Little Miss Perfect! Have you watched the show? I watched two shows last night for the first time, and frankly I found them appalling. The shows were reruns, the new season hasn’t started yet, but it gave me an opportunity to decide whether or not I would watch the new season. Little Miss Perfect is the typical pomp and pageantry where little girls are made up like grown women, wearing hair extensions and $500 – $1000.00 dresses and outfits. It made me think of JonBenet Ramsey. Maybe that’s why I have a problem with it.
One of the shows that I watched featured a mother who was upset because she had to explain to her daughter why the judges didn’t think she was pretty enough to win. Here’s the story. The little girl’s name is Shelby. Shelby’s parents live in Florida where they bred and raise reptiles. They didn’t appear to have much money or they are extremely budget conscious, which was surprising because everybody knows that pageants are an expensive business.
One of the shows that I watched featured a mother who was upset because she had to explain to her daughter why the judges didn’t think she was pretty enough to win. Here’s the story. The little girl’s name is Shelby. Shelby’s parents live in Florida where they bred and raise reptiles. They didn’t appear to have much money or they are extremely budget conscious, which was surprising because everybody knows that pageants are an expensive business.
During a segment of the pageant, the girls are suppose to wear an outfit that will “Wow” the judges. Shelby’s mother purchased her daughter’s “Wow” outfit from the local Goodwill Store. Once she got it home, she realized that it would not be good enough for the pageant so she asked her husband for advice. Dad suggested that Shelby pose with her pet Python on stage. The mom decides to put together a pair of khaki shorts and irons the letters “Jr. Zoo Keeper” on the shirt for the competition. The python would be the attraction rather than the outfit. I have to give mom and dad credit for creativity. I would have been Wowed by a little girl with a python hanging around her neck. One of the judges thought that it was a great routine and loved it. Another judge felt the python was used because she didn’t have anything else, i.e. talent.
Shelby’s other dresses and outfits for the pageant were made at home by her mother as well. She was adorable, but she was no match for little girls whose moms have spent hundreds of dollars on dresses, hair extensions, professional make up artists, tanning sessions etc. Why would you expose your daughter to this kind of competition and than be upset when they don’t win? I understand that every mother wants opportunities for their daughter and little girls especially should be taught that beauty is skin deep, but you don’t teach this lesson in the beauty pageant world. Mothers are serious about their daughters winning and they mean business. There is no expense spared, and you have to be able to compete on that level. Shelby’s mother stated that she put her in the pageant to win money for her college fund. She didn’t want her working in a convenience store when she grows up.
I didn’t place my daughter in pageants although I believe she could have won if I had taken that route. She choose ballet and cheer leading instead and believe me that world was bad enough. I spent thousands of dollars on ballet lessons and costumes. I actually felt sorry for Shelby’s mom, but there was a moment when I just wanted to slap her and ask what she was thinking. Why would you go up against these women and expose your daughter to this? She was clearly out of element, and now you’re standing here crying because you have to explain why she didn’t win. Wake up honey and get real. The pageant is called Little Miss Perfect. Next time do your home work before you enter your daughter into this type of pageant.
Anyway I won’t be watching the next season’s shows. These two episodes were enough for me. I hope Shelby’s mother recovers from the harsh reality of the pageant world and Shelby finds a place where she’s comfortable. She did a great job. What’s your opinion of beauty pageants for children?
It's 2013 now so I guess I'm 3 years out of date for this blog. However I just had to comment, because I've spent Sunday afternoon watching several episode s of "Little Miss Perfect". I'm English, but I have lived in the States and my eldest son was born there. We don't have these pageants in England, thank God. I don't see what is laudable about setting kids up to either fail, or think they're somehow better than their peers. What's with making your 8 year old look 30? It's a pedophile paradise. Oh sorry, did somebody say it's a great mother-daughter bonding experience? ? I am as close as can be to my mother, and she never put me through the 'Little Miss Perfect' experience. I was allowed to be a normal child.
