to think pageant competititon is child abuse

[sississy]

And should be stopped. Tried to watch the TV programme and makes me really uncomfortable and angry with some parents.

I don't know about child abuse but I do think that any child wearing make-up, high heels, fake tan, false eyelashes, false nails or contact lenses for vanity should be banned from competing.

If they must have vulgar 'beauty competitions' for children, at least keep them natural.

Absolutely. A normal parent dreads their kids getting injections and other painful medical treatments, these gleefully force unnecessary pain on their children because they want to win a contest. What could be but child abuse? That's aside from the emotional damage of "you're not pretty enough, but your looks are still all you have".

They give them injections?! why?!

Yeah, child botox and everything. And not for medical reasons. Waxing, all kinds of crap. Stuff most grown women wouldn't subject themselves to. Really disgusting.

Are you talking 'bout toddlers and tiaras programme?

YANBU, on this programme the mothers wax their five year old daughters, spray tan them, restrict their diets, highlight their hair, cover them in make up and then make them prance about the stage in a really precocious way which is just cringe-making and quite frankly i find the whole circus really disturbing.

Oh dear God I didn't realise that!

Yes that's definitely abuse imo

Oh for goodness sakes. Beauty pageants are horrible and outdated but that is not child abuse. I've worked in childrens' services and hated seeing the results of the very real abuse of children that was happening every day.

People who do nothing but watch these programmes encourage the practice. If you're disgusted - don't watch, vote with your remote control and that will be one less person complicit in this 'entertainment'.

LWITW, it's still child abuse. Just because other children are treated worse (and I don't think you should underestimate what having other adults being complicit in your abuse does to a kid, which isn't normally the case with more severe abuse) doesn't change that. I find it kinda terrifying that holding screaming children down and making them feel pain for no actual medical or otherwise important reason doesn't count as abuse in your book, too. This isn't just making kids wear stupid dresses and 80s makeup and prance about in tiny high heels, which is pretty bad on its own.

I have never watched one of these programs myself because I don't really enjoy watching children being abused. But it's not the people watching the programs that drive the abuse, they only encourage the programs to be made. I also don't know why you think anyone would "do nothing but" watch them, I didn't even know there were enough of them.

Excuse me I don't watch this programme I was going through the channels and as I said before I couldn't stand it. It is not as bad as raping, spanking, starving etc but it is child abuse in a sense that some parents make the children do what they don't want nor need. For example hours and hours of practice when they should be playing or making the£m use fake eyelashes when they are begging to not to have it. It is clearly emotional abuse as they keep saying things like: you got to be perfect and pretty and the best...and of course they all can't be the winners so how messed up are their little minds already??

rinabean.. that reminds me very much of the ear piercing thread last week. That then is abuse also. I think there must be literally thousands of parents abusing their children in that case. Are there 'levels' of abuse or is abuse just abuse? I don't think parents who support pageants, nor pierce their childrens' ears would ever agree that they are abusive. Perhaps there needs to be a definition of abuse?

I don't like pageants; they don't serve any purpose that I can see.

I watch toddlers and tiaras quite often, I find it amd . I have NEVER seen an episode where a child has been given botox!? Fake tan, yes. False eyelashes, yes. Far too much makeup and inappropriate clothing/dance moves, yes. But injections? Not that I have seen!

I don't think it is child abuse. I also wouldn't let my child do it, unless they asked, in which case I guess I could consider it!

it's not great but I find any super pushy parent uncomfortable to be around. Whether it's banning tv, sugar, forcing 30 hours of music/tennis practice a week or dressing up, it is certainly not parenting I would want to give or receive. However, having watched the first two episodes of Protecting our Children, I think that terms like neglect and child abuse should be used sparingly. I don't think you can ever compare the type of over-parenting, ambitious and excessive ignorance to an adult who suffered a childhood of abuse (the parents) and a child who does not thrive due to severe physical and emotional neglect.

There will always be daft parents, but abuse? Really?

I'm wondering how long it will be before someone claims chasing your kids into bed when they don't want to go is child abuse.

Am by waxing the children, what kind of child even has waxable hair before puberty?

Did the child botox story not turn out to be a hoax?

YABU it's dubious parenting, but it's not abuse, although I would argue that sexualising babies and raising them to feel they are armed only with their appearance to navigate the world is setting them up for a future of possible abuse.

I think my daughter is at her most beautiful when covered in yogurt and paint, not max factor, but hey ho...