When are pageant moms going too far?

[pam]

CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News

The pageant behind this article was for girls 2-4 years old.

[slamjet]

I couldn't watch the whole thing. It's so, so, so, dang. The word I want to say is borderline inappropriate for this forum. In any case, I need to take a shower to get that slimy feeling off.

[Elphaba]

I think this mother is seriuosly deluding herself. I get the Madonna thing, and how the cone bra could have been meant to be funny. But the fact is, Madonna's act is sexual at its core, and if you're going to pretend you're Madonna on stage, you're going to have to pretend to be sexual.

Does the two-year-old realize that? Probably not, but the day will come when she will realize it. What kind of message will she take away from that?

These pageants seriously creep me out, so perhaps I'm being too harsh.

Elphaba

[pam]

I don't think you are being too harsh at all Elphie. Those were my thoughts as well. I wanted to hear what others thought of it.

I was slightly shocked when the mother made the comment..if her daughter had been 10 she would have thought it inappropriate...but it's okay at 2 years old?

Then again I'm looking at this from an LDS perspective. We teach or try to teach modesty. We try to teach them to dress and act in ways that are appropriate. Here we have someone that's saying, it's okay at 2 years old because it's funny. Hogwash.

[beefche]

I suppose it's the same mindset that it's funny when toddlers curse--adults snicker and laugh. At some age (not sure what age it is), it's no longer funny and the kids are punished for it.

[beefche]

BTW, I cannot watch these shows. Even the teaser commercials have my skin crawling and all I want to do is smack the parents upside the head.

[Suzie]

Just listening to this mother speak made me very irritated. I don't like these pageants at all for many reasons but one of them is thinking of the amount of pedophiles watching this kind of events.

[pam]

Just listening to this mother speak made me very irritated. I don't like these pageants at all for many reasons but one of them is thinking of the amount of pedophiles watching this kind of events.

Bingo..that was another thought that crossed my mind.

[hordak]

I don't think you are being too harsh at all Elphie. Those were my thoughts as well. I wanted to hear what others thought of it.

I was slightly shocked when the mother made the comment..if her daughter had been 10 she would have thought it inappropriate...but it's okay at 2 years old?

Then again I'm looking at this from an LDS perspective. We teach or try to teach modesty. We try to teach them to dress and act in ways that are appropriate. Here we have someone that's saying, it's okay at 2 years old because it's funny. Hogwash.

Think the mother is looking at it wrong.

I will not buy my my daughter a 2 piece swimsuit at 5 because i don't want her wearing one at 10.

It funny because i don't "agree" with the church's/ cultures stance on modesty. In the fact i don't think adults should be looking a for the strength of the youth for guidelines. Adults are adults and kids are kids. I don't think a woman not dressing like shes wearing garments is "walking porn" as i have heard some members say. However when it comes to children i'm a modesty Nazi and it makes me sick to see many in our society trying to make children grow up faster then they should.

[slamjet]

I was talking to an ex-NFL player a few months ago and was saying how I really didn't want my son to be playing soccer. I wanted him to be in football and that no matter what I said, he wouldn't change his mind. So the ex-NFL guy told me that 1) There's nothing wrong with soccer and 2) I need to stop living my life through my son. Now me and my ex are those parents who teaches their children independence possibly to a fault. I am the last person on earth, so I thought, to be living my life through my boy. But I was caught up in it. Guilty. It was so easy to fall into it's scary.

But the difference between me and those nut's on that show is that when having the truth of the matter being thrown into my face, I reacted to change it. I became more supportive of his soccer and signed him up at the local "Y" where they have soccer leagues. They also have football leagues but that's not the point

The point is that it's easy to fall into the living by proxy trap. It's easy to manipulate our children to do our wishes. It's easy to say that "I know what's best for them so they will do what I want them to do" with a total disregard of not only what they want, but what is appropriate, both morally and to the child's personality. I learned a big lesson with my son.

What I find funny is that I was that way with only my boy. My girls, I let them find their own interests. One is huge on the clarinet. I dislike the clarinet but she dived right into it becoming a member of her schools honor band and orchestra within six months. Another daughter loves to sing, also becoming a member of the schools honor choir within six months. My oldest is a writer, who is now in college and on her fifth novel. Our youngest daughter still remains to be seen. She has aspergers. We're still trying to see where her talents lie, other than having a frigg'n photographic memory for which we learned very, very quickly to be careful what we promise.

So while I have a total disdain for those creeps on that stupid show, I do believe that we can all take it and do some self evaluation and see if any of us, to some degree, are guilty of the same behavior. I bet we are, but we're with it enough as parents to enact changes within ourselves. I just hope those parents snap out of it and change.

[hordak]

I was talking to an ex-NFL player a few months ago and was saying how I really didn't want my son to be playing soccer. I wanted him to be in football and that no matter what I said, he wouldn't change his mind. So the ex-NFL guy told me that 1) There's nothing wrong with soccer and 2) I need to stop living my life through my son. Now me and my ex are those parents who teaches their children independence possibly to a fault. I am the last person on earth, so I thought, to be living my life through my boy. But I was caught up in it. Guilty. It was so easy to fall into it's scary.

