I've seen a few episodes of "Toddlers and Tiaras." I thought I knew what to expect, but it's even worse than I thought it could be. I don't understand how all the moms can say their child is the most beautiful . How can you tell? They're under four feet of make-up, for god's sake! I don't understand how the moms can defend all the exploitation, make-up, and just plain pressure by saying their child "loves it." Give the kid a chicken nugget and she'll say she loves that. I say "she" because that's all I've seen. If there are boys, I hope they're not buried under all that make-up, too.
I'd say watching it is like watching a car crash, in the way you can't look away. But it's so far removed from what I believe a little girl can be and do that I'm too horrified to watch the aftermath.
Now I'm watching "Dance Moms." I didn't expect to like this. I expected to really dislike this screaming mimi dance instructor who takes a lot of crap out on these kids. I can't say I like the way Abby runs her studio, but she makes it clear that this is how she runs it. It's her studio. It's her way.
The behavior of the moms of Abby's girls are the ones I question. Why do they allow their daughters to be yelled at in such a way? The moms KNOW she's going to do it, and they get angry when she does. They yell at Abby for yelling at their girls.
Then, they yell at each other. Does their daughter need to be better than all the other girls? Who's at the top of the list? Who's at the bottom of the list? Why is their child at the bottom, when so and so's child is at the top again? This can't be fun for them. Yet they keep their daughters at the studio. Is it a status thing? Is it "It's more expensive so it must be better"? Maybe I could appreciate that the girls have all become very close, and they would be unhappy if they had to leave. However, is being yelled at and 'compared to' worth it? If the girls were older, I'd say only they can answer the question. However, they're ages 7-12. The moms are the ones to answer that question. The moms need to do better.
My daughter has taken dance classes for 12 years and she LOVES it. Leslie, the owner and instructor, focuses on dancing as being fun. She wants the kids to enjoy themselves above all else. She encourages all the kids all the way, and at least one of her dancers has gone on to big things. (I forget the specifics but a big show was mentioned.) The kids want to do better because they WANT to do better. No one is yelling at them because they suck this week. No one is comparing my daughter to anyone else, either favorably or unfavorably. She compares my daughter to herself. She's made dramatic improvements over the years, and even from the start of this year (the year runs late Sept to mid-June). Most of all, SHE knows she's improved.
She loves it.
That's good enough for me.
I love her.
NO pressure.
