Children Beauty Pageants Guide

These vary somewhat from pageant to pageant and among different pageant systems, but most big national systems give out numerous titles and crowns. In fact, in some of the most popular pageants, few girls leave without some sort of crown, trophy, title, or prize. This keeps just about everyone happy.

Of course, each pageant has age divisions in which the contestants compete. Each age division will have a queen, along with runners-up. In some pageants, runners-up are not awarded places. A division queen will be awarded, and all the runners-up will all be named princesses.

Winners for optionals will most likely be awarded, also. These might include Prettiest Smile, Best Dress, Prettiest Eyes, Most Photogenic, Best Model, and/or Best Personality. These scores aren't usually part of any other titles, but they provide a chance to win an additional crown, trophy, sash, plaque, medal, or other prizes.

Lots of pageants also offer supreme titles. For example, let's say a pageant has seven age divisions - 0-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-9, 10-12, 13-15 and 16 and up. The pageant might provide two mini-supreme titles - one for ages 0-6, and another for ages 7 and up. To win one of these titles, the contestant must have the highest overall score out of all the girls in her breakdown. Overall scores always include beauty scores, and they might also include the scores from swimwear, casual wear, costume wear, and/or outfit of choice.

The pageant might offer three mini-supreme titles instead of two. Actually, more and more pageants are having three breakdowns. In this scenario, three mini-supreme titles will be awarded, usually in addition to the Grand Supreme or Ultimate Supreme.

Experienced pageant girls often aim for the Grand Supreme or Ultimate Supreme. This is the contestant who has the highest score of all the girls in the pageant, from every age division. This is the biggest and most coveted title a girl can win, and she's the one who gets the most cash or other prizes, and some national pageant systems now actually award several Grand Supremes.

Pageants don't double crown. In other words, if your child is up for a higher title, she won't win her beauty division. Most parents are extremely nervous during crowning. If your daughter looked great and did well on stage, and her name isn't called during the regular crowning ceremony, there's a good chance that she was "pulled" for a higher, more prestigious title, so don't leave the pageant until all crowning has been completed. The highest titles are almost always awarded last.

Some pageants also award the title of Supreme Beauty winner. This prize goes to the contestant who scores the highest in beauty, while other pageants also include the scores from photogenic and/or casual wear.

Another title is called Novice Supreme. This is a door event. In other words, you enter at the door. Any contestant who hasn't won a Grand Supreme in the past two years can usually enter. If you entered, and your scores are higher than the other girls who entered, you'll be awarded this title. Entering this competition doesn't exclude you from being considered for other Supreme titles.

If you've never been personally involved in pageants, and your view of pageant parents comes entirely from what you've heard or from what you've seen on television shows, you need to re-examine your perceptions. Sure, there are a handful of pageant moms or pageant parents who are just like the ones depicted on TV, but fortunately, these adults aren't the norm. In fact, it seems that oftentimes these shows go out of their way to find some of the worst pageant moms around.

The stereotypical pageant mom is overweight, unattractive, poor, and rude. Some are also depicted as cutthroat competitors, willing to win at any cost. For such pageant moms, winning is all that matters. Since the parents have this nasty attitude, the kids often do, too.

Some people believe that pageant moms are living vicariously through their daughters, and that the kids actually have no interest in competing. These folks believe the moms are forcing the girls against the will of the child.

Unfortunately, this stereotype is accurate for a small number of pageant parents - especially for pageant moms and grandmothers. While fathers are sometimes involved with their daughters' pageants, it's usually the mother who is most involved. It's true that some pageant moms seem to care little about their daughters' wishes.

The girls are terrified of being on stage, but these mothers force the kids to compete, anyway. The moms often get mad at their child when the child doesn't win or doesn't perform well. Some parents make an ugly scene when they disagree with the judges, too. Some even take out their frustration and anger on other contestants and other parents.

Thank goodness, these stereotypical pageant parents represent a tiny number of pageant parents. First of all, not all pageant moms are unattractive. Attend a few pageants, and you'll see this for yourself. Also, most pageant parents aren't poor.

Professionals like doctors, teachers, lawyers, business owners, and accountants can often be found among any group of parents at a pageant. And as for being rude, most pageant parents aren't. Most are friendly, supportive, and helpful.

Most of the kids who compete in pageants are there because they want to be there. In fact, the opposite is often true - it's the kids who are begging the parents to let them be in pageants. In most cases, the pageants are a lot more fun for the children than they are for the parents.

The pageant parents have to give up a substantial portion of their time, money, and effort in order to allow their children to compete. This requires a big commitment on the part of the child, but the requirements demanded of the parents are even more numerous.

The huge majority of pageant parents are extremely supportive of their children. Most have the attitude that they can't win every pageant, and sometimes it's just not their day.

They also teach their daughters that pageants aren't all about winning, and when this idea is conveyed to the children, the kids enter pageants with a positive attitude.