Dress your daughter like Dolly Parton and you might lose custody

[mjantz]

I've always thought those pageant moms should take up belly dancing. Less expensive & you get to wear the sparkly costumes.

 

[Coconut36]

Can't say I've ever seen anybody sex up the 4 year old and parade them around this neighborhood for Halloween....much less putting them on a lowest common denominator TV show for the entire nation to mock.

If that was my daughter and my Ex was doing it, I'd be headed back to re-arrange custody too.

Completely agree. I have never seen a sexualized preschooler or elementary school aged kids on Halloween..EVER. I suppose I could just be lucky but I don't think so. Also Halloween and putting your child on TV for all the world are vastly different things.

 

[DizzneyMom]

Good for him. That whole child beauty contest thing is disgusting.

 

[cornflake]

Completely agree. I have never seen a sexualized preschooler or elementary school aged kids on Halloween..EVER. I suppose I could just be lucky but I don't think so. Also Halloween and putting your child on TV for all the world are vastly different things.

A girl I know was a go-go dancer for Halloween last year, she was like 6. I suppose it could have been construed as sexualized but it was more fun and retro, with a pucci-esque dress and white boots and a big blonde wig. She could do the mashed potato and stuff and had Laugh-In type makeup.

Agree that halloween, when everyone is dressed up, and on stage, parading, shaking their body, on television no less, are entirely different things.

 

[donnajon]

I am sure there is a lot more to the story than we are hearing. The pageant issue is probably only one example of why the father is seeking custody.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

]Is it just me, or are most of the pageant contestants mothers severely overweight?[/B] They might want to focus on their health more than selling their children off like prostitutes.

Also, that mothers response... I don't think Gabby competed for Miss America OR Miss USA.

OMG I thought I was the only one who noticed this and I was just being a witch. It is like they gorge themselves and then dress their kids the way they would want to dress.

 

[mhsjax]

Oh please, what a crock of crap. That outfit is tame by many standards at these events. Are you going to take all the girls away from their families for it? How about cheerleaders? The outfits they wear are tiny and they are throwing those legs everywhere. Dance? Have you seen the routines and outfits on some of those kids?

BS, the judge needs to get a grip.

Exactly, I saw this episode of T&T it was disturbing. But, I also agree with the mom. If this case is won by the father, what happens if any dad didn't want their daughters doing something. YOu mentioned Cheerleading, my DD does All Star cheer, what if we were divorced and her dad didn't want her to, what happens then. Gymnastics like the mom mentioned, very skimpy outfits, legs open, ( I find it disturbing how anyone could sexualize that, but people are crazy) some dad out there would object to it also. I think the blame needs to be on the pageant directors. They need to set rules. The ASASF has done this for all star cheer because in their opinion things were getting out of hand, Maybe pageants should follow their lead and do something about it.

 

[luvmy3]

Exactly, I saw this episode of T&T it was disturbing. But, I also agree with the mom. If this case is won by the father, what happens if any dad didn't want their daughters doing something. YOu mentioned Cheerleading, my DD does All Star cheer, what if we were divorced and her dad didn't want her to, what happens then. Gymnastics like the mom mentioned, very skimpy outfits, legs open, ( I find it disturbing how anyone could sexualize that, but people are crazy) some dad out there would object to it also. I think the blame needs to be on the pageant directors. They need to set rules. The ASASF has done this for all star cheer because in their opinion things were getting out of hand, Maybe pageants should follow their lead and do something about it.

I disagree. To me, there is a difference between people sexualizing cheerleaders because they have their own personal issues, and a mother overtly sexualizing her own 4 year old daughter on purpose. This mother is dressing up her 4 year old with fake breasts and fake butt to resemble a "sex" symbol and have her strut her stuff. So not the same.

 

[Allison]

I have seen parents dress the kids worse at Halloween. Does that mean the child should be taken out of the home NO

I am glad that doesn't happen here. Where are you seeing this?

 

[mhsjax]

I disagree. To me, there is a difference between people sexualizing cheerleaders because they have their own personal issues, and a mother overtly sexualizing her own 4 year old daughter on purpose. This mother is dressing up her 4 year old with fake breasts and fake butt to resemble a "sex" symbol and have her strut her stuff. So not the same.

Never said it was the same, I said that anyone can find something offensive. I disagree with what the mom did, but I also see it opening up situations where the dad may not agree with what the mom is doing and could take her to court for anything he finds disagreeable. Again, put it back on the pageants, not a custody battle, because the dad may have personal issues with anything. Frankly, the sexualize those girls without dressing like Dolly Parton, the hair and makeup, fake tans, fake nails. All those girls "strut their stuff" I think we should just make them illegal under a certain age.

