Plenty of time, money and practice go into child beauty pageants.
Beauty pageants for adults began in the 1920s, while beauty pageants for children didn't come about until the 1960s. Many people saw and still see beauty pageants as a way to teach a child self-confidence, poise and social etiquette, as well as a new way to make friends and earn rewards for her commitment, hard work and practice. However, pageants aren't for every child and parents should be aware of what goes into a pageant before signing their children up.
Choosing a Pageant and Preparing
The first step to getting your children involved in pageants is to find a pageant suitable for your child. Your search should start online. Because the Internet is full of information, you're likely to be able to check out specific pageant websites as well as view the categories, previous winners, prizes and photo galleries. All of the details will allow you to choose a pageant that is acceptable and appropriate for your child. After narrowing down your choices, it is wise to call the director and ask any questions you may have. After choosing a pageant, speak to photographers in order to get your child's first shots finished. If you're interested, find a pageant coach to help your child learn all of the basics of pageantry. Finally, gauge your child's reaction to the spotlight. If she is shy, uncomfortable or just uninterested, she is probably not cut out for pageantry and does not need to be forced into something she doesn't find joy in doing.
What Judges Look For
Depending on the age group, judges look for different things. In baby beauty pageants, the babies will need to flash a smile. These pageants allow parents to stand behind judges in order to make faces, wave, smile or otherwise make the child smile. Often, parents also walk the babies across the stage, as many of them haven't mastered walking yet. Baby pageants are basically about appearance, dress and the smile. If your baby cries each time he sees a stranger, pageantry is probably not his strong suit. In pageants for kids over 4 years of age, children have to be independent and walk across the stage without their parent or guardian. Judges look for appearance, outgoing personality and a contestant with an easy-going attitude, confident audible voice, charming responses and a bright smile. Practicing will allow your child to get the hang of answering questions in front of strangers and avoid stumbling over her words.
Apparel, Hair and Fashion
While many pageant parents will throw their child in whatever looks good without caring about how uncomfortable their child feels, this creates a problem when the child is on stage. Kids who like what they're wearing will reflect that in their attitude and overall demeanor. When you shop for pageant wear, let your child have a say in what you purchase. If he hates the suit you bought, the look on his face will give it away. However, if he loves it, he will radiate confidence and happiness on stage. Next, keep the clothing age appropriate. Do not put your 3 year old in a dress fit for a 16 year old. Shoes are also important, as they should be comfortable and clean. For the swimsuit round, a one piece is the best look for children and toddlers. Swimwear is rather simple to pick out and choosing a pattern or design that makes your child jump for joy is the best route to go. Finally, the hair and make-up are probably the least-liked part of pageants when it comes to younger kids. It is best to keep make-up appropriate for the age and realistic for the face. Do not give your child a full mask unless you're in a full glitz pageant. Hair should be kept glamorous but realistic. Wigs and waist-length extensions are not necessary. There are clip-on ponytails and curls that are perfect and will not bother a child as much as a hefty wig fit for an adult.
Supporting Your Child
Pageants are not only a lot of work, they are very time consuming and require sacrifices from the parent as well as the child. Parents need to be warned that kids will want to go outside and play instead of practicing, as well as go to friend's birthday parties instead of attending competitions. Although pageantry may be an important part of the child's life, it is still crucial to allow your child to be a kid. Too much spotlight and work may cause a child to become stressed out and depressed. You will need to sacrifice your time, money and commitment in order to make sure what you're doing is in your child's best interest. Also, know that you must be laid-back and calm when handling pageantry or else your child will become frazzled and stressed out. All in all, if your child does not want to continue doing competitions, do not force her.
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