Thursday, March 1, 2007
Pageants
Yes, it's "pageant season" again. This time of year is anticipated by some almost as much as "hunting season" is! I have my own personal feelings about pageants, of course, and I don't want to be too opinionated about them BUT just thought I'd share a little bit. I just thought of this post today since the Jr/Princess Sweet Onion pageant has been changed to the same day as the Baby/Toddler Sweet Onion pageant. Let's just get them all out of the way in one day, shall we? Anyway, I think that pageants in theory are good (for a certain age group). They push most girls out of their "comfort zones" and teach poise, grace, perhaps talent, and some even offer scholarships and cash prizes. However I have a real problem with the pageants where the girls are still in diapers and can't walk across the stage for themselves. All babies are cute (well, most of them anyway). We already know this. If the pageant's top prize is a crown and trophy, I just don't think it should be allowed personally. I mean, you don't even win enough cash to pay for the dress! Yes, I know these pageants are some major fundraisers for groups. Some of the entry fees can total $100!! Yes, $100. What parents are thinking, I don't know. That's like my electric bill for the month! lol. Anyway, we'll keep photographing the little winners and running them in the paper. But if I see a pageant for Little Miss Born To Be, I think I'll have to draw the line. Don't laugh. I wouldn't be a bit surprised!
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17 comments:
I don't blame you there. I've never been a big fan of pageants and fortunately neither has my daughter (who, as a competitive dancer and certified tumbling instructor has all the poise and grace - as well as genuineness, something pageants tend to lack) that one could ask for. If it's babies across that stage that's not teaching them anything. That's just satisfying the parents' egos and that is a dangerous thing to start so early in life. Ultimately, if pageants are to live up to what they claim to be and not what the world tends to see them as, it all has to be for the benefit of the development of the young people involved, not for parents living vicariously through them.
Just one more point on that..with the little ones...must we really dress and fix up 6 year olds to look like 20 year olds to compete? How about allowing them to compete based on their own actual developmental stages instead of feeding the pedophiliac mentality that pervades today's society ... the one that has grown women dressing like little girls and little girls dressing like streetwalkers? Can we at least keep it off the stage?
If we can have Glennville remembered for it's "beauty queens", then why can't it also be remembered for it's football players? Why is there no sign for Shannon Sharpe? In my book, he's a "beauty"! Let's be fair, after all. Let's get Shannon Sharpe on a green sign too!
OH yeah, no kidding...Shannon and Sterling. They've sure made it much farther in life than a single run as a Miss Georgia.
Yes, pageants are here...How many do we have now? Miss this and that! I personally think that if you can't walk across the stage, who is this "trophy" really for? And I agree with the make up thing..Hello, what are you setting these kids up for? Babies and "little girls need to look just the way they are. The child should be the one to say, "yes, I want to do this or not." Not Mom,who has big dreams of "Miss Georgia." I would want my daughter to strive for a more inportant goal in life. And does the title really help on the resume? Don't think so.
And then, there are the parents, who can't afford to buy necessary attire and pay for the entry fee. But, they go around asking for a donation..If you are poor as dirt and can't afford to do this,then why ask for donations. Please think of the child, crying and hanging on to dear life, not to go out on stage!!
I've never been a huge fan of pageants. I've worked them before and had friends participate, but that doesn't mean that I really support the event. I don't see it as a self-confidence booster, because most of the competition is going to lose anyway -- and when they do lose, and the obligational "we're all winners" statement is made, I've found that this doesn't do much to boost their spirits.
Additionally, you have pageant moms that make their lives out of these things. Of course, they are always doing it because the child wishes to take part in it -- but I find that most of the times, this isn't the case.
I've always found it sick and disturbing when parents make their children do activities and tell them what their interests are. I was fortunate enough not to be raised in such an environment.
I'm from Tattnall County, but haven't lived there in several years. I never realized how many pageants there were in the area until I visited some of last year's festivals. I remember sitting roadside in Claxton for more than an hour and counting queen after queen as they passed. Miss Georgia, Miss Tattnall Co, Miss TCHS, Miss Rattlesnake, Miss Sweet Onion, Little Miss Sweet Onion... I lost count after the first dozen. I would not have been surprised if Miss Gooseneck, Miss Piggly Wiggly, or Miss Georgia State Prison were in there somewhere.
