Monday Ranting

There is something that really gets under my skin and rubs me the wrong way… how on earth does a cable channel that dubs itself “The Learning Channel” actually validate and glamorize children’s beauty pageants?

Out of sheer morbid curiosity I watched the TLC show “Toddlers and Tiara’s.” Disgusting, tasteless, exploitive; a child molesters dream come true. The show depicts children, predominantly girls, strutting around on stage, most with full makeup, hair pieces, and costumes that are skin tight.

The parents spend exorbitant amount of money on these competitions, the lowest quoted on the episode I watched was $3,000. The gowns and costumes are usually custom designs. There are professional hair stylists and make-up artists on the payroll, regular tanning sprays and veneer mouth pieces custom made to cover missing front teeth. What message does this send to young, impressionable children? Natural occurrences in life like loosing teeth, having pale winter skin or wearing jeans and a t-shirt is deemed not good enough. The children are coached for hours a day in rehearse dance routines, modeling poses and answering the typical line of questions coming from judges.

In a struggling economy this money would be wisely invested for long term goals or saved for this child’s higher education. Will someone please tell me how a room full of trophies, ribbons, sashes and such will benefit a high school graduate when it’s time to go to college? OK, so the competitions build confidence, but wouldn’t sports do the same thing, while promoting a sense of team sportsmanship in lieu of one on one competition? What happens when these children grow up and swallow the reality pill that the world does not, in fact, revolve solely around them? They end up being Paris Hiltonesque or so arrogant they have no real social skills.

(please note.. by adding photo's I am not trying to condone the act, rather show an example of the extent parents go to to enhance their child's appearance.)