Are Cute Baby Contests Ethical?

Photo Credit: Julien Haler from Flickr

My Baby Is Cuter Than Yours

From magazine articles to online advertisements, cute baby contests seem to be advertised everywhere. There are plenty of contests that offer the promise of cash and prizes to the winner. Before entering your child into the next photo contest you see advertised, consider the pros and cons of cutest baby contests.

Background of Cutest Baby Contests

Companies that sell baby related items use cute baby contests as a way to gain new customers and exposure for their business. They may offer free products or cash prizes as awards to the winner. Modeling contests usually award children a photo shoot for a magazine or a chance to appear in commercials and online advertisements. Some contests offer the chance for your child to win money that can be used for college. Usually, photos can be submitted online or by mail. Some contests are won by achieving a certain number of votes, while others are based on the scores from a committee of judges.

Pros of Cutest Baby Contests

Entering your child into a cute baby contest does have benefits. If your child wins the contest, you will have a feeling of accomplishment and it can help build your child’s self-esteem. You will have the opportunity to win free products or cash prizes for your child. One of the best awards is when an amount of money is set aside for your child to use later in life, towards the cost of college tuition. If you are interested in helping your child pursue a career in acting or modeling, a contract with a modeling agency or cover of a magazine will help your child gain exposure.

Cons of Cutest Baby Contests

If you haven’t captured the perfect picture to submit to a contest, you may have to hire a photographer to help you. Finding just the right photo can take time and money. While winning may seem like a good thing, there is also a risk of your child being overexposed to the public. If the award means you have to visit another city or state to do a photo shoot or modeling job, you will have to pay for the cost of travel to and from that destination. You should also take your emotional feelings over the contest into account. If your child doesn’t win, it may leave you sad or upset. During the contest, both you and your child may feel stressed and nervous. While a well-known company that offers a cute baby contest is probably legitimate, others may be scams. You run the risk of someone stealing your child’s photo or asking for money towards fees for a contest that isn’t real.

Final Considerations

A cute baby contest should be an enjoyable experience for both you and your child. If the contest leaves you feeling anxious or stressed, then it’s probably not worth it. Babies are adorable and each one has the chance to win, but ultimately there can only be one winner. If your reasons for entering the contest are to simply have a chance at winning a prize and showing off your little one to the world, then both you and your child can have a fun experience.

Thank-you for reading this post.  Please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

 

Have your say