Do you think it's right for parents to get their children into child beauty pageants? How about steering them in the direction of acting, singing, or dancing at a young age? Would you do either of these to your children if the chance came up? What are the advantages and disadvantages of influencing your children this way? How might the child be affected? Do you see this kind of influence as being overly pushy or controlling? Is this any different from steering your kids into sports at an early age?Thanks for your comments--
Stephanie Costa (12:00)
22 comments:
i think it is okay for parents to get their children into beauty pageants only if the child wants to be in them. if the child doesnt have any interest in being in a beauty pageant then they shouldnt be forced into doing something they dont want to do. a helpful push in the right direction is always good, and if the child once again wants to do something in acting singing or dancing then that is alright. i think parents that try to live their dreams of becoming rich and famous through the lives of their children arent being very good parents. i think if i had a child and a good opportunity came up with singing dancing or acting then i would let them try it out to see if they have any interest, and if they do great and if they dont then thats fine too. an advantage of influencing a child this way would be that they get different experiences to see what they really want to do with their lives, but a disadvantage would be those parents who force their children to do something they dont want to. if a child is forced to do something they dont want to then they will hate it more than they already do. i know that in highschool my mom always wanted more from me during track season, and whatever i did wasnt good enough for her so of course i hated track during track season but i loved it any other time. i think this is different then steering your kids into sports at an early age because with sports a child is staying active and there are alot of different sports out there to do. if a parent just wants their kids to be active with sports then let the child find a sport they really enjoy doing and then go with it.
kaleen bittner
I think it's fine for parents to enter their children into beauty pageants and encourage their kids to sing, act, or dance at an early age as long as their children are having fun and enjoy these activities. If parents are forcing their kids to do these against their will and see that their kids are miserable, then they are selfishly doing it for themselves and not for their kids. This is when it's wrong and is negatively affecting their children.
The advantages of influencing children in this way is that a parent is able to expose a child to something they might love doing and is something they might not have had the motivation to do by themselves. Children can have a successful and fulfilling career as a result and will be grateful that their parents encouraged them early on. The disadvantages are that, in many cases, children are miserable, are put to work even though they don't like it, and don't have a chance to be a kid. Many young stars become troubled and get addicted to drugs and alcohol, and they almost always say that they had no childhood and were forced to live as adults all their lives...many are unhappy.
If the child is not happy doing these activities and their parents still force them to do them, their parents are being controlling and are living through their children instead of letting their kids be themselves. It is the same concept as steering your kids into sports early on because, once again, it's good that you're exposing your kids to a variety of activities, but if they don't enjoy them, you shouldn't force them to do them. Sports, like pageants, acting, singing, and dancing, are supposed to be enjoyable and should be something the kids choose to do. A parent who forces their kids to do any of these and forces them to constantly practice is only robbing them of their childhood and is making them unhappy.
As a mother, I would never enter my child in a pageant if they did not want to. The same goes with dancing, singing, and acting. If it was something they truly wanted to do then that's perfectly fine. A lot of parents enter their children in things like pageants and put so much pressure on them that it is not fun for the child. They stress the idea of winning so much and if their child happens to not be the winner, they get so upset. And the truth is, children usually don't mind if they win or lose. Kids want to do things to have fun and they do not need crazy parents stressing them out.
Lesley Suding (9:00)
I believe that if its the childs idea to be in a pagent then the parents should allow that child to. I do not believe however that parents should pressure their children into something that they dont want to do. I believe that some of these parents are way out of control when it comes to putting their children in pagents. These girls are sometimes younger than 5 and already wearing makeup, tanning, having false teeth put in, waxing, everything. THat is crazy and I dont believe that it should be allowed. Pagents could be good for a child in some ways though. THey could interact with other children in a positive way, and they could learn good lessons for the future. Also they would learn all about public speaking at a young age, which would later on help them in life. Pagents can also be negative. These kids are sometimes being forced into doing things that they dont want to be a part of. Also the parents in these pagents are vicious. Kids should be kids and if its their idea to do the pagent then I believe it is fine, but if they don't want to take a part of it, then I believe that their parents should not force them into it.
-Emily STege
I Dont think its wrong for parents to put their children into pageants at a young age if the child seems interested in it. Steering then in the direction of acting or dancing or singing seems the same as steering them in the direction of modeling. I would not steer my child in the direction of anything. I believe in allowing your child to have the creative sources so that they can choose what it is they want to be involved in. If my child wanted to do pageants at the age of 6 i certainly would allow her to do that. I would open all outlets so that it would be something she could ENJOY because that is what most important. I would not make her feel as if it was mandatory but I would teach her about the importance of commitment.
