To me this is non-sense. I don't force her to do them. She does them because she likes them. I am not exploiting my child.
Pageants teach my daughter self confidence. She loves the attention she gets while she is on stage. Pageants are no different than softball, football, or any other sport. It takes practice and time.
And honestly of she didn't enjoy it we would not be doing them.
Does this look like a child that isn't having fun???