IndexIntroductionBodyConclusionIntroductionChildren's pageants cause more harm than good to our children. An estimated 250,000 children compete in more than 5,000 pageants in the United States each year. This means that 250,000 children are exposed to the psychological and physical effects of childhood competitions. Why would you want to put your child under extreme pressure just so they can win a trophy or title? Sure, participating in children's pageants might eliminate your child's stage fright, it might expose them to diversity, or it might even help build character, but in the end, it's not worth the hassle of high fees, in the long run. effects and pressure. Childhood pageants force children to grow up fast and are ruining their childhood. The frustration of not winning can have disastrous effects on your child's body and mind, the effects of this can be depression, eating disorders and other psychological complications. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Body First, kids who compete in children's pageants are always in the public eye, which means they are expected to look flawless and perfect at all times. Circumstances like these can lead to eating disorders at a young age; they will purposely distance themselves until they reach acceptable weight. Mental health experts say that 8 in 10 10-year-olds living in the United States have been on a diet. In the pageant industry, children are expected to wear form-fitting dresses and other skin-tight clothing, meaning they must stay thin to fit into their clothing, thus placing them under more stress than a child should endure. In competitions parents can sometimes pressure their children to follow a crash diet to fit into very small clothes. This means teaching children the worst possible eating techniques very early, increasing the chances that they will develop an eating disorder later in life. A 2005 study shows that children who take part in children's pageants are more prone to confidence issues and being unhappy with their bodies. Secondly, it can cost a lot of money to have your child enter a children's pageant. The cost can range between $300 and $5000 depending on the level of competition. Parents on the TV show "Toddlers & Tiaras" confessed to spending over $30,000 on pageants for their children. There's a lot more to pay than just the dress. The expenses you would incur are participation fees, training programs, accommodation, and hair and makeup services performed by a professional. A performance coach would cost roughly between $40 and $300 per hour and most people would attend 3 classes per week, which could cost up to $900 per week. The more you spend the more likely you are to win. There have also been cases of families who have fallen into debt or lost their homes because they would have pawned their personal items to cover the costs required by the competitions. Parents whose children participate in beauty pageants would rather spend money on designer clothes than on their children's education, this is not acceptable. The fact that this is a $5 billion industry is incredible. Finally, children who participate in children's pageants are often overly sexualized. Their costumes, makeup and dances focus on being sexy. Mental health experts say childhood pageants have the effect of sexualizing girls. The clothes they should wear are not.