Toddlers and Tiaras free essay sample

Since it’s debut on TLC in 2009, Toddlers Tiaras has captured the attention of audiences of all ages across the country. This reality series gives viewers an inside look at the extremely competitive world of child beauty pageants by following contestants and their families as they prepare for various shows. With the youngest competitors starting at two years old, it is evident that most contestants did not choose this life for themselves. As a result, the show becomes just as much about the parents as it is about the children.As the saying goes, a little competition never hurt anyone, but after watching the extensive, exhausting process each girl goes through before each pageant, a big question arises as to why any parent would ever chose this life for their child? With competition this big and contestants this young, someone is definitely getting hurt. Early childhood is a critical period in one’s life as it marks the beginning of the life long process of socialization. Socialization is defined as â€Å"a continuing process whereby an individual acquires a personal identity  and learns the norms, values, behavior, and social  skills appropriate to his or her social  position. † Primary socialization usually extends until a child enters kindergarden and is a vital period in a young person’s life as it sets the foundation for all future socialization. During this stage, young mind’s are extremely impressionable as they are relying solely on their observations and experiences to decipher their role in society.Since most contestants begin their involvement in beauty pageants before their school years, it is imperative to recognize the role of child beauty pageants as social institutions for they become responsible for the socialization of young contestants. The main responsibility of the socialization process is the formation of a personal identity. Your identity is strongly shaped by the values you uphold as they help guide y ou in making decisions and forming opinions. The first thing that beauty pageants do is strip children of what they should value most; their innocence.It begins with their hair as it is yanked, teased, curled, and straightened over and over again, only to be covered by gigantic hair pieces that are double the size of their head. Following the hair, comes layers and layers of heavy makeup accompanied by fake eyelashes and a mouth piece, called a flipper, which is used to cover baby teeth. In addition to their teeth, the contestants’ nails are made longer with acrylics and their skin is made darker with artificial tanner. The transformation that takes place has contestants looking like life size barbie dolls from the neck up.The only way to correct the discrepancy that occurs from the neck down is by dressing the girls in provocative outfits that reveal their midriff and accentuate their legs. The final product is completely unnatural looking and sends the message that this is what a girl is expected to look like which is totally unrealistic. When these contestants see that every other girl looks the same way they do, they will begin to think their attire is normal and acceptable. With so much emphasis on how they look, contestants begin to form a superficial perspective of themselves and of others because they now think that their self worth is only skin deep.The judging process only heightens this superficial outlook as it encourages materialism and vanity. One pageant director states â€Å"my judges are looking for facial beauty† which is further backed up by a judge who says, â€Å"I look for the full package in a girl: your hair, your makeup, making sure the makeup coordinates with the girls features. † The judges have a very shallow view on what it means to be a full package that sends the message to contestants that what is on the inside doesn’t count.The contestant’s performances on stage during the talent round robs them of any innocence they may have left as they dance to flirtatiou s choreography that is completely inappropriate for their age. Their behavior on stage offers them as merely sexual objects and whether they know it or not, sends the message that they are sexually available. With Beauty Pageants being the perfect pedophile’s playground, that is not the message that young girls should be sending to a crowd of strangers for it could easily entice unwanted attention.It becomes evident that many performances are excessively sexualized to a point where it makes people uncomfortable, as even one of the pageant judges stated, â€Å"Sometimes, the routine they do, I feel can be a little much. † One would think that the contestant’s parents would regulate the content of their child’s routine but shockingly, they are completely oblivious to the problem. Many of the parents continuously refer to their child’s booty shaking and gyrating as hip hop and don’t think anything of it.One pageant moms asserted â€Å" I think we’re dressing them up to look a lot older than they are and sexualizing them and I don’t agree with