Beauty pageants can be entertaining for small girls and their families. Girls get to dress up and strut their stuff. They learn poise, gain confidence and develop social skills in the milieu of beauty pageantry. These pageants also require a lot of time and effort on the part of the entire family. The hair must be perfect, the dress outstanding and these are the easy parts of getting ready for that first ultra-glitzy beauty pageant. All of this can be pretty intimidating given the caliber of the competitors the little darling will face. Keep these tips in mind before you even begin preparations.

1 Start Small

The idea of a beauty pageant is appealing to many mothers and daughters. Lot's of little girls think its fun to play dress up and prance about on a stage. Add to that the chance to wear a crown and win a trophy and the occasion becomes even more joyous. Be aware though that this kind of entertainment comes with a lot of work, usually more than anyone expected. There is an abundance of practice sessions and rehearsals involved in these high-powered pageants. Many entrants do one or two and call it quits.

Don't spend time and money on something unless you know you will enjoy it. Borrow a dress or rent one and help your daughter learn a simple routine for the talent part of the pageant. If both of you like what you are doing and enter a couple of pageants, by all means keep going and you can begin to spend more money. Don't worry about winning your first few pageants. Concentrate on having fun. Winning can come later.

2 You will need Help

Don't think you can do it all yourself, particularly at first. Bring along another adult that both you and your daughter are comfortable with. Your friend can be responsible for the dress and any needed supplies. There are dozen's of entrants at these beauty pageants and things can get lost in the shuffle. Someone in charge of supplies and replacing lost items can be invaluable.

When it's time to get ready, it's all hands on deck. Makeup time is one of the most important times to have an extra set of hands. Have you ever tried putting mascara on a four year-old? You'll most certainly want someone there to keep her distracted and still. Your helper can also make a big difference during the pageant itself while you're backstage. Have your helper stand behind the judges; this will help your little girl know where to focus. If she forgets where to walk, they can also help direct her using arm motions.

3 Don't Lose Your Cool

It's the parents that give beauty pageants a bad name. This is an extremely stressful environment and parents can lose it. An aggressive, thoughtless parent can easily get their daughter upset and frustrated. Judges can see this in a child and see she doesn't really want to be here doing this. So for your child's sake if not your own, take a few deep breaths and chill. Children will react to the adults around them, particularly a parent, so keep your cool and so will the little contestant.

Keep everything positive and focus on the fun of the pageant. If it is your first one, really emphasize the fun of participating. Your daughter will probably not win the first pageant she enters. Let her know that is okay. You are just having fun doing something different and entertaining. Let her know how pretty and poised she is and how proud you are of her courage.

Good luck whether this is your first pageant or fifteenth. High-glamour beauty pageants are in a world of their own. Don't let this overwhelm you. Learn from them and enjoy them. Your daughter is sure to boost her self-confidence by participating.