Chrissi Ridge
Comm. 101
Neil Singleton
Toddlers and Tiaras The little girls in this television show are given crowns, ribbons, and trophies without any of them actually doing anything to deserve them. It's obvious to an outsider that the pageants are set up as some sort of money making mumbo jumbo by giving every single participant some sort of prize. It's like giving a crack addict a taste, they will keep coming back for more. Don’t get me wrong there are other shows that are a bit crazy too, like Dance Moms for instance. But at least at the end of the day those little girls are amazing dancers. Toddlers and Tiaras represents the false sense of accomplishment that is running rampant in this country. All the moms say they want their daughters to be Miss America, but haven't they noticed that there's a talent portion of the Miss America Pageant? The Toddler and Tiara girls just jump around the stage in crazy costumes with a fake uncomfortable grin across their faces. Anyone could do that. These pageants teach the participants that beauty is the only important thing. The moms love to say that beauty is important in this world and that their daughters will have a better life if they're beautiful. They're right that being beautiful is an asset, but it can only take you so far. If you're a complete brat, like most of the little girls in this show are, no one will care how beautiful you are. A giant wig, spray on tan, fake nails, caked on makeup, and slutty dresses does not make you beautiful in anyway. Being a happy, well-adjusted person makes you beautiful, and these poor kids will likely never know that feeling.

Another predicament to this show is many of the moms are significantly overweight, which means it's very likely the kids will grow up to be the same way. With that being said it doesn’t help that the moms are quite literally feeding them into an obesity epidemic and health crisis. Every time those moms pump their kids full of pixie sticks (apparently called "pageant crack"), Mountain Dew, Red Bull, and whatever other extremely sugary foods that keep them energized during practices and pageant days is setting their kids up for a lifetime of health problems, and that is really, really sad. There are many different other, healthier ways to keep your child awake where she can be fully functional all day long. Like maybe letting them get a full night sleep instead of keeping them up to practice or waking them up earlier to get a fake tan. My mom owns two in-home daycares and speaking from experience toddlers need not only a good night rest but also a nap somewhere in the day. The mothers on this show are crazy. Not just a little crazy like a typical mom, but legit so crazy that if it was up to me I would contemplate taking their young toddlers away from them. Why would I think such a thing? I recently read an article about how one of the moms gave their toddler in the pageant a cigarette! Even though it was just used as a prop in a dance where the little girl was dressed as Sandy from Grease, it still is not an okay thing to do. In the world currently we are striving to end smoking. There are commercials, billboards, and flyers everywhere supporting the cause against smoking cigarettes. The fact that her mom let her toddler hold a cigarette let alone walk on stage holding one and telling her “don’t forget to smoke” in her dance number baffles me. That is teaching someone at such a young age that it is okay to smoke when it is certainly not.

This show doesn’t just affect the young girls participating, it also demonstrates wrong behavior to the viewers. Now a days children in America watch television and think whatever is on it is okay, it is kind of like they look up to it as a guide. If a young girl was to watch toddlers and tiaras she might feel “not as pretty” or wish she could be like them on TV. She is picking up on the bad habits those moms are teacher their daughters on the show. This could lead a little girl who watches the show to be depressed or strive to be like them. Which again, is not okay. Toddler shouldn’t want to put on make-up, let alone even know what it is really. They should be playing outside, going to kindergarten, and playing with their toys.
Toddlers and Tiaras should be banned. I cannot find one good thing to day about it. Some people might argue with that and say it gives young girls confidence but if that is the case they do not know what confidence really is. Having confidence in one’s self is having self-assurance and not needing everyone else’s opinion to be satisfied with themselves. This show shows none of that. Quite frankly it shows the exact opposite, saying they need to be caked with make-up, an expensive dress, and lots of money to be a beautiful person. That is what is wrong with the world today. Beauty is found within. Instead of Toddlers and Tiaras they need a show that teaches character and gratitude. That is what shapes beauty in a person and those girls are the ones that deserve a tiara.