I’ve been snowed in. Trapped in my own home. We’ve baked. We’ve cleaned. We’ve played xBox and board games. The boys have comandeered the computer. There’s a half-finished 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle on the kitchen table. Laundry has been washed twice.
What to do….what to do?
Watch television.
Has anyone seen Toddlers and Tiaras? Another train wreck of a television show. I got involved and couldn’t look away. I can’t say I’ll ever watch it again. This episode had me catching flies. My boys came downstairs and saw my facial expression and said, “Mommy?!? What’s wrong?”
“Go!” I said firmly, “This show isn’t appropriate for……..well, anyone.”
Prancing around little girls. Waxing a 7 year-olds eyebrows while she screams and cries for them to stop. Spray tanning, mascara, lip gloss and debating fake nails for a 15 month old. Yes, you read right. 15 months old.
I burst out laughing when little Sami Jo’s mother said, with a serious-as-a-heart-attack-expression on her face, “I just don’t know HOW she’s going to react if she doesn’t win her division!”
How she’s going to react? Are you kidding me? She’s 15 months old. Your daughter “uses three words regularly, walks backwards, scribbles with a crayon and has adopted “no” as her favorite word.” She can’t spell the word pageant, let alone say it. She doesn’t know she’s in a pageant. She doesn’t know what a pageant is. And she certainly doesn’t know what it means to win or lose a pageant.
Your daughter? Adorable.
Toddlers & Tiaras? Crazy.
The moms that put their daughters through the pageant paces?
……
(I’ve already been smacked down by Monday’s post. You’re welcome to fill in this blank.)
Theycallmejane's Blog 
Hmmmm…are those really fake pigtails glued to her head?
No they are not, I personally know her family. Hi, this is just like any activity that children can do, all parents live somewhat though their child, no matter what the sport is. These girls do what all girls do, the play outside ride 4wheelers, etc. They only wear the clothes and makeup for one day and it’s not even the whole day, and a lot are over two days and not long on either day. I know people in pageants as kids including my sister( and its not a couple, its a lot, as well as Miss USA and Miss Americas) none of the have eating disorders, or anything else that you people say pageant girls go through. Haven’t meet any girls that have. Don’t “Trash” people you don’t know. My friend( i run her fan page) was 1st run-up in the last Miss USA, she is one of the nicest people you will ever meet, and a all round great speaker. You people are younger then me grow up. You wouldn’t like people for what you do with your child. Don’t parents yall from the sidelines in football,baseball, or any other activity. I don’t think so i played soccer, gymnast, and a lot of sports growing up as well as my younger brother and sister; we still go to child sporting events and its the same way. Let everyone judge you as a parent. FYI Jonbent Ramsey did not dead because she was in child pageants
I’m a social worker. Parents are not supposed to “live” through their children. They are supposed to create an environment of love & learning, understanding, compassion & kindness. When you force a little girl to dress up in uncomfortable clothing, with makeup, false eyelashes, false teeth, etc. just to compete in a talent/beauty pageant, you are teaching them the wrong set of values.
I wish Child Protective Services would do something about it. Also, These little girls are basically fodder for the sick, sexual predators out there who “get off” on this sort of thing.
Keep your daughters safe. Let them be children. Let them stay under the radar, so to speak, so they are not vulnerable to becoming victims. Also, teach them that beauty is within, not on the outside.
These parents need some spiritual & psychological counseling.
It totally freaks me out to see young kids like this put through Pageants.
What’s your view on Willow Smith, Will Smith’s daughter being a fully fledged pop star at age 9?
I saw it being “discussed” on another show and therefore was forced to watch bits and pieces of it. OMG. Yes, I am being Judgey McJudgey here. Absolutely! 😉
I’m with you on this one, Jane…it’s a perfect example of people trying to live through their children…sick! Get a new hobby, people…
Wendy
Those parents? Well you’ve already said it, they are complete blankers. 😀
I try not to judge. (I’m not always so good at it.) But this toddlers in the spotlight thing? Not a fan.
This is total exploitation of these little girls for a Tiara and a trophy! As with most things you should “follow the money” and the ugly truth will be revealed. This is big Big business. Childrean’s pageants are the fastest growing segment of the pageant industry. Who are the people behind these pageants? Does anyone stop to think about checking out the promoters and organizers? We live in a world of opportunists and this is one area where I could see innocent children and there disillusioned mothers being taken advantage of in a heart beat.
And we wonder why women continue to think their looks define them.
Why on earth anyone would think an adorable tot needs more than a bow in her hair and Uggs ( If I had a little girl–she would have pink Uggs) on her tiny little stocking feet astonishes me—and only if the bow makes her happy! I’m her mother and the Uggs would make ME happy.
Pageant moms think they gave birth to Barbie Dolls. They should grow-up. I am letting my judgmental side SHINE. Ta da.
