Toddlers and Tiaras

Toddlers and Tiaras...you've seen it right? If not, I'm sure you've at least seen a glimpse of it. It's riduculous. It's absurd. It's pathetic. Yet, for some strange reason Ryan and I can't help but watch it.

My first mistake was catching a few episodes on my maternity leave and that led me to set it to be DVRed each week. I am pretty much ashamed that I even waste my time watching it...

I guess I don't get it. Is it because I don't have a little darlin' princess that I feel compelled to dress to the nines each and every day? Maybe so. I am so happy that I have a little boy. I don't have to "accessorize" or even match if we don't feel like it. I love it this way. We decided as parents long before we knew that Wyatt was a little boy that we would not be those who put massive bows on their head every day to match each outfit. Yes, on occasion, she would wear bows but it wouldn't be a necessity. We aren't big on the "frills"...babies are cute...and should be without bows the size of Texas. However, I will note that while I just stated one of the things we would "never" do, we have come to realize that those things usually gets thrown out the window once your child actually arrives. Just watch, I will be eating my words when/if Wyatt ever has a little sister. She will probably be sporting bows that are out of this world ridiculous and I will love every minute of it. Okay, probably not...but I honestly should never say never.

Back to pageants and these toddlers...Actually, toddlers is the wrong word for these vicious, self-absorbed, hideous, beings. They scare me. They scare my husband. They will scare me if Wyatt ever decided to date one of these girls.

These are 5 year old kids that judge each other based on their looks. Seriously? What are you setting your child up for? When they don't win the Ultimate Grand Supreme they thrown temper tantrums and then go on to say the reasons as to "why" they should have won. So and so did really good.........but.......I'm just prettier. Dear little girl...let me tell you that looks fade and any good guy (you know that kind you want to marry) is going to see past your superficial ways. I would be ashamed as a mother  to have my child thinking in such as way.

Now, before you get the idea that I am totally anti-pageants, I'm not. IF  at any moment my child (read: Wyatt's potential sister--not Wyatt) clearly asked me to enter them in pageants we would do it. We would not hesitate in the least to do it. We would probably waste hundreds of dollars to do it if that's what she wanted to do. Key word here? She would have to ask. We would not tell her she was doing a pageant. We would not force her to do a pageant. She would not throw tantrums because she didn't win, because if she did pageants would cease to exist in her world.

I understand doing things for your child...but do not in any way shape or form live vicariously through your child. If you want to be in pageants, find one and enter it yourself. They have those people...pageants for adults... but do not turn your precious little girl into a nightmare of a child that no one wants to be around.

I love to watch the show because it reminds me of things not to do with my kids. Force them, neglect them (because you can't deny that if the pageant kid has siblings that someone isn't getting neglected), encourage them in all the wrong ways, or even allow them to have a pacifier at age 5 (If you can talk about how your "nini" is a hard working woman it's time to let it go.) Also, if you are 20 years old and competing against kids who are 5-7 years of age it isn't an accomplishment that you won. No my dear, it's borderline a failure. If you have to beat out kids for a crown to make you feel better you a definitely lacking things in your life.

I admire the positive things in pageants though...once you are old enough and you are an advocate for something...like say, world peace. Okay, seriously, things like animal cruelty, helping with the deaf and blind, things that matter. Then? Then it is okay. It is also okay when you actually have a talent (and it isn't just shaking your behind completely inappropriately at age 6 while your dad has his head hung in shame.) It's also when you are using your title in a positive way. No one seriously cares if you are Little Miss Pumpkin Patch Princess. I don't anyway and 10 years from now no one is either. But, if you are Miss (State), Miss America, something like that, where being beautiful is simply an added bonus then more power to you. That is something to be proud of. Pageants can be positive, I truly believe that. But what this show highlights is self-absorbed children, with vicious mothers, inappropriate outfits, dance moves, and tantrums. I am addicted.

P.S. If my future darling little girl enters a pageant there is no need to remind me of this post and how "anti-pageant" I sound. I already know... I will not be eating my words in any shape or form, because for us as a family we would not accept the judging, the bashing, the crying fits. Also, I would try to avoid the glitz pageants if at all possible and would try to hold on to my precious little girl who is waaaayyyy prettier without all that junk on her face. Natural is the only way to go for babies...