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From a 1999 of Pageantry Magazine
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Date Posted: 16:05:39 01/13/08 Sun
Five BIG Red Flags...
How do you know if a certain pageant has honorable intentions? Fortunately, "big red flags" exist in unscrupulous pageants. Do your homework by staying alert and noticing obvious red flags:
ADULT CLOTHES, ADULT HAIR, AND ADULT MAKEUP IN CHILDREN'S PAGEANTS: Pageants that promot an adult look may not be healthy for your child's well-being. Most events insist on age divisions. The judges should be looking for a representative of a particular age groups, not a representative who appears 10 years older. Why else have age categories?
HIGH-PRESSURE ENROLLMENT TACTICS: Don't feel rushed into entering a pageant becaues of pressure from a pageant director. If a pageant is truly reputable, they will be happy to take the time or send detailed information to answer any questions (or address any concerns) you may have. If a pageant is pressuring people to enter at the last minute, and accepting late entries, you can almost bet that the pageant will be disorganized with lengthy delays. There should never be a reason for you to rush an enrollment (unless you waited until the last minute).
A DISORGANIZED PAGEANT: A professionally-produced pageant is well organized, becuase they do things months in advance. A problem with a disorganized pageant is that contestants spend a lot of time hurrying then waiting. Although some degree of "hurry up and wait" exists with most pageants, disorganized pageant have an intolerable degree which leads participants to feel agitated and grouchy. Some disorganized directors further hinder their participants by having children stand on stage in long line-ups or by expecting them to compete beyond a reasonable hour well past bedtime.
BIASED JUDGES: Whenever possible, local pageants should have judges from another city and out-of-state judges for a state competition. Also, a judge should have no affiliation with any of the participants in any way.
AUTOMATIC CROWNS OR TROPHIES TO EACH PARTICIPANT: As a parent you should want your child to learn that a crown or trophy, like anything else in life worth working for, must be earned. A small trophy, plaque, or certificate clearly marked "participation award" is acceptable, but otherwise, crowns and trophies should be reserved for the true pageant winner if the meaning of "winner" is to be preserved.
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