Little Miss Springfield

Today's hot topic - child beauty pageants.

There may be some that will disagree with me on this but I can't help but think that any kind of beauty pageant is an oxymoron, let alone moronic.

With the kids ones, I really do find it pretty sad. I hate seeing little kids on the street, at a birthday party or at dinner just whipping out their iPods, iPhones, DS and PSP or what have you and no one looks twice. It's not the kid's fault, they are the result of the super techno information generation after all.

It's just that when I was growing up, we had to look after what we got because if we broke our Super Nintendo, if the GameBoy went bust, you know, that was it. Maybe if we were lucky we might get a new one. If we were responsible, we could get our own mobile phone when we were old enough.

Now it's a bit like.. well, why look after your phone? It'll be obsolete in a few months anyway and you'll HAVE to get an upgrade so who cares? Instead of waiting until Christmas for a few new games, people will buy these youngsters all the games they want for any special occasion.



I just think it sends the message that everything is replaceable. Children aren't learning the value of a dollar. That's not to say I'm against the influx of technology. It can make life so much easier but at the same time, you need balance. Children are still children. They should be able to get outside and play instead of moping around because there's limited Wi-Fi access in the garden.

Being replaceable is not something you would personally want to be, either. Or would you? Lots of people enter beauty pageants. There's several men's mags and twenty million more pubs and bars that offer bikini or wet t-shirt competitions. What do you get if you win, though? Probably a cash prize, and knowing that if there's a sudden unexpected downpour and you just forgot to wear a bra that you're going to look fabulous.

No one will remember your name for more than a week, if at all. You'll probably look like all the other entrants as well. Blonde, tanned, waxed, skinny with a boob job and face full of make-up tottering around in your heels. That's not to say all the girls will be like this but let's face it, it's a pretty popular look for these things.

So, why would anyone want to air brush their child for a pageant? I really don't get it. You go through enough body insecurities when puberty hits, why not skip childhood altogether and start waxing, tanning and priming now? Is that it?

I see in news posts such as this one Child Beauty Pageant Sparks Melbourne Protests (ABC AUS 2011) that a lot of parent and child bonding going on and they seem to enjoy the experience together. That's great, but you could probably get the same kind of bonding from going to sports games or arts and craft exhibitions, or just plain spending time with each other.

Then there's always things like this at the other end of the spectrum of fun times: I Bought My Daughter Botox For Her 18th Birthday! (Daily Mail UK 2009)

Wow. That is really sad. Especially because neither of them admit they have a problem and are quite defiant about their use of it. I would never allow any future daughters (or sons) of mine to use plastic surgery measures as a solution to 'problems' like the extremely wrinkly forehead of a teenager. I would tell them that they were fine just the way they are.

I wouldn't be lying. I may have some sociopathic tendencies and other issues, but if I ever became a parent I would treasure the life that I'd made with my partner. They would be beautiful to me and I would probably over look their faults, if they had any to begin with.  I would honestly love them and if they came to me distressed about their looks I would do my best to help them. Plastic surgery is a bit much though.

It's one thing to give your child lip gloss or make-up, actually altering their appearance in such a radical way is a whole new can of worms. Then again, I bet the daughter sees nothing wrong with this because of the way her mother has brought her up.

Botox for 18th birthday? Check.
Potential nose job for 21st? Check.
Breast surgery consultation? Check.

Mrs King, who is separated from Jodie's father, has been under the knife for a nose job, two breast enlargements, a tummy tuck and a mini-facelift.

Jodie said: 'My mum's always looked so glamorous and she uses cosmetic surgery and Botox to keep her looking young. I plan to follow in her footsteps.

'So what if I'm a teenage Botox addict? I can't think of anything worse than looking old. I'll always find a way to pay for Botox. Now I've started I can't stop.' 


Jodie now works as a model and probably spends nearly all her income on botox injections. Like she says, there is nothing worse than looking old. Addiction, poverty, starvation, unemployment, natural disasters, health problems, terrorism, death.... man, they don't even come close, hey?