it† however, while she says this, her daughter is dipping it low and swinging her hips around in the background. Instead of being concerned about the safety of their child, it seems that all of the pageant parent’s energy is directed toward winning. Many times, the parents get so caught up in the competition that they are unable to see the negative effect they are having on their child. This can be seen in the Season 3 episode â€Å"Le Masion de Paris,† through four year old contestant Makenzie and her mother, Juana. Juana says that her daughter likes to help with the process of getting ready however, Makenzie is resistant and uninterested. It becomes clear that there is a lack of discipline as Makenzie is constantly whining and screaming and even tells the camera that she can do whatever she wants. In response, Juana agrees that Makenzie â€Å"likes to do what Makenzie likes to do at Makenzie’s time† and says that she just lets her do it.This lack of discipline will end up hurting Makenzie as she grows older for she will never learn how to cope when she doesnt get her way. On pageant day, everyone struggles to get Makenzie ready for the pageant as she doesn’t want to follow directions . One of the stylists complains, â€Å"putting nails on Makenzie was like putting nails on a Tasmanian devil† and another agrees saying â€Å"I rea lly had to chase her around, she wouldn’t cooperate. † While getting Makenzie ready for the pageant, adults are constantly having to push her down onto the styling chair and she repeatedly screams â€Å"Leave me alone, people! on the top of her lungs. Juana does nothing to control her child’s outbursts which makes Makenzie think that her behavior is acceptable and therefore, she continues acting out. After much crying and countless temper tantrums, Makenzie finally makes it to the stage where she â€Å"turns it on. † This shows how fake the competition for as soon as a contestant steps on stage she turns off her real emotions and puts on an act. Juana exclaims that Makenzie â€Å"absolutely loves being on stage,† however, the whole time she is off stage she is described as a â€Å"holy terror. It seems that the only time Makenzie is actually happy is when she is on stage, which is only for a few minutes out of a very long day but that short lived happiness is apparently enough for Juana to forget about t he terror Makenzie put everyone through all day. Before the awards, Juana says, â€Å"If Makenzie does not win the pageant, I will be let down because we do put a lot of time and money and effort into it. † It doesn’t make sense that Juana would continue entering Makenzie in competitions when it seems like she would be a lot happier if she didn’t have to do them and it would save their family a lot of money and time.In the end, it seems like it just isn’t worth it but Juana obviously isn’t thinking logically. It becomes evident that many parents have a personal motive in forcing their child into pageants for they seem to experience the most satisfaction and the most disappointment out of their child’s experience. In the Season 3 episode â€Å"Le Masion de Paris,† Tammy, the mother of 9 year old contestant Alex, excessively frets over her child’s hair, putting unneeded stress on her child. She tells Alex that her hair is a mess when in reality, it is perfectly straight.During the awards, Alex ends up winning â€Å"Best Hair† but still, Tammy is disappointed and states â€Å"I don’t think her hair style flattered he r. † Because of Tammy’s disappointment, Alex doesn’t feel proud of herself and isn’t able to enjoy her win. Tammy’s attitude sets a poor example for her child and promotes perfectionism and self criticism in Alex. As if these contestants don’t already look ridiculous enough in their hair and makeup, there is no need to be nit picky about hair that is fully styled.The last thing that these contestants need is to feel ugly in their pageant attire for if they don’t feel good about themselves with that much makeup on, how will they feel once all the makeup comes off? Additionally, when these girls are all being pinned up against each other to determine who is the most beautiful, they are going to develop self esteem issues if they are comparing themselves to every other girl. In the end, beauty pageants should not be open to young children before they begin schooling because they give contestants a skewed perception of reality that should not be the foundation of one’s identity.Child beauty pageants should have an age limit so that children have a chance to form th eir identity before getting involved in pageantry. Being a contestant in a beauty pageant should be a character that one takes on for a short period of time, not a lifestyle. The television show Toddlers ; Tiaras only makes matters worse because any young person who watches the show will receive the same corrupt messages as the contestants. If these pageants are being aired publicly it sends the message that this behavior and these standards are appropriate. This is not the show that children should be growing up to.