Parenting 101: Don't Dress Your Kid Up As A Prostitute

On a scale of reality television shows about toddler pageantry and "virgin" bikini waxes, how bad is this? A mom on TLC's Toddlers and Tiaras dressed up her three year old child as Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. And not just the cleaned-up, post-kissing on the mouth, being allowed to shop in the fancy store Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, the toddler even wore her classic streetwalking garb. Unsurprisingly, the Parents Television Council is now railing against the show and the pageant mom, saying:

"We have a serious problem when a network formerly known as The Learning Channel features a toddler, who probably hasn't even learned to read, dressed as a prostitute showing off her sexy strut. There's no question, TV executives are complicit in robbing these small kids of their childhood. For years we've seen adult sexuality being inappropriately and aggressively foisted on innocent young children, but children today are being sexualized at younger and younger ages. All available data suggests they will suffer for it later in life."

The mother, Wendy Dickey, has spoken out as well, and told TMZ that "no harm was done to my child" by dressing her as a hooker, and the kid had no idea who she was portraying. (Just like last week's little Dolly Parton, who was wearing a padded bra.)

She added that "at least I'm not forcing [her] into sports and getting my child injured like some parents." Right, thank goodness she's not being forced to do normal, healthy, childlike things.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in Arts and Events on September 7, 2011 5:01 PM

Comments [rss]

Kevin Mills

gosh, I hope she didn't win, I mean, she needs at least a C-cup to pull that look off. totally not believable. Maybe next year mom will pony up some cash for the implants (j/k :P)

buster_friendly

....doomed.

matteus

Sports usually involve teamwork and learning social skills. This...walking down a walkway in slutgear... doesn't teach the child anything... they can't even comprehend what's really going on, it's demeaning. This reminds me of the moms injecting botulism into their kids' faces

matteus

If I choose to raise my child to be Hitler, can anyone stop me? At least, he'll be wealthy and powerful, and no one will be able to hurt him when he grows up, right?

groganz

This girl is gonna have major-league issues when she grows up thanks to mommy dearest. She's a card-carrying member of the Future Strippers of America.

Cat1982

Does anyone in these clips not have a midwestern or southern accent. This seems like a middle america bored housewife problem. Either way, it's all unacceptable and gross.

CurmudgeonNYC

Or type 2 diabetes?

Soundstatues

"Don't ask me, I'm just a girl! Tee hee!"

jezzybelle

reminds me of that SNL skit - diaper thongs for babies!!!

Alex Trust

gross

Stephen Holding

Pssh that kid's over the hill...Next on TLC : Two embryos in lingerie mud wrestle for cash!

Daniel

This isn't even the worse. I saw a clip once where some behemoth of a mom was starving the kid, while she and her husband were eating burgers, pizza, and chips in front of the kid every night. Then she force fed the kid coca-cola so she could drill the kid in routines and walking drills all night long.

CurmudgeonNYC

Why are pageant moms always so gross looking? Looks like a gathering of the local paper bag chapter.

angry_pickle

That's why they are pageant moms. They wish they could strut the streets dressed like a hooker.

Mims

Sigh, the lives these mothers couldn't have, they instill in their daughters.

TallFreakDude

this takes bad reality tv to a new low. love it!

Nikki May

When the other Pageant Moms think you've crossed a line you might be in trouble...

Stephanie Pearson

I loathe Pageant Moms....TLC obviously didn't know....

RevWaldo

Remember back in the 90s when highfalutin cable channels like TLC (The Learning Channel), A&E, Bravo, Discovery, History Channel, etc. etc. were all set to make PBS redundant and unnecessary through the power of the free market? Good times, good times...

silver

But smart people have jobs and never watch TV. Only welfare queens and unemployed hicks watch TV.

aspiringrapper

So, the child has no idea who her mother dressed her up to look like? Until she turns on TBS one day & sees the movie, leaving her to ask, "Mom, why'd you dress me up to look like a streetwalker, before I knew how to read?"

felixthecat

Looks more wrestler than prostitute. Looks like chucky in drags.

robingee

Well that dress sucks! What a half-assed sewing job.

birdtird

the mom nailed it

aspiringrapper

How exactly? By forcing her child to dress as a hooker & strut around, before the child is even old enough to understand what she's doing? Soccer is a lot less harmful in the long run.

whitecastlerock

Boycott TLC and their shitty programs

Spirit of 76

Why? Boycotting is usually some kind of protest. Fact is, I haven't seen anything worth watching on TLC in roughly ten years, not since they actually had anything resembling intelligent programming. That's reason enough not to watch the channel, not some high-minded protest.

whitecastlerock

I disagree-there should be more outrage directed towards the perverts who approve of this garbage. Simply ignoring it doesn't make it go away. Other shows on this channel, such as Tattoo School, have come under fire-generating plenty of negative press about TLC.

winokitty

I'm not in any way convinced that dressing your kid up as Pretty Woman is worse than what the other moms do - slapping make up and skimpy clothes on your kid without movie inspiration. Not defending the Pretty Woman mom, but her kid is learning the same lesson that every other little girl on that show is learning: what you look like is what you're worth.

nicemarmot

Forcing your child to dress up like a prostitute so you can get attention on television is way better than forcing them to play soccer. Nobody calls soccer moms for interviews! Duh!

Roger_the_Shrubber

Child abuse.

The parents should be locked up.

torchTheMall

...

Fluffhead513

I'm guessing he approves?

PicoPhreako69

Well,.... he's at least curious.

Kristiina Eelnurme

That's pretty messed up, and the fact that she's defending it too...

Greg Froober

the picture on the left is a real kid? It looks like a toy doll

Miles Bader

Seriously ... I really thought it was a doll!

Kinda a cross between one of those troll dolls with yellow hair, and Hulk Hogan...

ANGRYGOD11

I don't support most media boycotts, but its hard to think of any reputable entity wanting to be associated with this. Some TLC staffers must be thinking the same thing.