I don't get how invested the parents are in winning. I think I'd try really hard to get my kid to do something that requires less effort on my end. And less money, that shit is expensive!
The glitz pageants are what bother me. All the make up, fake hair, fake teeth, etc is just too much for a little girl IMO.
The natural pageants are a little more...normal? If I were to have someone judge my little girl on how pretty she is, (and "talent" or whatever else they do) I would at least want it to be her natural beauty and not all the fake crap that isn't her.