♥
The only smacking down I would be likely to do would be to the mothers. I ran across “Toddlers and Tiaras” while channel surfing and stared in disbelief. A mother who lived in a very modest house admitted to spending three thousand dollars for a pageant dress. One little girl was having a meltdown and the mother yelled, “Stop acting like a three-year-old.” The child WAS a three-year-old.
I couldn’t agree more. Well said. How on earth did this make it on TV?
An absolutely ridiculous excuse for a show. I’ve never watched it and will never watch it. It’s the crazy mother’s trying to live out whatever fantasies they have through their poor toddlers. It shouldn’t be allowed.
I hadn’t heard of the show until you mentioned it here. I’ve seen similar ‘shock-you-mentaries’ about toddlers and pageants. I recall the mothers of the contestants being more than a little bit… um…how shall I say it nicely? Oh wait, my mother’s voice is creeping into my head, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” Sorry, I can’t fill in the blank at the end of your post! I have a difficult time understanding adult beauty competitions to begin with, but toddlers? Thanks for warning me about the train wreck. I’ll steer clear of the disaster!
Yeah the eyebrow waxing was crazy. Did you see the one wear the 2 year old was wearing a Madonna “vogue” costume? Complete with pointy breasts?
Ridiculous.
I hate this show. I couldn’t understand a) why the nothers weren’t teaching their children that they were naturally beautiful and b) why the organisers were encouraging it. It’s disgusting and someone should put an end to it. Children are beautiful without all that. The mothers should be ashamed of themselves.
It’s all ridiculous, and potentially harmful, and pretty much not watch-able TV. Then again, so much on TV is not watch-able…I haven’t seen a whole episode, but have seen the promos which are trash in and of themselves. Just my opinion.
I cannot understand why we can’t just let kids be kids. But here we have a bunch of moms well on their way to creating a bunch of Lindsay Lohans of the future!
Waxing a 15mo? No good.
However, it would’ve done me some good had my mom strapped me down and waxed my eyebrows (eyebrow – singular – depending on the light) at 15Years. No matter what that little girl suffers down the road, at least a unibrow won’t be on the list.
I’m thinking maybe a diamond-studded pacifier instead of the fake nails. Yes?
Horrendous. It’s all been said before, I know, but little girls are little people, not Barbie Dolls. Doing this to them is likely to lead to a very skewed self image as they start to become young women.
Don’t these mothers realise that little girls primped and preened like little women are also likely to attract all the wrong attention from some very dodgy types … if you catch my drift?
That these pageants go on confounds me. That the programme makers thought a show about them would get air time (and it has)? … Oh dear oh dear. It all seems so unhealthy and so tacky.
OMGosh …. it is amazing how sick and selfish people can be. I think someone should sit that mother down and subject her to everything she did to her little girl and then parade her up and down a runway.
Babies are naturally beautiful … why forcefully change them to look like a fake adult? This is so sick.
Another great reason why there is no reason to have television broadcasted into my house.
I have always been baffled as to why parents would think this was a good idea (sigh).
You think TandT is crazy? Try watching Little Miss Perfect. I watched one episode and wanted to throw up. I think these sorts of pageants ought to be outlawed. No, I’m not kidding.
Totally creepy show! The parents freak me out to no avail. On the bright side, see if you find Kathy Griffin’s break in to one of those toddler pageants and compete. She and her mom were judges and that was hysterical!
These shows make me sick. And I can’t understand how anyone would think this is healthy for children.
How this is entertainment is beyond me. I don’t understand it, not do I want to. Shows like these make me lose my faith in humanity.
Oh don’t get me started on this topic! This type of *parenting* should fall under the heading of child abuse. And for the station to sanction a show like this is beyond irresponsible. And we wonder why so many young girls are so messed up with their self-esteem.
“And for the station to sanction a show like this is beyond irresponsible.” I wrestled with this very thought and have come to the conclusion that I’m GLAD there’s a station brave enough to showcase this type of crazy. The editing is definitely slanted to show the idiocy of the people, the pageants and the process.
People scare me. People who do unto children scare me.
You make me laugh, though. This show isn’t appropriate for…well, for anyone. True. And funny.
I dig that about you.
My fill in the blank answer is “ignorant f&@*s.” I’ll take the smackdown.
I watched this show for the first time today. I could not believe what I was seeing and hearing! A mother of a 15 month old stated the reason she had a daughter was for the child to be in pageants; and that the child was going to be Miss USA and Miss Universe. This women was not kidding. This is a sad show. I’m almost speechless that this is actually aired.
Don’t you think a SNAP judgement on the Child Protective Services thing is a bit…. What do I want to say…. SNAPPY perhaps. Have ANY of you EVER been involved with CPS, or known someone that was? PLEASE PLEASE research before you slam someone in the VERY Hardening arms of a CPS worker! I do, however, agree these children should not be doing stuff like this, It’s just the Mother’s living out their dreams. But come on, CPS! You all are a JOKE!