Shelby should have won, and for that judge to say that the snake was a gimmick was just stupid. She has a natural beauty and should represent the little girls who dont want to pile tons of make up on their skin. Should she be treated any different because her mom cant afford all of the blinged out dresses etc… now that stupid judge is a gimmick and i think that he should be removed from judging never to be seen again. He is sick and should be ashamed. How about you be a man and get a real job! Shelby was by far the best in the entire pagent next time get a better judges
im not a mom but i watch this show and wanted to know wht u thought and i actually think people are wrong to judge because i asked my mom if i could do pageants but she said no because like u guys she doesnt like this whole pageant thing so sometimes the kids want to do it but other times they dont so dont judge to quickly i consider those kids lucky because i want to be on stage but i do agree on some parts like when the kid really doesnt want to do it and the parents force them too but people autimatticly (sry if i spelled tht wrong) judge and think the parents are sick people.
I think that pageants are cool for the kids that want to do them. I watch the show and the only real thing that makes me angry is when the judges are mean about a little girls hair, or dress, and the kid hears them while on stage. I dont have a daughter but would like to do pageants if I had one and she wanted too. I think that the moms get so bent up over the money and the prizes that they forget to be positive to their kids under pressure. Im not making excuses for them, but I can see how it would be stressful. I have a son, and I'll tell you for a fact that I have seen wayyy worse behavior on the football field from overzealous parents. One time a parent even yelled out, "break his leg if you have to!" I was in dance and flags in high school(a different kind of pageantry) and it was fun to perform and to dress up, so, I can imagine that some of these children grow up loving the glitz. Its all in how you look at it. To the people that were talking about Shelby,…I think that she had just as good a chance as any of the others because she was so pretty. It seems that most of you all have the same mind set that you have to have money to win. I dont believe that is true. there were a lot of little girls that had super fancy dresses on that didnt make top 10 or 5 too. She was a precious child!
i do not think that these shows are age appropiate. They expose young girls. I do not think that they should be wearing fake hair pieces/wigs/extensions, makeup, and self exposing dresses. whats wrong with their natural face. they are beautiful just the way they are so why should you change them. They will be looking old before they reach the age of 15. as much money as you spend there is always a chane that you will not win so why should i spend all this money just to loose. This show is teaching them to be very competative. when they loose they cry. now you have just wasted all of that money just for you to go home empty handed. I dont think that it is fair for a young girl to be judge on outer beauty though they may not be as pretty as one of the other girls but they might be alot more beautiful on the inside.
Henrietta said that her daughter is a cheerleader. I was a competitive cheerleader. I am 20 now…and recently quit my college team. The pressure to be a competitive cheerleader, i would argue is moreso than being a pageant girl. I had to always look perfect, several of the girls on my team had eating disorders, and we all had to have hair pieces if things didnt match the rest of the team. No different.
By the way…..competitive cheering starts at 4 where I live. And yes, the four year olds wear curls, makeup and stuff for competitions
Hello. I stumbled across your blog. I found some of the comments on your page interesting. I am a mother and my little girl does pageants. As far as the first comment left…I had a fabulous childhood…sang from the age of 4 and was a beauty queen myself. I decided to go to college, then get my masters. Basically I am saying I had no void to fill.
I enter my daughter in pageants for a variety of reasons. One, she was shy when she started at age 4. Two…and I'm being honest…my daughter is a gorgeous red head with naturally tan skin and large chesnut eyes.
I also have a son. He is into football. Tons of money is spent on him each year, whether its gas for away games, etc. He is cheered on, pushed to do better, and the coaches yell and scream. Can someone please explain to me how it is different????????
I hoped that I have opened some eyes. This is my daughters sport. Little Miss Perfect is all a show. They find the most outrageous moms for ratings. My daughter is well rounded, popular, and will soon be valedictorian of her high school.
If you have never been in the pageant industry, then I don't think you can really judge all pageant moms.
Sincerly,
Dr. Anon.
