Beauty Pageants: Should You Let Your Teen Enter Them? Are you the parent of a teenager, namely a female teen? If you are, has your teen ever mentioned entering into a beauty pageant before? If she recently has, have you given her a decision yet? For many parents, their first though is “no way,” but you should know that beauty pageants are all not as bad as they seem. When it comes to determining whether or not you should let your teen enter a beauty pageant or even a number of them, you should know that there are a number of pros and cons to doing so. One of those pros or plus sides is the fact that it is something that your teenager wants to do. If your teenager was the one who brought up a beauty pageant then there is a good chance that it is something that interests them. Another one of the many pros or plus sides to allowing your teen enter a beauty pageant or even a number of them is because of the rewards. What is nice about beauty pageants is that you don’t just get a trophy or a ribbon, but you also get a cash prize reward. Instead of cash, some beauty pageants even give out scholarships. If your child is interested in making their own money or if they are interested in going to college, a beauty pageant may actually be able to help them achieve their goals. While there are a number of pros to letting your teen enter into beauty pageants, there are also a number of cons or downsides to doing so as well. One of those downsides is the work that goes into attending beauty pageants. Now, if your teen was only interested in competing in a local pageant, this may not be as big of an issue for you. However, there are beauty pageant families out there who actually spend time traveling across the country participating in beauty pageants. While you and your teen can do this if you want, it often places a lot of stress, both emotional and financial, on all family members. Another one of the cons or downsides to allowing your teen to participate in a beauty pageant is the results. Unfortunately, it seems as there is a stereotype associated with beauty pageants. Many individuals only believe that beauty pageants are for those who are breathtakingly beautiful or skinny. Perhaps, this is due in part to the fashion industry and many beauty pageant judges. Although your teen can participate in a beauty pageant if she wants to, no matter what her appearance is, it is something that you may want to take into consideration. For teens, there is nothing worse or more damaging to one’s self-esteem if they are told or made to feel as if they aren’t pretty or talented enough. In keeping with the competition, your teen may find it quite difficult to jump right into beauty pageants. A good number of the teens who participate in beauty pageant have done so since they were a toddler or elementary school aged. While not always, these participants are often more likely to see success than someone who recently decided to enter a beauty pageant. Of course, that doesn’t mean that your teen can’t place high or even win a beauty pageant, but it does mean that they may have a lot of hard work ahead of them. The above mentioned pros and cons are just a few of the many that exist. If your teen has recently asked you if they could take part in a beauty pageant, it is something that you and the rest of your family may want to seriously consider or at least closely examine. PPPPP Word Count 619