another pet peave

I'm beginning to think I'm an old grouch because many things get on my nerves or make me MAD. The other night I was watching television and a show came on that really got me going. It was a children's beauty pageant. I was disgusted, not with the children, but with the parents. Those folks need to get a life of their own and not try to live vicariously through their babies. And I do mean babies. Some of the little ones were as young as 2 years old. One little one was fighting and hollering as her mother tried to push her into a fru-fru dress. Thank goodness she made such a fuss that her mother didn't make her go on stage, but the other babies were not so lucky.

I think those pageants are just money making schemes for somebody and also potentially harmful for children. One little girl only 7 years old was getting her legs shaved. Ick. Does that sound right. Then there is all the makeup and false eyelashes and hair extensions for kids who aren't even into their teens. One mom said her kid's dress cost $1,000. I thought $1,000 would buy a lot of groceries.

And then just before the child took the stage her mom was telling her to "show your personality." The sexy dances the little girls did were really disgusting. Talk about sexualizing children. This can't be a healthy thing.

The next morning when I was telling Al about the show and how upset I was about it he asked me why I didn't just shut it off. I'm telling the truth, it was like watching a train wreck. I couldn't look away.

Parents of children who won "little miss whatever" titles and also the children who lost those crowns all said that they would enter their kids again. I just shook my head and said those people should get arrested for child abuse.

That's it, folks. My rant for the week. You can call me an old fuddy duddy, but I'm glad I'm done raising children. It's a whole new world out there.

Grandchildren news...Florida boys are in practices getting ready for baseball. Little Maura who I'm sure doesn't have an athletic bone in her body tried out for soccer the other day. I told her mom that I was sure every kid who tried out got to play. We shall see how that goes. Sports have the value of teaching sportsmanship and building good peer relationships. But beauty pageants...I don't think so.

Nuff for this week.