 

[luvmy3]

Never said it was the same, I said that anyone can find something offensive. I disagree with what the mom did, but I also see it opening up situations where the dad may not agree with what the mom is doing and could take her to court for anything he finds disagreeable. Again, put it back on the pageants, not a custody battle, because the dad may have personal issues with anything. Frankly, the sexualize those girls without dressing like Dolly Parton, the hair and makeup, fake tans, fake nails. All those girls "strut their stuff" I think we should just make them illegal under a certain age.

The dad is doing the right thing, this isn't going to open the door to situations where the dad just disagrees about anything IMO (because of the difference between what this mom is doing and the examples you state).
Also, I'm not involved in a custody agreement, but can't a parent take another to court over something they find disagreeable, now? What would this open the door to then?

 

[donaldlovesdaisy]

I wonder what the statics are of girls who make it to the Miss America pageant and what types of pageants they did as children. I know a past Miss America and her very first pageant was not until she competed for the Miss Teen title in her city and her total pageant career consisted of 5 pageants one of which included Miss America. Those glitz pageants they show on T&T are definitely something else and those faces they make when doing their little beauty routines makes me really uncomfortable.

 

[mhsjax]

The dad is doing the right thing, this isn't going to open the door to situations where the dad just disagrees about anything IMO (because of the difference between what this mom is doing and the examples you state).
Also, I'm not involved in a custody agreement, but can't a parent take another to court over something they find disagreeable, now? What would this open the door to then?

I am not involved either, and I am sure that parents do this now, I just know that cases can open up room for other cases or even give ideas for others to sue for custody. Even if they aren't granted, imagine the time and money involved for stupid custody battles. Extreme Christian or Muslim doesn't agree with DD wearing a leotard or dance costume, what comes next? Again, I say put it on the pageant, make them have some governing rules.

Also I want to be clear, I find the whole thing offensive, ALL of it. But I find this one example not too much more and if n fact somewhat less offsensive than some of the other stuff. Oh like let's say, Kids screaming at the top of their lungs that something hurts or begging not to be tanned, or putting acrylic nails on an 8 year old. To me this is worse. Inflicting pain and damaging them physically is much more offensive than fake ****s and a butt.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Kudos to the faher!
Why that show is on TV, is sickening!

 

[plutotek]

I think the telling point is the court-appointed psychologist is siding with the father in this issue. These "beauty" pageants involving what amount to babies should be banned across the board. They have plenty of time to grow up. True, any parent can find any reason to sue for custody, but the difference is a judge is going to look at those case by case, so this isn't really opening up a pandora's box.

 

[luvmy3]

I think the telling point is the court-appointed psychologist is siding with the father in this issue. These "beauty" pageants involving what amount to babies should be banned across the board. They have plenty of time to grow up. True, any parent can find any reason to sue for custody, but the difference is a judge is going to look at those case by case, so this isn't really opening up a pandora's box.

Exactly.

 

[Wishing on a star]

I am with the Father, 100% !!!!!!

Sure, he may be using this as 'leverage'.

But, he is justified!!!!
This kind of pageant situation, as a way of life, for 4 year olds, is just NOT healthy for the child, or in the child's best interest in any way.

I say 'open the box'...

 

[phorsenuf]

Is this the same girl that was dressed in the Pretty Woman outfit?

 

[Coconut36]

Is this the same girl that was dressed in the Pretty Woman outfit?

No that was a different idiot that did that to her 3 year old child:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/toddlers-t...titute-pageant/story?id=14497042#.UDT4OaCWjQw

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Is it just me, or are most of the pageant contestants mothers severely overweight? They might want to focus on their health more than selling their children off like prostitutes.

Also, that mothers response... I don't think Gabby competed for Miss America OR Miss USA.

Full disclosure. I think child beauty pageants (and adult ones for that matter) are rather lame. I don't care to watch and I really wouldn't introduce my child to them.

But if we're going to go down the road of saying child beauty pageants where kids are playing dress up are potentially injurious to the child well then that indeed opens the door to many organized sports and activities for kids. Gymnastics, an activity she pointed out, is an activity that is also done in skimpy costumes. At the Olympics, they had em cut so high on the side, the poor girls were constantly pulling them down. And that isn't done for athletic reasons. And then we have to take into account the enormous physical risk to the child gymnastics carries with it. How big a leap is it then to to say gymnastics is also potentially injurious to the child and as such is against the child's best interest? And once that very small step is made, the door is wide open for any parent to question the other on the basis of letting the kid play certain sports or entering beauty pageants or other organized activities.