Oh my.

I am watching the most jaw-dropping program on TLC: "Tiaras and Toddlers". I have literally been watching with my mouth open.

It's about the beauty pageant circuit for little girls. It's a little disturbing. Well, it's a lot disturbing. I'm okay with the talent stuff and dancing around on stage. It's the outrageous costumes and hair and make-up that concern me. ***This mom just said the dress for her 7ish year old kid cost $2000!!!!*** This is to enter a pageant to win $1000. Plus, you have to pay entry fees. The one they are showcasing is up to $900. Think of what that money would be in 10 years if they put it in a college fund? Many claim to be in it for the "scholarship money". If they invested the thousands of dollars they spend each year, they wouldn't need scholarships.

One guy just said it's like "living baby dolls". Have you seen some of those fancy china baby dolls? They are scary! One of the girls is getting fake teeth - a retainer thing to hide the fact she just lost her two front teeth! And then there are the spray tans and fake eyelashes and shaving of their legs and who knows what else. I just can't imagine.

I know little kids like to dress up. And, maybe there is something to be said for getting on stage and having self-confidence. But the sexualization of these kids is just disturbing. It permeates everything they do: the fancy outfits, grown-up hair and fake teeth, the heavy make-up, and even the sexualized dance moves that many of them do.

I want my little girls to be little girls. If they want to dress up like princesses and dress around, I'll all for it. But, they can do it here at home and use baby powder as "makeup".