We believe that mothers/fathers that put their children through any type of pageant are mentally disturbed. Children should be children. They should be out playing in puddles, hitting a ball across a field, flying kites – engaging in large motor activites and enjoying the world. They should not be competing and dressing up and strutting around. Every psychologist will tell you that the parents of these children have some mental problem…i.e., trying to make their children into something they could never be. I feel so sorry for all these children. Their parents should be getting into therapy instead of submitting an application for a pageant. Go outside and PLAY!!
I agree with the other Social Worker “Rose Marie”, these girls don’t love the pageant, they love the attention they get from friends, family, etc. All children crave positive strokes, and NO its not like parents yelling from the sidelines in a sporting event, a sporting event actually provides something they need. Exercise, agility and teamwork. Not hoping the other child forgets the steps their mother made up for them. This is not a beauty pageant anyway, its a “how much money can mommy get daddy or grandma to dole out”. Olivia and Kalies mom’s on the repeat run on7/22/2011, even said this. They have to spend money and bring all the glitz to win, you can’t cut corners and expect to win. They put fake tans, fake teeth, fake hair ,a pound of make-up and a $2000 dress on a child that would be just as happy in a $10 pair of pjs with feet (and would be more appropriately dressed) and say they are the most beautiful. I don’t want to even get started on the mom’s that not having a daughter do this to their sons. If those boys were not born gay this is the ultimate test to see which side of the nature versus nurture argument wins. There is nothing wrong with being gay, so don’t go there, I just think you should wait and see which way they roll instead of pushing them with all your might down this road. Little girls and boys love to play dress-up, but not be forced into it and not for hours and hours. They like to play WITH their friends not hope to beat them, that comes later on. I don’t like to see CPS go into any home. I don’t believe they should be involved in most cases. The government has become too intrusive into how people raise and discipline their children. I believe if parents still held the old adage “spare the rod, spoil the child” we would not have the amount of gag violence we do today. All children want some form of discipline even if they don’t know it. Gangs give them that. If they break a rule when in a gang they don’t just get a spanking though. Parents are literally stuck, if they do discipline they run the risk of having neighbors, friends, teachers, and even there children call CPS on them. If they don’t then they fear gang allegiance, school problems, behavioral problems, drug abuse and a thousand other things to numerous to mention. But I digress, “Toddlers and Tiaras” did not start this but they are encouraging it and introducing more people to another way of manipulating our children to obtain what the parent ultimately wants. I think its disgusting.
It is disturbing to see a parent encouraging good behavior by bribing the child with candy or just straight up sugar cubes & pixie sticks. I love when they need a little nap and instead are given sips of soda, coffee, Red Bull or whatever is in “special juice”. Their little kidneys need a break not to mention the risk to their future health with how they are taught to make such horrible food choices. Everything is wrong with these pageants, the parents and the organizers of these contests all have some serious pathology going on within themselves.
This show sickened me when I watched it. Why it has not been shut down is even more disturbing. Indeed, where is Child Protective Services???? What person in their right mind would ever think that this is NOT child abuse….??? Those who condone it are idiots, and the person who posted about knowing one of the families and supporting them is obviously delusional and marginally literate as well…..geez….just makes me so angry at the stupidity of some people…..
Appalling!!! These people consider themselves “good parents”???? I suppose if “good parenting” consists of treating your impressionable child like a show dog, encouraging multiple personality disorders, and generally torturing them with the “fun” of false eyelashes and highlights, then yes, they are good parents. My heart breaks when I hear a mother state that the ONLY reason she had children was to put them in pageants. Wow. Selfish, superficial, egocentric and cruel are only a sampling of words that come to mind. I am guilty of watching this show, not proud of it, but I view it as modern day anthropological/sociological research. These people sicken me, and I worry about the detrimental long term effects that these “dog and pony shows” will have on these young children. I would NEVER allow my daughter to watch this, EVER.
OMG!!!!! I am not a brain dead disgusting excuse for a mother so I don’t think I’d ever do this to my children. I literally can’t watch the show! I’m disturbed that cps can take a child from a mom who is a recovering drug addict but these child abusers (tiara moms) are allowed to keep hers!!!!
I almost threw up while seeing the only episode of toddlers and tiaras I’ve ever seen! This idiot mom was giving her toddler “Tinker Tea” essentially she was drugging her child with mountain dew, coffee, sugar, and pixie sticks!!!!!!!!
As a mom myself I’m shocked and saddened that these horrible child abusers should be allowed to keep children in the home! Period!
I wonder how much race and economic status plays into social services not stepping in and helping these children!
The broadcast networks, moms, viewers, defenders, fathers, CPS and everyone involved in this ridiculous pageant nightmare should ALL be confonted for this!
This show “Toddlers and Tiaras” is so demented to the point where I’m fairly certain as Americans we can just assume the terrorist have won!
The terrorist are nothing compared to these ridiculous disgusting excuses for a mother are actually able to profit from pimping out their babies!
These mothers make me ashamed to share the same title as they do… A mother NEVER should be allowed to subject small children to this kind of hell.