REWIND WEDNESDAY from August 2012 - Toddler and Tiara Turmoils

Here’s your challenge.

Prove to me; give me one, one good reason for child pageants.

In my attempts to bore myself to sleep I have stumbled upon “Toddlers and Tiaras” program on TLC.

This program exposes the child pageant’s behind the scenes and the competition. It is horrendous at its best.

Children from infants to teens are paraded, judged and ogled in front of rooms full of people and now any home in America.

It would seem to me to be the perfect draw for pedophiles, perverts and child molesters.

Here is a short list of what you need in order to compete.

Besides your child, you need:

               Butt glue
               Cupcake dress
               Curling iron, flattening iron, hot rollers
               Jewelry
               Fake eyelashes
               Hairspray
               Fake nails
               Fake hair – falls and wiglets
               Hairspray
               Flippers – fake teeth
               Foam heads for your fake hair when not wearing it.
               Glue guns to glue all the rhinestones on the clothing
               Hairspray
               Make up
               Sewing kits
               Shoe covers to prevent scuffing
               Skim shimmer
               Spray tan
               Hairspray – never enough of that.

You can add in eyebrow waxing, teeth bleaching head shots, gymnastics, dance lessons and more.

Parents are carrying their infants across the stage holding them up, tipping and turning them for the judges to determine if they are good enough.

“Her hair was not up to par. The dress could have been better. The makeup was amateur” are some responses the judges have given.

Then there is the prancing, dancing and poses. Several which are highly sexual. It seems none of the kids can do this without the moms and or dads out in the audience coaching them by showing them each move.

Boys are included too. I haven’t seen a lot of what they are supposed to be accomplishing.

The parents spend $1000s on dresses, shoes, makeup artist, hair dressers and the list of items I provided earlier. The winners receive trophies, ribbons, crowns and a few receive money. The dollar amount never equals the amount spent.

Oh, and yeah, the kids need to stay “up and perky and full of personality”. Pixy straws (straws filled with sugar candy) which are nicknamed pageant crack are dumped into these kids nonstop. Add in other recipes such as one mother’s drink which is Red Bull mixed with Mountain Dew and watch and wait for the meltdowns to begin.

What in heaven’s name are they teaching their children?

This is the message I am hearing. “Here honey, lets change everything about you. You can have fake hair, fake nails, fake teeth, fake skin, fake eyelashes and you have to move just so. Walk this way, turn that way and for crying out loud don’t stop smiling. When you can do all of this and these few people sitting behind the table in front of you, who don’t really care two hoots about you, that you will probably never meet again, that are no different than anyone else walking down the street deem you ‘good enough’ then you win.”

One definition of prostitute is: somebody who uses a skill or ability in a way that is considered unworthy, usually for financial gain.

I would loosely say that the TLC network is guilty of prostitution. Loosely because there isn’t much skill in glamming up, but TLC is definitely using the situation for financial gain or you can bet your bottom tiara it wouldn’t be on their program line up.

I have no clue for the reasons behind the parents desire to willingly put their children through this.