I remember this episode.. it was very sad. I do agree that Shelby's mom should've done a little research before entering a pageant of this calliber. My daughter has been doing beauty pageants since she was very young. It is very expensive but the the experience is rewarding for her. I have seen so many people on these boards bash the parents saying that we force our children into this. This is the farthest thing from the truth. If my daughter thinks she will not get to do an upcoming pageant she is truly heart broken. She has been taught that it is not about the winning or losing and is very gracious when she doesn't win. She enjoys the competition and more so the dressing up. this is like a big game of dress up for alot of these girls and they do love it despite what people may think. I do believe that parents should know what they are getting into before entering the pageant world as well as the child having the mentality for this type of competition. It isn't about beauty at all. it is about having fun with a mother and daughter. And the outfits that people call provocative are no more provocotive than a short cheerleading skirt with nothing but spanky's on underneath or the leotard for ballet. A pageant dress shows alot less body than either of these outfits. All three hobbies are costly and just as competative as the next. Little girls wear makeup at ballet recitals… so what is the difference?
Me and my daughter Shia-Rosalina (6) compete in pagents all the time, we love it, im not filling a "childhood gap" we just love it! Shia-Rosalina loves it too, she espcially loves getting all dressed up and spray-tanning. you guys are very mean about pagent, and i bet your kids are to ugly to compete.
My heart hurt for Shelby, and I felt that her mom was just trying to get her daughter out of the life they were living — but they need to find a different way.
well i was in a beauty pageant and am going to be i like it! i am 10 years old right now
Well if you acutally knew what the pageant prep was like you would understand it is a bonding experience between the mother and daughter. the pageant is a beautiful experience for both the mothers and the little girls in the pageant.
This sounds just like the show "toddlers and tiaras." and that show entertains me because I can't get into the minds of the mothers. I can't understand how putting her through that beauty competition so young can be a good thing. And as I watch I keep trying to see if from their point of view….but I just can't.
I'm sorry but these shows make me sick to my stomach. My 9 yo likes to watch Toddlers and Tiaras and I don't let her watch it too often. I just think the flippers, the cost and the esteem issues are too much! Thanks for posting about this!
There is NO WAY I would allow my daughter (age 6) to compete in these pageants. The way they paint these kids faces, spray tan them, and shave their legs is just appalling! Kids grow up fast enough as it is. I certainly don't want to speed up the process.
Don't even get me started on the cost of everything. It's crazy to spend thousands of dollars on clothes that will probably only be worn once. The prize money is so little that even if they win the top prize they are still in the hole.
This is just my opinion.
It's funny that you posted about this. I had was ill the other night and I was up all night barfing my brains out (sorry). I actually watched this very same episode, and I would NEVER watch the show to begin with. My heart broke for that little girl. It's horrible to make children think that you need $$$$ to be "pretty" and "popular". That's horrible!!!!!
That was the first, last and ONLY time I'll ever watch that horribles how.
I agree with you, they're appalling! I can't stand watching this little girls made up to look like women, they are only children for so long! I think they have enough pressure in life ans shouldn't have to be worried about if they're "pretty enough".
I let my daughter decide what she wants to do and so far she has chosen junior cheer leading and is currently trying basketball!
I don't watch these types of shows either. I think they are only setting our children up for eating disorders and the like.
I really don't think they are a good idea. Sets little girls up for a let down and that they are constantly worried about how they look. It's too much too soon.
I don't think I could be in that kind of role with my daughter (if I had one) First I'm just not that girly and all but if my daughter wanted to do that I think I could compromise with her and go along with it to an extent.
Yeah these kinda shows only intrigue me when it's the moms and the older daughters, I can't watch little girls like that.
@Candace – Thanks for stopping by. I agree, it's more for the parents than the childen. I sat through the show just shaking my head. It's really sad to see those little girls made up, in tanning sessions, wearing hair extensions etc. Sometimes we make poor decisions as adults, and our children pay for it.
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I can't watch these shows…the parents make me sick…showboating their kids around in an attempt to fill some emotional gap from their childhood…vomit!