Why do parents enter 6 year olds in beauty pageants?

[pstokely]

http://www.nespageants.com/06Sweetstageparty.htm

[JitterbugPerfume]

1. seems to me

that those moms are trying to live their fantasy through their poor children. It makes me sick to see a six yr old tarted up like a thirty year old prostitute

It also makes those babies a target for predators

[Haole Girl]

2. Because they are stupid, selfish, shallow, dangerously materialistic

lunatics. Well...I guess you can see how I feel about this subject.

[LeftyMom]

3. Issues. They don't need to get Princess some trophies, Mom (usually)

needs couch time. In a way I think it's worse than Dads who live through thier children's sports, because there's all the body issues and gender role mess wrapped up in it.

[951-Riverside]

4. Because they are mean fat bitches who live through their children

Pageant moms are by far the most evil, manipulative, stinky, fat bitches you ever want to see thats why I don't think its far fetched to think that Patricia Ramsey killed her daughter during a fit of rage.

[pstokely]

5. did you see the True Life episode on MTV about dieting?

They have a fat Pageant mom on there with a daughter on a cottage cheese diet.

[Marrah_G]

6. It would be one thing if...

the children involved were acting like actual children. Dressing them up like showgirls, complete with over-done makeup, heels and sexy dresses is just so wrong on so many levels. I cringe every time I see something about these "pageants". It's like lining up your child to be the fantasy for a bunch of pervs. The damage these parents do to their children's self esteem and emotional welfare is unforgivable. I wonder if there have been any studies done on what happens to these girls once they group up and how they felt doing it.

[skygazer]

7. I'm guessing it has to do with their need to prove something

I'm not sure what. Some sort of vicarious living through one's children with the added hope, I suppose, that by exploiting their kid, they'll be able to live a comfortable life when the kid makes it big, which I imagine is the goal behind it all. God knows, there doesn't seem to be much in it for the kid - a lot of hard work, time, late nights, pressure, etc.

My father was super-competitive and pushed me in horse showing (I responded by giving it up and riding for fun alone). When my daughter was little, he urged me to get her into modeling. To which I responded, not on your life. I never knew why he was so vehement about it, why it mattered to him.

There are plenty of people who defend this stuff but I can't see a single thing in it that could be beneficial to a kid.

[951-Riverside]

8. *bump*

[tinfoil tiaras]

9. That stuff is just bait for perverts.

Teen/Adult beauty pagents I don't mind as much b/c the girls are at least a little bit older & their pagents usually have a scholarship or an interview or something other than looks. But these little sweetheart pagents...ewww... :puke:

Reminds me of those tapes of Jonbenet Ramsey.....creepy...:scared:

[951-Riverside]

10. I'd love to see photos or video of the audience

Just to get an idea of who attends these things

[tinfoil tiaras]

11. Yeah, me too n/t

[951-Riverside]

12. Geeez look at this guy

:puke:

[MsKandice01]

13. I almost put my son in a baby pageant once...

But that was just because he was super cute and I wanted the free stuff. I wouldn't do it for a little girl though. Yes, I have a double standard. Oh well.