Blinging Up Baby - you know you want to...

[MarchEliza]

I know it's dreadful (Channel 5 after all...) however I am sure I will end up watching this at some point.

Will anyone else watch with me?

[FlipFlopWaddle]

I think the pageant mother needs a shake - her daughter was clearly terrified and her reaction was completely wrong - I really wonder what she said to her off camera, she was clearly very angry. And her obvious disappointment with third place is probably setting her daughter up with self esteem issues in the future. And that photo shoot - mum is there in her scarf and coat whilst the little girls are in summer dresses , surely that's neglect?!

I've got two daughters and the whole thing made for depressing viewing, I just can't imagine doing any of those things with mine although dd1 loves a frilly dress

[TheCraicDealer]

We'll say what you want about Princess and Precious' Mum, but those kids were polite, said please and thank you (to the manicurist), was very polite when giving her present to the birthday girl. And the older daughter can obviously make friends and be invited to things, so not one of "those children". So although I think it looks tacky as fuck (that jewellery when the eldest was a baby!), she's not doing too bad a job. Clearly edited, admittedly, but you can't make kids behave if they don't want to. A point Scarlet's mum didn't seem to get...

And then your woman from Doncaster, she was saying how she'd get over it if her little girl wanted to wear tracksuits and play footy as "you can't change who they are". And she had a payment plan to buy the stuff in the first place rather than whack it on the plastic. Fair fucks.

Now- pageant mum. WHAT THE FUCK. What is it with thinking that because your kid is a "diva" they can call you a bitch and tell you to shut up? She's four, not Tina fucking Turner. Felt sorry for the elder daughter when all of the mum's hopes seemed to be pinned on the four year old. It's so depressing, bringing them up to think that second place means "first loser", and that slapping your arse whilst wearing a pair of hot pants is your only route to any sort of success.

And breathe

[sezamcgregor]

I've just sat through it on catch up and I'm sad for the pageant girls - they're mum sees being a tom-boy (which was surely, just being herself?) as a mistake and now is reliving her youth through her daughters.

Princess was gorgeous - what a happy, loved little girl! Her mum obviously loves her very much and they love spending time together, doing things together - they have a lovely bond and I hope that they manage to keep their fab relationship and remain friends during her teenage years rather than the car crash that it has potential for! I loved how she spoke to the girl doing her nails "I like them a lot - thank you very much" - so polite and just beautiful!

I also feel sad for Princess's mum who obviously has been a target (and will continue to be a target) for abuse for dressing how she does and for dressing her girls how she does - she obviously knows that her lifestyle is different - but they're HAPPY - and doesn't that count for a lot?

Yes, we could go on about how she treats her as a "friend" and not as a child - but I really think that when they obviously adore each other - does it really matter?

They're only little once, and I really do hope that when they turn around and say "You know what mum, I want to wear jeans and climb trees" that their mums let them.

[salsmum]

I too had my judgy pants hitched high..the baby who's Mum has ordered a 'Gone With The Wind' dress . I was also surprise that they didn't blur our the girls body in the spray tan scene...who knows what type of 'others' are watching. .

[WanderingTrolley1]

I'd have said the blonde at the table was probably of Asian or mixed race descent.

They all looked awful.

[ROARmeow]

Did they have any toys of the non-sparkly-non-glittery variety? Didn't see them with any books or fun things to do for their age.

Also, was I the only one who wondered how on earth one would wash those huge frilly dresses?? My 2 year old DD is a mud magnet; I spend my days chucking her leggings and t-shirts in the wash. No way would I cope if I'd stacks of £120 frilly dresses to wash instead.

How the other half live. I'm still about it all.

[dillite]

ROAR do you really think those kids are allowed anywhere near mud?

