Child Pageants should be banned in the States plain and simple (I'm assuming that is where they are from). Daughter needs to go to a therapist as soon as possible. Personally, I would cut my losses with the wife and get full custody of the daughter. This whole thing is just abusive and disgusting. Also, what kind of mother gets their daughter to mediate a fight?!?! And use their child as bait for their dad to cave? That is horrible.

My hometown does child beauty paegants and you'll see families driving around with things like "Little Miss blah blah Contestant No 12!" written on their van windows. So lets just advertise to predators that they can see this kid perform in front of a group of adults then follow the van right to where the kid sleeps.

This child needs to have 0 contact with this mother. Eating Disorders are the second highest cause of death for women and young girls diagnosed with mental health issues. This is nothing to mess around with.

My dear American friends: beauty peagants are freaking weird. Especially for children! Regards, The rest of the world

She is preparing her daughter to have a lifelong eating disorder. Which likely would occur by the pressure and comments alone bur add in FORCED water fasting and 950 calorie diets for a growing 14 year old? If there is a such thing as Anorexia nervosa by proxy this is it.

People suggesting therapy to the mom must realise that forced therapy doesn't work. The mom knows pretty well that her obsession is unhealthy. But she doesn't want to admit it and work on it. That's why she's dismissing all therapists as 'quacks'. The daughter is already in therapy for the issues her mother causes. And I bet a monthly salary that mom is sabotaging that in every way she can because she already knows that the pageants are the main reason for her daughter's problems because of mommies obsession with them. She will not listen to anyone who will stop her from making her daughter live mommies lifestyle. This'll most likely end in a breakup and a very nasty custody battle where the daughter, who's already so abused and groomed by her mom that she doesn't dare to fight her anymore, will sabotage OP and suffer from it. OP should have never allowed this in the first place. Now it's almost too late. Mommy dearest has raised her daughter like a circus pony.

The other a*****e in this situation is the pageant system itself if it's giving awards based on thinness.

1) daughter CLEARLY is trying to please mom, 2) mom bringing her in as a mediator is wrong on SO many levels, but that's also why she's probably trying to stay out of being in between mom and dad

The mother is abusing her child to relive her youth and the father is not sure if this is wrong or not. Neither of these people are fit to be parents. Those pageants should be outlawed.

I met a girl who had been a pageant girl when I was in Bible college (in Canada, she came from the states) and she said it ruined her, even as a Christian she knew what was inside mattered she said she could never stop always trying to look "perfect". Getting up hours before class to do her hair and makeup. She suffered from crippling migraines and spent a lot of time alone in her dorm room in the dark.

Underfed children can have lifelong issues, starting with nutrition and ending with eating disorders. These are *children*. Making them into pedo-bait is wrong without encouraging anorexia. FFS, someone get that mother a shrink and that daugheter a *different* shrink, and protect that child!

From the posts, it looks like this article is at least three years old. As an Aussie, where we don't generally have such events, I am appalled that any parent would do this to her daughter. Truly horrible. As someone else has commented, child pageants should be done away with. THIS is an example of grooming and setting the child up for failure in life. I was so sad reading this.

This is awful. The part that really caught my attention was when Dad mentioned his wife brings their daughter into arguments, so she will get her way. That is so not right. The wife is a mean girl. I know the Dad is trying to right the boat, but I don't think he understands how much damage has already been done. He must protect his daughter at all costs, the mother can't be trusted. NTA by a long shot.

NOT THE AH!!! Not at all... he did the right thing. The mum sucks and needs to stop living through her daughter. That woman needs mental health support.

On this week's My Name Is Earl.

Your wife is a c**t.

Don't make your daughter take sides. please.