Dad Calls Out Wife And Puts An End To Her Unhealthy Obsession With Their 14-Year-Old Daughter’s “Pageant-Ready” Looks, Wonders If He’s A Jerk
Sometimes parents can view their little ones as an extension of themselves, to the extent that the kids become a representation of unrealized dreams and goals that didn’t pan out.
In a heartfelt post to the Am I The [Jerk] community, a concerned father revealed that this was the cause of a rift between him and his wife, who was once a prize-winning pageant queen. Troubled by his wife’s insistence on enforcing a strict dieting regimen and relentlessly criticizing their 14-year-old daughter’s appearance, which mirrored her own journey, the father could not bear to witness his child being traumatized for life. Taking a stand against all this, one thing led to another, leaving Dad asking for perspective from the internet.
Some parents choose to push their children to the extreme because of their unfulfilled goals
Image credits: Oswaldo Ibáñez (not the actual photo)
After discovering the regime his wife applied to their 14-year-old daughter, this dad put an end to it, sparking a messy falling out
Image credits: varyapigu (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Wavebreakmedia (not the actual photo)
Image credits: pageantdadthrowaway
Parental criticism can lead to emotional wounds and self-esteem issues
If you’ve ever seen the hit TV show Toddlers & Tiaras, you know that the child beauty pageant universe is a dog-eat-dog world. And despite criticism that child pageants exist only to provide an outlet for the narcissistic ambitions of their parents, the pageant industry still thrives.
Back in 2009, it was estimated that around 250,000 children participated in approximately 5,000 pageants within the United States.
Astonishingly, some parents were willing to spend up to $3,000 on dresses for their children’s participation. However, this amount pales in comparison to certain mothers who were prepared to invest a staggering sum of up to $70,000 in these competitions.
Of course, winning is great and can lead to many great things, as 16-year-old Isabella Barrett, a former beauty pageant queen featured on Toddlers & Tiaras and self-made millionaire proves. But it doesn’t come without a price. When their coaches, usually moms, criticize them for not following their diet regimen, this can lead to emotional problems and even rebellion.
“Shame doesn’t teach children right from wrong, it teaches them to avoid punishment,” Steven Stosny, Ph.D., the founder of Compassion Power, explained to Bored Panda in an email. “Shamed children tend to become sneaky. Pointing out to children how good they feel when they achieve something, when they are kind and compassionate is more effective than shaming them for failure.”
Image credits: Mikhail Nilov (not the actual photo)
Dad filled the situation with additional info in the comments
The majority of people sided with the father, expressing their belief that it is unreasonable for any responsible parent to impose such a demanding lifestyle on their children
However, some people thought that it’s as his wife’s fault, as it is his
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Child Pageants should be banned in the States plain and simple (I'm assuming that is where they are from). Daughter needs to go to a therapist as soon as possible. Personally, I would cut my losses with the wife and get full custody of the daughter. This whole thing is just abusive and disgusting. Also, what kind of mother gets their daughter to mediate a fight?!?! And use their child as bait for their dad to cave? That is horrible.
Sadly, child pageants are worldwide, not just in the US. France, however, has managed to ban them for under 13 year olds.
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This is the child grooming that conservatives claim educators and LGBTQ people allegedly do. These children need protection from these lunatics.
Yup. The makeup and sexualized costumes that little girls are made to wear are clearly designed to appeal to a certain sort of adult.
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My hometown does child beauty paegants and you'll see families driving around with things like "Little Miss blah blah Contestant No 12!" written on their van windows. So lets just advertise to predators that they can see this kid perform in front of a group of adults then follow the van right to where the kid sleeps.
Child Pageants should be banned in the States plain and simple (I'm assuming that is where they are from). Daughter needs to go to a therapist as soon as possible. Personally, I would cut my losses with the wife and get full custody of the daughter. This whole thing is just abusive and disgusting. Also, what kind of mother gets their daughter to mediate a fight?!?! And use their child as bait for their dad to cave? That is horrible.
Sadly, child pageants are worldwide, not just in the US. France, however, has managed to ban them for under 13 year olds.
Load More Replies... This is the child grooming that conservatives claim educators and LGBTQ people allegedly do. These children need protection from these lunatics.
Yup. The makeup and sexualized costumes that little girls are made to wear are clearly designed to appeal to a certain sort of adult.
Load More Replies... My hometown does child beauty paegants and you'll see families driving around with things like "Little Miss blah blah Contestant No 12!" written on their van windows. So lets just advertise to predators that they can see this kid perform in front of a group of adults then follow the van right to where the kid sleeps.
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