The Self

     Toddlers and tiaras is a TLC based television show, chronicling the pre post and current trials of a child beauty pageant contestant. The show began in early 2009, and is still widely popular three years later, with an estimated 1.3M viewers each week[1]. The show has gained heavy controversy on the way the children have been depicted. For example, many of the girls (ranging from age 2-12) are dressed in elaborate/provocative clothing; they wear heavy makeup, receive spray tans, and even wear porcelain veneers.

            I believe that partaking in these pageants at such a young age, as well being nationally broadcasted, affects these young girls self-concept[2], and self-esteem[3]. It also has gotten to the point that their real[4] and ideal[5] selves have collided. They should be acting like children but their parents are treating them like adults, which I fear may cause developmental confusion as these girls age. TLC’s pageant moms are also affecting their, and other children’s ideals of beauty[6]; lines of acceptability (regarding beauty) are being skewed. These parents are conditioning their children to believe that success is gained only if you’re beautiful, and that beauty is cosmetic. Also the symbolic interactionism[7] that these parents are playing in their children’s lives, seem to be teetering on a dangerous line. These current relationships will act as guidelines of who these girls will form into as adults, and it does not look promising. This constant exploitation should be taken seriously, children are very impressionable, and parents must be very careful when instilling values.

Here is a clip from one of the episodes:

This video clip is very similar to most of the Toddlers and Tiara’s episodes. I was disgusted by how Alana's mother treated her daughter. As you can see, some of these mothers are teaching their daughters that is is appropriate to strut around stage (very similar to an exotic dancer) and show her body to the judges. The thought process that Alana even goes through, seems so corrupted. This is in part, due to her parents and participating in these pageants. I don't solely blame the parents, but also the judges. They are encouraging this behavior to be ideal, so children observe and model this behavior, in  hopes of ranking high in the competition.  

  Another Disturbing clip:

     In conclusion, I feel that the way these children are being subjectified will be detrimental to their self-concept, self-esteem, future growth into adulthood, and their ideals of beauty. TLC’s toddlers and tiaras should be taken off the air, or at minimum edited so they are not promoting episodes like above. These parents need to take a step back, and understand how their actions are going to affect the future growth and development of the children. Parents should be filling their children with wholesome, crucial values, not those vales based on materialism. Overall, I would rate my satisfaction with the show (on a scale of 1 to 7 where 1 is extremely dissatisfied and 7 is extremely satisfied) a 1. On the same scale as stated above, my likelihood of recommending or watching this show again is a 1.

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[1] http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/06/03/tlcs-toddlers-tiaras-returns-critics-say-parents-exploitive/

[2] The beliefs a person holds about his/her own attributes, and how he/she evaluates these qualities

[3]  The positivity of a person’s self-concept

[4] Our more realistic appraisal of the qualities we have

[5] Our conception of how we would like to be

[6] Our views of beauty, and what is beautiful and what is not.

[7] Relationships with others play a large part in forming the self