I'm sure that these pageants are good fund raisers -- there's obviously a lot of interest in the area. I'm also all for making children feel special. But how "special" is it to be one of 30 reiging queens in the county? Soon there will be a pageant for every kid in the county. It doesn't take a crown to make a child feel special, good parenting is all that is needed.
Ugh, just got one more pageant announcement in the door. This one has a discount of $75 if you enter the beauty contest and all the other categories!! wow. And you don't just win a crown, sash, flowers and trophy . . . you also get a surprise gift! Of course the age range is from 0-23 years old. Give me a break. What happened to the days when fundraisers were raffles and just plain asking your neighbors?? Quit using the children.
Woo-hoo! GO GIRL! Get mad! Speak out! I have to say I am so happy to see some local opinions on this matter that really do align with mine and that I'm really not the odd one out. Who knows? We may actually NOT be in the minority - just not a vocal bunch. Yet.
Wait a minute...me not vocal? HA ha ha ha ha...
I agree with everything that has been said about the pageants. I personally do not see what all of these pageants are for, most them around here do not even do talent! I was actually in a pageant (a scholarship pageant, because that's the only one I can justify). The pageant did nothing for me. At the time I was 5' 8" weighed 135 pounds(which was muscle because I'm an athlete) and wore a size 5. When I asked the judges what I could improve if I decided to do another pageant, I was told that I needed to lose weight. Since then I do not like pageants at all. For the most part they do more harm than good.
I wish people would find something better for fundraisers. Do a carwash, yardsale, or a new one that I've done is sell scrap metal. It may require some extra work, but it would be worth it.
My daughter did the pageants. She had a brother that was a football player and very smart. She stated she did the pageants because it was the one thing she did not have to follow in his footsteps and be judged against him.Since they wouldn't allow her to play football
she took up pageants. She would borrow a dress and sometimes even the shoes and had a blast growing out of her tomboy ways. But pageants can be mistaken and emotions can be scarred by the competition in these events. Often times it's mothers who themself had troubles growing up emotionally that push the children.
Believe it or not, folks, some girls actually DO enjoy pageants, even if they don't win anything. For some of them, it is simply another, enjoyable activity. I'm not talking about the 'baby pageants'...I certainly agree with the rest of you about those. But, if a girl is somewhat well rounded and intelligent, and she WANTS to be in a pageant, then why not? It is up to the parents to remind her that 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder'. Not to mention that in most of the pageants of this area, the INTERVIEW carries the largest percentage in their total score. Who among us has not benefited from lessons learned from interviewing?
As for the cost involved, if your daughter REALLY wants to participate, then she will be willing to earn extra money to offset the costs. Another lesson learned.
As for the 'Pageant Mothers' who push their girls to win, well that is an entirely different story.....
