toddlers (forced by their parents to be in pageants) & tiaras

I thought TLC stood for "The Learning Channel".  I have watched Toddlers & Tiaras, maybe more than I should have, but tonight it hit me..this show is horrible.  First of all, it should not be on a cable channel entitled "The Learning Channel".  The only thing I have learned from this show is that I will never enter any of my children in a pageant. 

So this lady tonight used to do pageants when she was younger, and of course, now has her three year old daughter and eighteen month old son in pageants.  The woman's husband said something along the lines of "if I would have known my wife like pageants, I wouldn't have married her".  That gives you an idea of how crazy she was.  This same lady got her three year old spray tanned, and on pageant day it was obvious the little girl was over the whole situation.  But the little girl ended up going on stage, because Mommy had bribed her with a Barbie Jeep if she won the main prize!  "She goes on and if she makes Mommy happy, she gets a prize!" Wow.

This makes me think as a parent, why would they force their child to do something they so obviously are against?  And the fact that your spouse is against it as well just makes me sick to my stomach, but I won't go "there".  Of course, children aren't always going to want to do what their parents what them to.  But if you're going to force them to do something, force them to eat their vegetables, or skip television for the night to play a game with the family.

"Your children need your presence more than your presents."