if from their father's family!) and I like how this one is part of a community festival and it gets them involved. I still have a LOT to learn about doing their hair (I told you I'm not very girly) and I'm hoping to do better this year but they don't mind-they just love the dresses and the attention! LOL
Chica, your comments are much appreciated! Your girls sound like my granddaughters!
Maybe these girls are making friends, gaining confidence, and having fun, but some of the stuff I've seen parents force them into is ridiculous. An eight year old was put on a fruit-only diet for a week so she wouldn't gain weight and end up being too big for her dress. What kind of message does that send to a kid (who, by the way, is growing every day and will continue to grow until after puberty)?
I told my seven year old sister about this when we happened to be watching Toddlers in Tiaras. I told her about how these girls are made to wear fake hair, fake eye lashes, fake teeth, etc. She told me that sounds scary and that she would hate to be a part of anything like that, and begged me to never sign her up. Perhaps this show paints pageants in a bad light, but it looks to me like everybody's happy (in a brainwashed sort of way). Like, "forcing our little girls to be mindless dolls is just a wonderful way to spend the day tralalalala".
I don't expect to change anyone's minds and stop people from going, but at times you have to admit that people go way too far. Diets and fake everything? Yeah, that's how to give a girl the confidence to go far.
Kippy, I agree - some pageant moms, dads, and grandmothers are terrible! How do you feel about natural pageants?
Wow. Beauty pageants sound nice, but still. Some mothers go WAY. TOO. FAR. They practically force their children to do it. I don't think that that's good attidude to go into a pageant with.
I agree - it should be the child's choice!
My son was in a beauty contest as a child. It was a positive experience but mostly I worry about the focus on adult like beauty in young, very young girls. Sometimes moms get obsessed with this. We don't wat to over sexualize young girls. Thanks for great info.
Right, Ryan - when it's for the moms instead of for the kids, problems arise.
I still think these are a bad idea and instill the wrong kind of values in children.
very beautiful site for a beautiful family... :)
Kind regards from Germany
Cartloop, sorry you feel that way.
Lederpuschen, thanks for your kind words!
I want to enter a beauty pageant because I think it would be fun, and would help me be a biy more confident. But my parents think they are horrible because of what they see pageants as. They think they are horrible, they waste money, and everyone in pageants is horrible.
And also, since some of you people think people say, 'oh you are so pretty, but you need makeup to be prettier' makeup and all the other pageant gear enhaces a persons beauty, it doesn't make them fake
Shorty, there are also natural pageants, where you wear little if any makeup and regular clothes. Maybe your parents would be more interested in that type?
Sometimes I feel like the parent might want it more then the child. If that is the case I do not agree with it.
If the child actually enjoys it like any other activity then its good.
Thank you for writing this. I have a granddaughter that is my world. I have talked to my son and daughter-in-law about entering my granddaughter in pageants. They would not force her to enter if she did not want to. She will be 2 in a few months and she hams it up all the time. She loves dressing up and wearing bows. She will prance around. She tickled me half to death this Christmas as she would discard the presents and opt to wear the ribbons around her neck. It was pricless. Anyway, thanks again for posting this. Take care.
Julie, I totally agree!
Nana, sounds like she'd love pageants. My granddaughters do!
i have one question for you if you go to a classy party should your child wear a classy dress by jucie couture or a really old dress that you bought in 2000
I think I'd find out what the other girls are wearing!
I think pageant are good, they promote ALOT of good things and i love them too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Interesting read. Lexi is adorable. :0) I am still not sure where I stand in the pageant debate, but I have a close friend who has been putting her very outgoing and energetic 3 year old in pageants, and the girl has been loving it so far. I think you're totally right--it depends on the individual child and the parent.
exacally how much money can a child pageant make in a competion?
i want to be in PAGENT BUT IVE NEVER BEEN IN ONE AND I WANT TO BUT MY PARENTS DONT WANT TO DRIVE SOOOOOOO LONG JUST TO GET TO A PLACE BUT I WISH THEY CAN HAVE IT SOMEWHERE THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE ME TO!!!!!!!!!!!! 8)
i think that it is good because i love pageants
Good for you, Pageant Girl!
Exactly, JL. Kids have to really enjoy the pageants. If they don't, they shouldn't be forced to compete!
Rosa, I saw one recently that was awarding $10,000!
LRox, maybe one will come to your area soon. I'll cross my fingers!
That's great, Synnorea! Best of luck to you!
you know, pageants arent always about the glitz and glam but thats what everybody makes them outto be. competitors trying to win a competition on how beautiful and talented they are. but they also brind out personality and confidence. it does depend on what take you have on it..:)
I agree,too.Good luck to you all.
WOW! This article is intriguing for me. I just added your hub to follow and discovered this (I am interested in reading your writing articles). A co-workers grand daughter is beginning the pageantry scene. She has won a couple I believe. I like that you offered the good, the bad, and a touch of the ugly.
Any hoot, keeping at task, she was telling me about a practice makeup session at a friend's home. She kept giggling about how her grand daughter kept saying things like that is a nice swing set outside, look at that swimming pool or that is a big ball. Listening I didn't know how to react. One side of me said, "let the kid play for awhile" while the other side giggled along.
Not being a parent I don't know the norms of a 3 year old and I can't really share like experiences. This article has helped to my eye be more open and empathetic to both child and parent.