[FlipFlopWaddle]

Yes I wondered where the toys were too , my guess is that the frilly dresses are bought over toys. The mother who had spent £10000 on dresses got me thinking too - imagine the amazing experiences you could buy with that money

[MamaDoGood]

For those wondering the girl at the table (nicki minaj) is mixed raced.
All 3 girls at Sophie's table are sisters. I know these people

[ToffeeMoon]

Why the mystery about how she's funding it?

Is she on the game?

Maybe ITV gave her a lump sum on advance. You know, do they'd have plenty of 2k (as if) dresses to build a tv programme around.

[sezamcgregor]

Re how they fund it - my assumption is either their parents/grandparents pay for it (and encourage it) or someone passed away and they're spending the inheritance. Perhaps she was hesitant to reveal where it comes from so she doesn't get more slating for spending someone else's money

[Jackie0]

The mums look young, young enough to be my daughters actually. That makes me wonder how did my generation bring up that generation of women.
Where did the message come from that your value as a woman is measured in solely superficial ways? I think it's tragic and sinister.

[Ohwhatfuckeryisthis]

Just started watching. There are some truly horrendous clothes (my little baldy would have looked a treat in some of those) fuck me that bonnet. No not pageants! Should be banned as abuse.

[SiennaBlake]

A lump sum from ITV or from inheritance would affect her benefits so that could be a reason why she doesn't talk about it.

Or she could have a sugar daddy.
Or a secret job.

I reckon it's something as simple as the dad is still actually involved with the kids and paying a large amount of maintenance and she's worried about people generally knowing in case they accuse her of being in a couple. That's a stress for a few single mums.

[Ohwhatfuckeryisthis]

Is it legal to spray little kids?
With the extra vowels (noooooooahh), it's a "thing" with year 9s at our school. Added to which a catch in their voices. It's fucking irritating.

[NickiFury]

I didn't watch this but have downloaded it watch entirely due to the collective outrage on this thread

[Ohwhatfuckeryisthis]

The pageant. My jaw is on the floor. Like feminism never happened. Wonder how many of them are on here?

[Nerf]

I think I agree about the pageants. It's like some seedy underworld, like dog fighting. Really shameful to do to your children. And I doubt they enjoy it, it's more attention from mummy and pleasing mummy. Utterly vile to do some of that thrusting dancing. Remember the mini pops?

[Ohwhatfuckeryisthis]

That mum is awful. And the sexualisation if the poor things-just me or would these people be the first to call paedo?

[NickiFury]

Five minutes in and just thinking how sore and red that poor little girls ears look with the big, heavy (surely designed with adults in mind) gold earrings.

[Treats]

I was going to say pretty much the same as TheCraicDealer. Doncaster mum was quite clear that she was doing it for herself and making the most of dressing up her little baby while she still could. She said several times that her little girl might choose to dress differently when she was older and seemed quite accepting of that. And I don't think that putting a down payment on a dress and paying it off in instalments is anything to sneer at.

I thought the scene at the softplay when Princess went to her friend's party was lovely. They obviously really like each other for reasons that have nothing to do with how either of them looked. Yes, Princess had make up on and a hairpiece, but it didn't stop her enjoying herself and that was the main thing.

The pageant mum was the only one I really judged. The swearing. The Hooters outfit. The taking them out in the freezing cold to take photos of them. The pressure to perform at the pageant. The coldness towards the one who didn't win. I hope she watched the programme and had a long, hard think about what kind of mother she wants to be.

[handcream]

I think its right though that people are asking just how they are funding all of this. Are they really that dim that they didnt see this was coming. Benefits cannot fund this sort of spend. Its not that they are getting too much in benefits its that there is another source of funds....

I have to disagree as well with the poster who said it didnt matter if the fathers werent around. Of course it does, I cannot see most of the men I know putting up with spending this sort of money on their girls and that dance, surely a man wouldnt feel comfortable seeing his 4 year old gyrating dressed in Hooters gear.

[DiaDuit]

Handcream and a benefits post- that's new

[NickiFury]

So you think all these situations need are a man to police them?