I HAVE A 2YR OLD THAT I HAVE PUT IN PAGEANTS SINCE SHE WAS ABOUT SIX MONTHS OLD. FOR ME IT'S NOT THE BUEATY OF THE PAGEANTS THAT I'M INTERESTED IN IT'S NOT EVEN FOR WHAT EVER FUNDRAISER OR GROUP THAT'S TRYING TO RAISE MONEY. I ENJOY MAKING MY DAUGHTERS DRESSES AND ENJOY SEEING HER GET ALL DRESSED UP FOR ONCE AND JUST HAVE FUN. SHE'S USUALLY OUT IN THE YARD COVERED FROM HEAD TO TOE WITH DIRT WITH HER BROTHER. I DON'T SPEND ALOT OF MONEY ON THESE PAGEANT'S. I USUALLY FIND HER DRESSED AT YARD SALES OR THRIFT STORES AND DRESS THEM UP. THE ENTRY FEES ARE COME FROM SPONSORS. NOT OUT OF MY POCKETS. I DO IT NOW WHY SHE STILL YOUNG, BECAUSE I KNOW SOON ONE DAY SHE'S GONNA BE ABLE TO SAY NO MOM I DON'T WANT TO. AS LONG AS SHE LET'S ME I'LL PUT HER IN PAGEANTS. I'M NOT ONE OF THOSE MOTHERS WHO ARE OBSESSED. AND I BE DARNED IF I PAY 500-800 FOR SOME STUPID DRESS. THERE IS THE PART OF PAYING $10.00 DOLLARS FOR EACH CATAGORY YOU INTER THE CHILD IN. IT SHOULD BE ONE SET FEE FOR ALL CATAGORIES. ALSO I DON'T PUT MAKE-UP ON MY BABY GIRL EITHER. I WOULD RATHER NOT PUT HER IN A PAGEANT, IF SHE WAS MADE UP LIKE A CLOWN. FOR CHILDREN THIS YOUNG IT SHOULD BE ABOUT NATURALITY. THE REAL BUEATY IS THE CHILD NOT WHAT SHE IS WEARING. ALTHOUGH THIS IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE THE LAST YEAR I PUT HER IN PAGEANTS, I INTEND TO PUT HER IN DANCING , SHE LOVES TO DANCE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HER DOING SOMETHING SHE CAN REALLY GET INTO AND ENJOY AND I'LL ENJOY WHATCHING HER HAVE FUN AT. I UNDERSTAND MOST OF EVERYBODIES VIEWS, BUT I THINK IT'S THE MOTHER'S THAT PUSH THEIR CHILDREN IN THESE PAGEANTS. THAT ARE THE SERIOUS PROBLEM. ALSO WHEITHER IT'S PAGEANTS OR SOME OTHER FORM OF FUNDRAISING, THE YOUTH OF TODAY ARE GONNA BE INVOLVED, WHEITHER IT'S FOR , ABOUT THEM, OR BY THEM. THE YOUTH IS WHAT GET'S THE OLDER GENERATIONS TO GET INVOLVED. IN ALL , DON'T JUDGE PAGEANT ON WHAT YOU HERE OR SEE, BECUASE ALL ASPECTS ARE NOT SO NEGATIVE.MY CHILDREN ARE MY WORLDLY POSSESSIONS I ONLY LIKE TO SHOW THE WORLD WHAT I SEE .
A MOTHER'S LOVE NOT MY OBSSESSION.
i have no problems with pageants as longs the PARTICIPANT is the one who choses to participate. after seeing a pageant a little girl of NO LESS THAN 6. should be able to decide if this is something SHE (not momma) wants.
All of the pageants around this area (not just Reidsville) are rigged! I hate to say it, but it's all in who you know and how much butt you kiss.
I can see if a teen or Pre-teen girl wants to do them, but all these babies and toddles.....that's just crazy. All children are pretty to Mommy, but if you know this, then why put them in a Pageant? I have seen some ugly girls win pageants.
All pageants are good for, is to make the winner feel pretty and all the others feel ugly and that's not always the truth!!!
This is to all the "losers" in pageants....just because you didn't win, does not mean you are ugly, you just didn't know the right people!
I most definately agree. I was watching 4-6 year old compete and when I saw their faces make up and EVEN TANNING. I was horrible they look like 20 year olds on the 6 year olds body. It's ridiculous. They are cute already they are 6 what 6 year old isnt cute? Kids need to be kids because in the world of pagents they'll never get that chance.
I never needed a panel of judges to tell me that my daughter is beautiful! I know that she is beautiful, that is all that matters!
Ok I am so tired of all these people talking trash about pageants. I am in them all the time and do enjoy them very much. Which, I do agree that some mothers do put their girls through some extreme stuff when in pageants, but most of the time the girls do love getting dolled up and strutting their stuff on stage. They get to feel all grown up and just like their moms. I have been in pageants since I was a toddler and so has my sister and we absolutely adore them and we love all the support. But all of the mothers that are trash talking pageants, please take a couple hours of your schedule to go watch them and maybe if you have enough guts you will put your own daughter in one.
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