Too true, Speechwriter!
Thanks, Lace!
Tsmog - thanks! I'm honored!
U r soooo nice!
Thanks a bunch!!
do u think that u r living a dream u never had thru your daughter? its all about money,4 the people putting the pageant on.with all the money u spend on the pageant u could take a very nice family holiday.
Patti, what about pageants that are done for charities? Those are our favorites! And BTW, we're taking a very nice family vacation - a week on a gorgeous island in a 7-bedroom house with a private pool, private dock, and a hot tub.
Mothers that dress up their little kids like grown up are sick. With so many child abuse and rape on little kids how can anyone place their child in such danger. If anything happens to these kids the parents should also be charge for exploding them
I think that pageants can be good for children. Yes, their are people who over do it with botox, but their are parents who inject steriods into their children for sports. Some of the moms get crazy and force their children to compete, but that happens in other sports too. The fact is that beauty pageants are very similar to most recreational sports and it is as good or as bad as the parent makes it for the child. In this case I think you guys are teaching your children sportsmanship and confidence. I think you all are doing a great job.
Beauty pageants can be bad and they can be good. I think that as long as you are teaching your child that it is ok to win and ok to lose, then you can put them in pageants. Just make sure they they are a good sport no matter what.
its good for the child to but at the same time how we noe the child wants this look
its good balanced response also it helped for my gcse course thanks
Beauty pageants are just judges judgin on who is the prettist.... nothin good comes out of that!!!!! then all the other girls feel bad cause they didnt wiiinnnnnnnnn!!!!!!
Beauty pageants are wrong. little kids should not be looking like they are 20 some years old it's just right out wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!:)
beauty oagaents are aweful
I agree with you sami! nothing good comes out of them!!
really? beauty pageants are so hurtful to children. it takes away the innocence every child comes with. What is the point of making your child believe happiness only comes through beauty. When children get older, they are going to think the only way to gain attention is to be skinny. But what happens when they get acne, or need braces? Are they going to be perfectly okay with it after having flawless innocent skin? What then?
Sorry, but i don't agree with beauty pageants. I'm doing a research paper on beauty pageants, and why i think they're wrong.
omg! Im doing a research paper too and i cant figure out if i think they are ok. first i found something i thought was disgusting then i read this!
I totally agree with you! Very nice and well written! :)
i have a research paper 2! omg! i love to watch pageants but i know they are wrong. can'tdecide! you should go with the they are bad...cuz they are. even though they are really funny and i love to watch them
i want to say that beauty pageants can also cause mistrust between the child and parent based on who does them and how they compete
I am watching toddlers and tiaras and I think it is just awful that the parents bribe these kids to get up on the stage and follow the parents routine as the dumb ass parent is down in the audience doing the routine as the kid is on the stage watching them and following whsat they have to do? I think the Parent that put their 2 to 10 year old on the stage and the Parents have to hold the babies in their arms as they sleep. The parents are feeding the kids pixie sticks and mountain dew soda to keep them up. I saw one.ittle 2 year old that was the boss of her parents. she all but slapped their faces I have never in my 60 years on this earth ever seen anything Ike this family, the family let this little girl talk to them anyway she wanted to, they thought it was cute, well this little Brenna is going to be in the news in a few years, were she has beat them to death for money or drugs. The little was not pretty at all. When the judge said she was not that pretty, the little girl said to her parents the judges were stupid and did not know what they were looking at. This just made me sick to see this. The pagent was somewhere in Louisiana and the kids had to dress in Mardi Grais costumes I felt like taking the parents of this child and beat the hell out of them and take that 3 year old fand the parents to my home for 1 month and when they got back together they would be a totally different home.
habee....thanks for sharing this....i agree with your thinking
...they can have a positive or negative effect depending on how the ADULTS handle it. If the child is allowed, allowed, to take over, he or she will. So it is about balance...the parent assumes the role of PARENT and the child is the child. If the child does not want to participate, then that family will be fighting a losing battle.
as far as all of the craziness of letting a child be rude to those helping out including the parent, that is nuts!!! it is never okay to let a child behave the way some of the children do at some of the pageants i have been to. a family that approaches pageants with a healthy attitude will have children with healthy attitudes toward the events...thanks again for sharing thisl
pagents are stupid
Child beauty pagentsis a form of abus!!!!!!!!!!!! It's cruelle!!!!!!!!!!
If you are hot be in one
With Sports, you can improve by practicing. How can you improve something that is genetic like looks without getting surgery or putting on exess makeup
Why would you all subject your kids to this nonsense??????? Some of them might not like you are doing to them. Think before you act.
so are they good or bad?
hey whats up yall i farted on myself i gotta booboo so now..i gotta go do dat so bye uglyz..
Um guys, beauty pageants are so chingchong i am a hoong alooloo. ra ra like a dungeon dragon wait what? i have no idea.. destery x-x-. chiiiiiiiiiiiiing ehh.
they are! theyre worse than ladygagas meat dresss! we should just make bouillabaisse out of them :3
I personally think that Beauty Contest are horrible.75% reported girls suffer with low self-esteem and potially harmful activites
i think they are great if the child wants to do it
i think its stuoid l
thats stupid i agree pr
They are stupod and very harmful
Dona Rosa 2 years ago
I agree. This is like nearly any child activity: "it depends on the individual child and on the parent's attitude" - good Hub info for both side of the fence :)