But the difference between me and those nut's on that show is that when having the truth of the matter being thrown into my face, I reacted to change it. I became more supportive of his soccer and signed him up at the local "Y" where they have soccer leagues. They also have football leagues but that's not the point

The point is that it's easy to fall into the living by proxy trap. It's easy to manipulate our children to do our wishes. It's easy to say that "I know what's best for them so they will do what I want them to do" with a total disregard of not only what they want, but what is appropriate, both morally and to the child's personality. I learned a big lesson with my son.

What I find funny is that I was that way with only my boy. My girls, I let them find their own interests. One is huge on the clarinet. I dislike the clarinet but she dived right into it becoming a member of her schools honor band and orchestra within six months. Another daughter loves to sing, also becoming a member of the schools honor choir within six months. My oldest is a writer, who is now in college and on her fifth novel. Our youngest daughter still remains to be seen. She has aspergers. We're still trying to see where her talents lie, other than having a frigg'n photographic memory for which we learned very, very quickly to be careful what we promise.

So while I have a total disdain for those creeps on that stupid show, I do believe that we can all take it and do some self evaluation and see if any of us, to some degree, are guilty of the same behavior. I bet we are, but we're with it enough as parents to enact changes within ourselves. I just hope those parents snap out of it and change.

It's cool that you recognize that. Plus football is the most overrated sport (Taking turns and stopping play every 10 seconds i just don't get it:confused:) and he should play a real one like Hockey:D.

My boy loves golf, so much so that he used his hockey sticks like golf clubs, til we got him a pair and he actually watches it on tv. He will change it from cartoons to watch a game of golf:huh:

O well what can you do?

I support him and try to learn the game.

Think your right though, lot of it is trying to live through the kids.

[ADoyle90815]

I also think those pageants are creepy, especially since my niece is the same age as that girl whose mom put her in that Madonna cone bra, and there's no way I would want to imagine my niece wearing something like that. While I personally don't see anything wrong with bare shoulder joints, I think children should be allowed to be children, and not be sexualized at such a young age.

[Iggy]

I also think those pageants are creepy, <<snip>>I think children should be allowed to be children, and not be sexualized at such a young age.

I agree- I personally don't like Beauty Pagents for any age for any gender- but for children aged 18 and under I think it is sick. What a buffett

for pedofiles and other sick-o's.

[HoosierGuy]

I agree that these pageants are creepy. I often wonder what kind of parents those poor kids have. I'm a big believer that we are greatly shaped from the time we are born to the around eight or so. So I believe this 2 year old will either remember this or her mind will subconsciously remember this. How it will effect her in the future, either positive or negative or neutral, I don't know but you have to think it can't be good.

This reminds me of one of the best written and all around films Ive seen in a long time - Little Miss Sunshine.

[pam]

How could she forget it when it's plastered on the internet?

[slamjet]

How could she forget it when it's plastered on the internet?

And it will be plastered all over her high school in years to come. Real swift move, mom.

[Guest DeborahC]

Another thing I find disturbing about these pageants is the mothers' looks. Many of the mothers of these little girls are oveweight and unhealthy looking. It's like they're living a fantasy through their children.

I don't know.. the whole thing puts me off.

And what REALLY puts me off is that people enjoy watching this type of behavior.

Good shows go bad...often.

I used to like to watch a certain "makeover show" until the hosts began belittling the guests to the point of obscenity.

I mostly just leave the television off... it literally has become a "boob tube!"

[slamjet]

My boy loves golf, so much so that he used his hockey sticks like golf clubs, til we got him a pair and he actually watches it on tv. He will change it from cartoons to watch a game of golf:huh:

Uhm, no, no, no. There is a line a parent reserves the right to be drawn. Golf and tennis is it. Golf has to be the most boring sport alive and when a score in a sport is called "love" there's issues with whomever created it.

And I don't want to hear about football. I got it when I was first married to my ex. It went like this:

Me: Look, this is FOOTBALL!

Her: What's this?

Me: Football!

Her: Why are they stopping?

Me: It's a strategy game.

Her: Why are they wearing all that padding?

Me: Because they bang each other up.

Her: That's not a game...

Me: huh?

Her: RUGBY! Now that's a game. These guy's are wimps. <she then turns and walks away>

Me: <nothing but feelings of manhood card being revoked>

She's from South Africa.

That was the last time I spent a Saturday watching sports.

[Guest]

This is bad and not only for religious, modest folks... It's a bold attack against the innocence of our children.

I grew up in the Philippines where at that time, in the South, it is common to find 12 year old rebels carrying machine guns.

It is common to find 5 year old children diving at the piers for coins to help a family make a living.

This is no different. In the case of the Philippines, the parents have not much choice in the matter. With this pageant, the parents are the cause of the tragedy.

[slamjet]

With this pageant, the parents are the cause of the tragedy.

This reminds me of the BOM: They were willfully in rebellion. It's bad to judge, but this is kind of blatant.