I wouldn't let my child be in a pageant because there are pedophiles, the children are six and have swimsuit competitions, and they have "flippers" which snap into their teeth to hide the fact that they are children and missing teeth. It's disgusting! They look like freaks wearing makeup, stuffing their bras, wearing high heels and being six! Their parents are very mean to their children and tell them things like if you win enough you can buy a pony! This hurts their self esteem because only one of them can win out of thousands of girls. Many of them go on to have poor self esteem, drug addictions, and eating disorders. IT DOES NOT LEAD TO A CAREER UNLESS THEY WANT TO BE PORN STARS!
I think that it is a god thing that parents push their children to be good at somethings as long as the child is enjoying what they are doing. On the other hand i think it is wrong for parents to force their child to go into a career that they are not interested in. If i had a child, i would love for my child to start their career at a young age. If my child is interested in sports or acting i would put him/her in acting classes or i would let them join a sports league so they can be the best at what they do. I don't think that children should be put in beauty pageants, i think it makes children think about the non-important things in life, like materialism. Child should not be thinking how they look and they for sure don't need to be wearing make-up at a young age. On the other hand, sports, acting, singing, and dancing teaches discipline and responsibility.
Omar Al-Chaar (12:00)
I think that beauty pagaents are similar to getting your child into sports. I think it should only be done if the child wants to do it. Don't push the child into something they don't want to do.
I don’t think there is a yes or no answer to this question. If I had a child and s/he had an act for being the center of attention, I might look into something such as acting. The money which the kid made would be put into a college trust-fund, so they could get an education later in life. I would not force my kid to do something such as acting for my profit. In order to have my child become an actor at a young age it would be, because they like to act. The advantages of having a child act are there is a lot of money to be made, and if the kid likes acting they could have a future. The disadvantages of having a child act is they are know to have problem when they become adults. Just look at, “Britney Spears,” and numerous others, which have problems as adults. There are several parents that are overly pushy or controlling of their kid. If a parent is push their kids to hard to do something they don’t like they are going to have mental problems later in life. This does not mean a kid should not go to school, because they have a trouble reading. This means if the kid is just acting, because mom or dad are making them, then this is wrong.
From Steve Gratkins (9:00 a.m.)
Parroting what everyone else has said by this point, it depends on how the kid feels about doing those things. If the child seems to enjoy singing, dancing, and/or acting, then I see no reason why the shouldn't be doing it. It could help to build character and teach them to do things they wouldn't otherwise have learned (proper balance and the fine art of lying come to mind). So long as the child enjoys doing these things, it wouldn't be pushy or controlling as the kid is doing it of their own free will.
The above comment made at 11:17 AM on April 23rd is mine. Forgot to put in my name.
I don't think parents should allow their children to be participants of beauty pagents or steering them into acting, singing, or dancing at a young age. I think children should be just that... children. I doesn't make sence for a child to grow up fast and have them thinking about makeup, dressing up in fancy clothes, and all of that "adult" stuff. Children should be concerned about getting dirty, playing, hanging out with friends, and pretty much being a child. If either of those opportunities came a long for me to do such to my child, I'd let that chance pass me by. I wouldn't want to take something my child does for fun and turn it into something that is controlling-it doesn't make it as fun anymore. If a child has a passion for doing something and the parent is well aware of it, then the parent should help the child. Age really does matter. Beauty pagents are for teeagers and adults, not children. The advantages of influencing childeren this way is letting them know that you're proud that they're doing it and interested in helping them. The disadvantages are pushing the child too much and eventually the child may want to quit.
I think that if the child wants to go into beauty pageants or into the arts and is interested at an early age then the parents should allow the child to do so. But if it the other way around and the parents are the ones that are pressuring and forcing their children to go into something that they are not passionate about then that is just wrong. If the opportunity came to me to push my children into something that they did not want to do then I would not make them. Why spend all of the time, effort and money into something that then child is not going to stay in very long? After going through for a long period of time the child may enter adulthood with the attitude that in order for them to get interested in something that htey have to be forced to do it. I think that pushing your children into sports when they are not interested in doing so is the same thing as pushing your kids inot beauty pageants or the arts.
Rachel Rudder
I do not think it is bad for parent to get there kinds involved in beauty pageants. If a child is interested in acting and preforming there is nothing wrong with encouraging and helping them achieve their dreams. On the other hand it is wrong to force them to preform and be a stage parent. Children should want to do it all willingly and not have to be forced against their will. If my child wanted to model or do performances in some sort i would be a very supporting mother. I would never force my child to do those things though. When a child is great at performances there can be a great amount of advantages as well as disadvantages. Look at Justin Timberlake he is a perfect example of an advantage and a very nice role model. And as for disadvantages look at Brittney Spears, something obviously went wrong there. I child could be really affected mentally by a very pushy parent in the entertainment industry. Preforming is no differnt from steering your kid into sports as a young child i think all kids should do what they love not what there parents are forcing them to do.
