Unfair to pull child out of talent show?

[Unreasonablemother]

Child (age 9) attends a singing and dancing class, to be honest the emphasis is more on enjoying yourself and being confident than actually training the kids to be singers or dancers.
There is a talent show coming up. Child and sibling entered last time, they refused to practice and were painfully dreadful, but so were most of the entrants. We had to deal with tears of disappointment because they didn't win.
Sibling has given up classes and it's time for the next talent show which Child has entered again. Problem is, same as last time, they haven't practiced. I've said if they can't sing confidently for me and Daddy on the morning before the show I am pulling them out.
Child thinks I am the worst parent for threatening to pull them out but still hasn't practiced. I downloaded the correct backing track for them to practice, but they just rolled their eyes at me.
They think they can just turn up and be wonderful.
AIBU?

I'd let them do it at age 9. It's more about having the confidence to perform on stage at that age rather than an expectation that they will be any good.

Why would you pull them out? Talent shows at that age are universally dreadful

Just let them do it and wait for this stage to move on to underage drinking and whatever comes next

I think you're being a bit unreasonable. They're allowed to turn up and do an unrehearsed turn and not win if they want to. But I'd make that part clear. If you don't practice you will not win and a child who is practicing right now will win.

Has/will this talent show cost you anything? Apart from the pain of cringing yourself inside out as they sing which I do sympathise with!

Having taught for many years I can categorically confirm that 99% of entrants in primary school talent shows are awful.

The 1% that actually properly rehearse and prepare always win!

Talent shows are meant to be terrible, the lesson is in the resilience to get on stage and deal with the (likely) negative emotions when they don't wim

This has triggered traumatic memories of a three hour brownie/ guide “talent” show I was forced to sit through about eight years ago!
I am forced to open my Friday Chardonnay early!

I agree. Don't pull her out but make it clear that she will not win without rehearsing and when she does lose, temper your sympathy with a lesson of "what did you expect"? She's 9 not 4 and has done it before.

Are you sure the real reason you are pulling her out isn't that you're really embarrassed at how dreadful she is? I say let her do it.

Yes, I say let her do it, but if she's upset when she doesn't win, point out to her that she a) can't expect to win everything she enters and b) the winning entrant clearly practised and rehearsed, which is why they performed better on the day.

I think this is probably the ideal time for a little chat about the balance between talent and hard work. Explain to her that even the most naturally talented singers and performers have to practise and rehearse A LOT and would never just turn up at a show or TV appearance without making sure they were fully rehearsed.

Why would you pull her out? It’s great she has confidence and no stage fright- you need to encourage it not destroy it by saying she’s not even good enough to participate in a “universally dreadful” talent show.

Of course, if she doesn’t win again, then you can say if she’d practised a bit that might have been more likely. But winning might not be that important to her- it isn’t for most people that go on to be actors actually. They do not go on stage and sing, dance or act to win a competition. Most say they are motivated by the rush of being a character and communicating with an audience on stage or on the screen. For them it is more about art and entertainment than winning a prize.

So, I’d be encouraging her and not chipping away at her self confidence. She is still very young and confidence and excitement over doing a show is the most important thing.

All children shows are dreadful.
I remember a modern interpretive ballet with particular horror.
I ended up watching it four times!!

Anyway, suck it up, tell her she did good and sadly only one person can win.

I wouldn't wait until the morning, withdraw them now.

Depends on who's choosing the winners. At my dc's juniors they had the children choosing for each class. So it was a popularity vote. Giving out sweets during the performance was very popular for a couple of years...
The result was absolutely excruciating.
It was a mixture of children who couldn't sing and shouted at the top of their voice and children who sang too quietly looking totally embarrassed in front of a microphone with a song (not normally a backing track) belting out loudly.