Faig

Brianna Faig Ms. Caruso ENGL 1103 1 October 2012 Toddlers and Tiaras: Growing Up Too Fast Growing up in this world today, we as human beings are pressured into

looking and acting certain ways. Television shows, magazines, and pop culture affect us so much that we let it influence our day-to-day schedule and how we look at ourselves. As parents, they always want the best for their children, some look at it as putting them into sports and getting them into group activities, for others, its beauty pageants. As Goldstein stated, Beauty pageants started in the 1920s in Atlantic City. The business owners needed a way to keep tourists there past Labor Day so they introduced pageantry (Goldstein 1). Today, beauty pageants are so much more than a way to keep tourists busy. Childrens beauty pageants consist of children from the young age of just a couple days old to the teenage years, both girls and boys, parading around a stage, flaunting their stage personality, all dolled up in costumes and make up. The show Toddlers and Tiaras gives us a brief look into the children beauty pageant world, and as TLC says, On any given weekend, on stages across the country, little girls and boys parade around wearing makeup, false eyelashes, spray tans and fake hair to be judged on their beauty, personality, and costumes (TLC par. 1). Toddlers and Tiaras goes behind the scenes to families, mainly the mothers who put their children into these pageants, and lets the public
Megan Gaynor 10/22/12 11:54 AM Comment: How do they select who they focus on Megan Gaynor 10/22/12 11:54 AM Comment: How crazy they act about the pagents Megan Gaynor 10/22/12 11:55 AM Comment: Is it really for the child or the mom? Megan Gaynor 10/22/12 11:53 AM Comment: Maybe a section can include the differences of boy and girl pageants Megan Gaynor 10/22/12 12:04 PM Comment: Maybe a new paragraph.

see what it is really like when children are put into disguises that make them look years older than they actually are. The attention that these children that are being placed in pageants are

Megan Gaynor 10/22/12 11:56 AM Comment: Does it reflect who the child really is? Or who theyre pretending to be for the crowd? How is this going to affect them later in life? Megan Gaynor 10/22/12 11:56 AM Comment: Could this affect them in school maybe? Constantly wanting attention. Megan Gaynor 10/22/12 11:57 AM Comment: Arent pageants REALLY expensive? Highlight on that maybe.

getting is a numerous amount. At the young age of their toddler years, they already have a name in the pageant world. Not only do the pageants make them well known, but also the fact that these children are put on television shows makes them known worldwide, which could be detrimental in the long run. For example, a young girl by the name of Alana Thompson, is a well known child pageant star due to her debut on the hit show Toddlers & Tiaras, not because of her success in pageants, but because of the entertainment and diversity that her family provides. A more familiar name that seven-year-old Alana goes by is Honey Boo Boo. Many viewers of this show have mixed reaction. It is good entertainment, but is all of this attention and publicity going to affect how Alana grows up, as well as her safety? This question relates back to JonBenet Ramsey, who was found in the basement of her parents home in Boulder, Colo., the day after Christmas, worked hard at winning beauty contests (Adler 1). Although Honey Boo Boo and JonBenet Ramsey are not directly related, it is the fact that these children are being put into the spotlight at such a young age and revealing their bodies. You truly never know what kind of people are out there and what they are capable of doing, and by putting young, nave children in the spotlight, it can truly be harmful to them.

Megan Gaynor 10/22/12 11:58 AM Comment: Personally, I think her little show is really so society can make fun of her. She has a show because theyre such hicks Megan Gaynor 10/22/12 11:51 AM Comment: Oh geezcant stand her Megan Gaynor 10/22/12 11:58 AM Comment: Shes already a diva, who knows how bad shell be when shes a teenager

Megan Gaynor 10/22/12 12:00 PM Comment: Could affect their self-esteem in the long run. Having the need to feel good enough if they dont win first place. And to have the idea of needing to feel prettier, thinner, and talent, but REAL personality points. Megan Gaynor 10/22/12 12:00 PM Comment: Could want to put a show on for anyone.