Some children enjoy them, so I am not going to begrduge them getting up to perform. We do have child actors/actresses don't we? I take offense with ANY blanket condemnation of an activity with many families and children engage in, and for the most part is harmless fun. You can take any survey and skewer it to your advantage. I prefer to observe, and this is what I have observed. Most children who participate in pageants regard this as just one activity in their young lives. Don't make it more than it is.