Michelle Carr
12:00
I THINK THAT IT IS OKAY ONLY IF ITS SOMETHING THAT THE CHILD DESIRES TO DO. I DO NOT THINK THAT IT IS FAIR TO THE KIDS WHEN THEIR PARENTS PUSH THEM INTO DOING SOMETHING THAT THEY DO NOT WISH TO DO. AS FOR ME I WOULD ONLY ALLOW MY SON TO DO SOMETHING THAT HE WANTS TO DO. I AM NOT GOING TO FORCE MY SON INTO DOING THINGS FOR MY OWN BENEFITS.
--TWILA DOUGLAS
I believe if it's what the child wants the parents should support the child 100 percent. But, there are alot of children that are forced into beauty pageants that are just doing it because it's what the parents want. This puts alot of unnecessary pressure on the child. It's the same with sports, many children go into it because it's what the parent wants and they make the child stay doing it even if they hate it. The result is the child sometimes turns to smoking, alcohol or drugs when they get older. Some even end up hating their parents for being so pushy. I believe if they child wants to try something it's fine and if they want to quit playing it, thats fine also.
I think it is ok for parents to get their children involved in beauty pageants, but I think it should be left completely up to the kids whether they want to do it or not. A parent should not force their child into them because they see that the kid has "potential" in the business.In many cases, the parents are trying to make a name for themselves through their children by entering their kids in pageants, which is completley wrong and very selfish. I think that a child can become very self concious if they are critiqued all the time and have things done to make them prettier like fake tans. This can make a kid feel that they are not good enough. I think pushing a kid into a sport at an early age is different because it is less competitive and more for fun. A pageant is extremly competetive and is hard to get as much fun out of it.
Jason Brown 12:00
I feel that its ok for children to be put in beauty pageants if the child is enjoying what they are doing, and if it isnt negatively affecting the childs life. I feel that if the child wants to pursue acting, singing, or dancing than a little push from the parents isnt a bad thing. If my childs dream was to become one of these i would do anything possible to help them achive it. The advantages are they could become successful in something they love. The disadvantages are the child could be misssing out on experiences that a normal kid gets to experience. Some parents get out of hand, they start to push thier children for the wrong reasons. Some start doing it for themselves instead of realizing what the child really wants. I feel that sports are the same way, the child should want to achieve thier goals more than the parent.
Kristen Duitsman (12:00)
I think it's right for parents to put their child in beauty pageants. Of course if it was my child I would not make them do it, it would be totally up to them. If a child wants to do something, go for it. I do not understand how parents can push their children into things, its their decision. Later in life it will make the child rebel against the parents and do everything the parents don't want them to do. I can understand why the parents push their children into acting, singing, and dancing because they want there child to be something in life and make money at a young age. It shouldn't be about the money, it should be about the child having fun. The child might be affected by being to involved in the pageants and not living a normal child's life. They can't just go out and play like all the other kids they have to get ready for the pageants. If it's the childs decision then it's not controlling. This is the same as steering your kids into sports at a young age.
Jennifer Woodward (12:00)
No I do not think it is right for parents to get their children into child beauty pageants. Because kids should not be worried about how they look, they should not worry if they are the prettiest or the best kid on the stage. They should be doing kid things and not worry about being judged. I think acting, singing, and dancing are different because you are not being judged, you are showing off a talent that you have. Yes if I was a parent and my child was talented I would I would pursue their talent. But if my child did not want to do it, I would not make them.
The advantages are you are giving you child a sense of self pride and accomplishment, a disadvantage is, the child may have too much self pride and become arrogant, and may feel better then everyone else.
The child may be affected in many different ways. It could have a positive affect where the child is happy and a good person. Or it could have a negative affect, where the child only cares about themselves and hurts other people to get what they want.
It is not different from steering your kids into sports. Because even though they may be amazing at it, it might not be something that they want to pursue.
Kristine D’Urso
I dont see anything wrong with it at all. Its not like they are posing half naked or anything. It could turn out and be a career for them in the future. It s no difrrent than sports or anything like that. If you have a child that can win the competitions or just wants to compete because thats what they like doing then i say let them do it
Justin Peacock 1:00
I think it has a lot to do with the attitude of the child. I know from personal experience, because I have been dancing competitively since age 3, but I was the one pushing my mom to let me do it, not the other way around. There were many girls in my studio who didn't want to be there and who were pushed very hard by their parents- some of those girls ended up thanking their mothers years later, because they were very happy that in the end they became amazing dancers, others just eventually quit. I think it is better to be observant and figure out what the child is good at and what they enjoy to do , you cannot expect your children to follow directly in your foot steps and your expectations can't be too high.
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