"Mommy, Can I look like the girls on Jerry Springer?"

As a young girl, you grow up playing with Barbies, Bratz and other assorted dolls. Have you ever taken the time to think that maybe those childhood toys have had some affect on you today? It is a proven study that girls between the ages of 3-7 are being influenced by the toys (in this case, dolls) that they play with. Dolls today now demonstrate a face full of make up, clothes that are extremely revealing, and bodies which have been shrinking with each year of manufacturing. It is a shame that now when we go out to a public place, seeing a five year old dressed like an eighteen year old doesn't come as a short surprise. Girls everyday are asking "Mommy, can I wear make up? Can I go on a diet?" This simple concept has now affected girls into thinking that they have to be beautiful and that only looks matter. The message this sad subject conveys shows that within each generation, girls seem to be wanting to act and look older, causing little girls wanting to be thin models or even pregnant. This shows that America is simply a country based on looks and that if you're a woman who is average looking, that it's simply not enough anymore.

A perfect example of this tragic ideology is the show “Toddlers and Tiaras”. The show first premiered on 'TLC' in late 2009. The show follows the controversial world of child beauty pageants looking closely at the contestants and their families as the children prepare for their pageant shows. Within the first 4 months since the shows first premiere, pageant contests of the ages 8 and under has increased tremendously. These young girls are not forced but choose to wear revealing clothing, make up, full fake tans, high heels, and personally some look like girls you'd see in Las Vegas. The parents of these young girls do not place expectations for their daughters, but actually approve of the expectations their daughter sets for themselves. It's a heart breaking to see that the only way these girls think they can win is to look like their legal. It used to be that the image of a princess was a girl with a kind and loving heart, now (thanks to Barbie's and such) the image of princesses have been portrayed as a tall, slender woman with great clothing and dark make up.

Are you starting to see the comparisons yet? In an episode of Toddlers and Tiaras, 5 year old Payton from New York said, “My goal is to look like a princess on the stage. I want the judges to say I looked like Barbie after I walk off the stage.” When producers asked her what were the qualities of a princess, she changed the subject to talk about barbies stating, “Barbie doesn't have to be smart or funny, she just has to be pretty and people like her.” What is actually surprising is that there is way to prevent young girls from thinking like this, while allowing them to play with the toys they desire. When you're little or when you see others younger than you, you always tend to compliment their appearance (usually saying how cute they are or how their outfit is pretty). This sneaks into a child’s mind subconsciously and as they grow older, they almost crave that same attention. They want to look pretty and impress others. This is why adults should try complimenting the child’s personality! It's just as easy to compliment a child who's caring and nice than it is to compliment a cute one. Overall, the dominant ideology that girls have to start being “pretty” at such a young age is just wrong.