'Toddlers & Tiaras' Moms Defend Child Beauty Pageants
Five-year-olds with big hair, lots of make-up, spray tans, and tons of attitude... no, it's not Halloween, it's the reality of the world of child beauty pageants.
Anderson spends time exploring the world of child beauty pageants, a booming industry with more than 5,000 child pageants held annually in the U.S., and approximately 250,000 children participating.
Anderson is joined by the stars of the TLC's hit show "Toddler & Tiaras," Eden Wood, her on-camera rival Mackenzie Myers, and fellow pageant competitor Isabella Barrett, as well as each of the girls' mothers, who defend the longtime tradition of beauty pageants.
Six-year-old Eden, from Taylor, Arkansas, started in pageants before she could walk, and has won almost 300 titles. Her mom, Mickie, a drama school teacher, says "pageants never crossed my mind. I had noticed early on that she had a lot of rhythm and stuff. And we have a performance-based family."
Take a look at Eden's performance...
Susanna Barrett says her 5-year-old daughter Isabella, winner of Miss Teeny Northeast USA, got started in pageants because of her eldest daughter. Her eldest had a traumatic injury to her face, and for self-confidence it was decided to put her in a pageant. According to Barrett, when Isabella saw the glitz and glamour, she couldn't resist joining.
"Toddlers and Tiaras" mothers defended their daughters participating in pageants, but many critics believe it's not only abusive but sexualizes children.
What do you think? Is it appropriate for kids to be dressing up as adults and dancing around in skimpy outfits? What is the real impact of beauty pageants on children?
An audience member brings this up to the "Toddlers & Tiaras" moms, saying, "You said it's not sexualizing the kids and stuff, and there is nothing mature about the performance. Yet one of the little ones is shaking her backside, shaking her booty and she said so."
Mickie Wood asserts, "But what does that have to do? That's having fun." Susanna Barrett added, "If people are looking at a child in a sexy way, then there's something wrong with them."
For a child pageant winner, there is a sash, a trophy, and a dream of media exposure, but the transformation from child to pageant royalty is costly.
Eden's mom says from the time she's started until now, she has spent around $100,000 -- this total includes the cost of travel, costumes and lessons. Yes, there is prize money involved, but she says it doesn't come close to the money spent.
Do you understand the motivation behind putting children in beauty pageants? Do you think pageant parents are looking for fame and fortune?
Do you look at child beauty pageants as an activity -- much like a child in gymnastics or soccer? Would you put your child in a beauty pageant?
Watch Thursday's episode of "Anderson" and continue the conversation.
Comments
These women who parade their children around as if they are barbie dolls are mentally unstable. I've seen ads for these shows where they have people going wacko and yet they send their daughters to this grade a cuckoo to learn to dance. Mom needs to deal with her bad self image instead of living through a small child. Your supposed to take care of the child the child isn't supposed to be solving all your problems.
Why is everyone calling for a boycott of Toddlers and Tiaras? It's just a window onto the pageants, the pageants would go one whether the show filmed them or not.
Anderson Cooper.WILL YOU PLEASE FIGHT THIS SHOW AND STOP THE CHILE ABUSE AND CHILD SEXPLOITATION.ENOUGH! IS ENOUGH!
I just heard a mom say that her daughter is like an athlete. Athletes at any age do not have red bull ****tails made by their parents. Athletes do not get dressed in provocative outfits and they watch their diets, not weight, for health reasons only. These parents disgust me. Has anyone checked to see where these children end up in life and what the suicide rates are?
No, I would never put my child in a beauty pageant. I strongly believe in activites for children, however this "activity" makes a child who should not be worried about their looks, only believe that their beauty is what they have to offer. The "talent" is just prancing around. And the parents are creepy on these shows. The money spent on these competitions I personally believe would be better spent developing the child as a person and not just a doll.
I do agree that so much of what goes on in the pageants does go back to the parents' way of handling their children's lives. We have seen some bratty kids who have gotten too much attention. To hear some of the parents keep telling theirs that they are "going to rock that stage" or "if you don't win the big title there's something wrong with the judges." And then there's the "I didn't pay a fortune for your outfit for you to not win something". One hateful mom threw down a little trophy in front of her child because "it meant nothing". Nasty woman. We have even heard some children actually say that they want to make their mom happy. I agree that these over-glammed girls can appeal to pedophiles and that's another reason that all of this pageant stuff should be either done away with or at least scaled back to only having children dress prettily (no Vegas stuff), an attractive hair style (their own hair with no extensions or wigs) and no makeup. Makeup is for older girls who have a choice in wearing it. I have laughed at a parent calling their 2 year old performing when it just turns in circles on the stage. My little dog can do that. Too funny.
"toddlers and tiaras"....training camps for hooker professions with "moms" as pimps!!!!
toddlers and tiaras....camp for future HOOKERS and the moms as pimps!!!!
The mothers of these girls are emotionally unstable. The mothers, whom I've seen while channel surfing, all look alike--overweight and unattractive. They are living vicariously through their daughters, whom they exploit. Why would anyone use tanning spray and heavy face make-up on a young child? Take a look at ildicoe's post.
TOTAL EXPLOITATION!!!
Okay well pageants are just wrong for innocent little girls. I HATE seeing the parents get mad because their 2, 3 or 4 year old daughter did not place even though they did "amazing." Or getting mad because all they got was princess or something and that's "crappy" according to one mom I saw on the show. To those mothers, I would say, shut the f*** up at least she got something. I think that pageants should be for girls and boys over the age of 5 when they can understand what to do and give it their best.
This is so wrong on so many levels. First of all, the kids are dressed up like adult women with all of the make up, glitter, and glam. I have seen mothers tourture these children with getting there hair, nails,spray tanning,shaving brow plucking etc. Secondly, When you dress a child up like a ho, have her act like one shaking her butt etc., you are just ASKING for trouble. Every pedafile out there is watching getting their rocks off at your childs expense.Lastly, It teaches them to be selfish, greedy, shallow,vain, mean little spoiled brats. I think it is all about the mothers and what they want, and should be considered a form of child abuse.
I saw the commercials for this show on TLC but i never sat down to actually watch it. I just think its kind of sad that these moms are making their daughters go to all these pageants, making them wear tons of make up and such. I just think at that time they should be little girls, run around and play i bet none of them really had a desire to do pageants yet their mothers are making them do it. Also i see this show as easy porn for pedo's that get to watch it for free on tv and dont have to risk it online.
I've never understood this whole concept of pageants. For me, it's always appeared the parents, especially mom, needs to live out some dream using their babies. Looking at some of these moms, clearly unattractive and suffering from boredom I find it hard to believe they don't offer their time and services to doing some much needed volunteer work?? Vs. primping and pimping their lil girls. This mom is driven and on a mission - clearly you've much to offer through charity work or devoting YOUR talent for a great cause?
Let your lil girls be just that. Enroll them in gymnastics, ballet, dance classes etc. Stop playing dolls with your children. That or late at night dress up smear makeup all over and entertain your own private audience? Preferably your husband? Stop using your children to live out some fantasy dream you were denied, it's really tasteless, tacky and so (won't go there).
"Mothers" with warped psyches living vicariously through their permanently damaged kids.....who coined the apt phrase Prostitots???