Our town is hosting a very low-key pageant in the fall. There are not glitzy costumes or makeup required. The whole thing is pretty informal, but it looks like it would be fun for the girls. I'm thinking about entering LO just for fun. She will be nearly 3 at the time.
I'm not interested in getting her into flashy pageants in general, but this seems like a no frills way to enjoy some of the good parts of that world. What do you think about pageants?
admin / wonderful grape / 20724 posts
@DillonLion: I wouldn't mind a talent show, but wouldn't do a beauty pageant!
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
Nope. I think there will be plenty of focus on her looks without entering her in a pageant, especially so young.
What are the good parts? Pageants are just not really a thing around here so I am really not familiar with them or the benefits, besides them being a "scholarship thing".
grapefruit / 4800 posts
No. I don't understand them. . It seems intimidating for a 3 year old to stand on a stage and be judged on ? What do they judge them on?
squash / 13764 posts
I wouldn't, just because I don't really get how they're fun...? For the parents or the kids.
pomegranate / 3350 posts
If I had a daughter that really wanted to do it. At 3, no because I feel like she wouldn't even know what they were. I did a pageant in middle school and thought it was fun so I would not be opposed but I also wouldn't push for it.
grapefruit / 4066 posts
No. Like others have said, what are they being judged on? Looks? How cute they are? That seems so sad to me. I don't get how that would be fun for the parents or the child.
pear / 1998 posts
No, even it is no make-up and no glitz - it's still about judging people based on their looks. I can't get behind that.
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
Nope, it's not something my daughter would be into anyway. She's a girly tomboy that loves playing in the dirt while wearing a tutu. But it's like pulling teeth just trying to put her hair in a ponytail!
bananas / 9227 posts
I personally wouldn't enter DD into a pageant, even if it's just a fun toddler pageant. Although I do think it'll be super fun to watch, I'm against exposing her to too much attention when her little brain can't handle it. I know a few people that's attention seeking and I feel that it's partly stemmed from the huge amount of attention they were used to as kids. I know that it's kind of a huge generalization on my part, and that there are a lot of well-adjusted adults that had a lot of attention as a kid, but it's still something I personally don't want for DD. When she's old enough to choose for herself, it's a different story. But for now, no.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
I think they can help build confidence, especially if there is a performance aspect.
My son has stage fright, there would be no way he'd be able to pull it off. And I don't know what his talent would be anyway at this age.
coconut / 8279 posts
if it fit LO's personality, sure!
my LO doesn't like to sing in front of people or 'show off' any tricks or talents but if he was a little showboat like my friend's LO, I would totally sign him up!
grapefruit / 4418 posts
Absolutely not! If she really wanted to do it, I would try to consider it but would not be happy about it!
watermelon / 14467 posts
Only if she wanted to do it, but I would try to steer her away from glitz pageants. I was in a pageant in high school (Jr. Miss) and it was a lot of fun, but it focused more on talent and scholarship rather than what you looked like. I was not interested in doing fair pageants, which focused more on glitz and looks.
hostess / papaya / 10219 posts
I wouldn't. I don't like the idea of judging kids against each other to see who's best. It doesn't send the right message to me and I don't want my kids seeking external validation like that. Dress her and her friends up in fancy clothes and let them play and perform but don't subject them to judgement.
pomegranate / 3791 posts
"Hey sweetie, go have fun on stage so the judges can rank who is the prettiest! Better make sure to smile and act cute too so you'll be meeting society's expectations of the right way for a little girl to look and act!"
Yeah I know that's overly harsh and some have a talent portion, although I can't imagine how that would work with toddlers. But I just hate the entire concept of beauty pageants.
persimmon / 1233 posts
I probably wouldn't, but I would totally put them in dance class. Those recitals are pretty cute and they still get to perform on stage.
apricot / 347 posts
I don't think I would. I wouldn't want her to base her self-esteem on what other people think about her appearance. I feel that pageants send that message whether intended or not.
eggplant / 11824 posts
No. I cannot imagine having to find a nice way to tell my LO she didn't win because someone else didn't think she was pretty enough.
grapefruit / 4997 posts
No thank you. My inlaws are so vain and makes remarks all the time about which kid is prettier. It's so wrong how they judge babies based on their looks. I would not want to deliberately let my child be judged solely based on her looks. It sends the wrong message.
bananas / 9227 posts
@DillonLion: I should add that I don't think 1 little toddler pageant is a big deal. My personal opinion is based on constant competitions that started at a young age. The adults that I know that have been negatively affected have themselves made the same conclusions; it's not just a personal observation on my part.
pomegranate / 3231 posts
If I ever have a daughter I will definitely steer her away from this sort of thing. I don't want her self worth to be based on her appearance.
hostess / papaya / 10540 posts
Nope. I feel like there are other activities that could be more beneficial.
pomelo / 5866 posts
I don't like pageants but I sent my daughter's four month old baby picture to a beautiful baby contest held by the baby expo. We were called as she placed to come down for the actual live finalist contest. (Top 10 were placed by judge selection.) I decided not to go through with the actual contest because it interfered with nap time. Plus I wasn't into pageants to begin with. As far as talent shows, LO did it last year in preschool for fun with her friends. I am definitely not a stage mom. She was misbehaving backstage and missed the whole show of the other performances so I won't be clamoring to do this again.
persimmon / 1171 posts
I guess I'm in the minority but I would totally do it. LO is obsessed with tutu ballerina dresses or anything shiny and pretty. Most pageants give crowns to all contestants and I know LO would love to see all the pretty dresses even if she didn't win. She LOVES showing off her dresses and would absolutely eat up all the attention. I would never toddlers and tiaras her, but I wouldn't see the harm in a pageant if the opportunity was presented 
good luck whatever you decide
wonderful olive / 19353 posts
At 3, I prob would. She's not aware of the "intense competition" the pageant world can be. Said that, I was entered in pageant at a young age and did it for quite a few years. The one that gave me confidence on stage was a local one that feeds into the Miss (teen) America system. This isn't the the Donald Trump Miss (Teen) USA system.
I did participate in more glitzy pageants as I got older, and the competition is definitely fierce. Some are down right sketchy when it comes to judging so that wasn't cool.
persimmon / 1188 posts
No, because I've never had any interest in that world. If my daughter was older and brought it up herself I would consider it, I just really wouldn't want her to put too much emphasis on looks.
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