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That picture is of an eight year old little girl who has been in the pageant's for one and a half years.

Since I watch TLC, I've been seeing the promos for their Toddlers and Tiara's show.

http://www.reporternews.com/news/2008/sep/05/toddlers-tiaras-and-tv/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsy-rRzkufQ

I'm going to withhold my comments again. So, thoughts on this?

I was a pageant baby until i was about 7 years old.
In those years i got 2 major titles, 'Rockdale's Most Beautiful Baby' and 'Little Miss Atlanta'

We stopped because i didn't like it, i was lucky my grandmother wasnt as gungho as most of them are.

I dont think it ruins the kid, because i did it and turned out fine.
Lots of people see it from the outside and say 'it turns the girls into sluts and makes them grow up earlier' etc.

But that's not the way it is most of the time.
I dont like make up, and was NOT allowed to wear it except pageants, and i had a childhood. i played in dirt, wore blue jeans and played soccer.

I shall post photos of my 4 trophies and tiara later biggrin

Beauty pagents might only take up a fraction of these kids times but there's something unnatural about seeing an 8 year-old dolled up to look MUCH older. It disturbs me because that's not how I generally picture little girls appearing. neutral

It depends.

If it's something that the child wants to do and the parents aren't forcing anything, then it's fine. I'm not too crazy about the idea of putting a ton of make-up on children, but if the kids are truly having fun, then whatever.

But if the parents are basically stage moms/dads who force their kids into it, act as if there is nothing better than winning, and so on, I'm against it. Beauty Pageants aren't something that kids should be forced to do.

personally I do not agree with that at all.why would someone do that to a child. I remember this one TV show that had Nicole Ritchie in it and they had to judge a beauty pagent and Nicole Ritchie had a major problem with it because she thought the little girls should be out playing and having fun not being treated like dolls. I have so much respect for Nicole for saying that,thats exactly how I feel.Children should be out playing not being treted like dolls.

I watch the show because it's an oddity to me. I'm in a part of the country where this sort of thing isn't common at all. Usually I find it funny or maybe slightly disturbing but it's not something that I think ruins a child.

I just think it promotes egotism and I'm not sure that we need more of that in our society. Little girls aren't perfect princesses and they should grow up understanding that there's a difference between healthy self-confidence and being a diva. I'm not sure they will be able to recognize the difference after spending 8 hours in a spa with mom and dad both present an catering to every need.

It's also painfully obvious that the majority of the mothers are lacking something in their own life and do this to fill a void. Most of the kids don't seem to notice or care, and that's all that really matters.

One episode really affected me though and after that I have to wonder how many of the parents doing pageants act that way and actually feel that way. It's horrible. I don't want to give too much away if you haven't seen the episode I'm talking about, so check this out. It's only about two minutes long, but it's all you need.

if that clip made you feel bad, go watch this one. It will make you feel all better. xd