Young girls reach “the age of me” at the exact same time when they discover that some boys are cute. That’s when dreams of living a diva’s life start, and with it comes the endless browsing of the latest and hottest trends in magazines. This is also the time when red alerts ring in parents’ consciousness, and dads and moms have to put up with the drama of “why-I-should-go-out-without-a-chaperone’.

Nonetheless, a part of the growing-an-adolescent process is the pride that goes with seeing your daughter excel in a lot of things, watching her don her carefully selected clothes and forming her own tastes in groups to join. These parents will gush over their daughters when she joins pageants, deliver riveting debate speeches and ace her first pep squad cheerleader tryout. But still, where does it all start?

My theory is that it starts with the activities that parents enter their kids in during early childhood. The first honor roll assembly, the first black belt, the first photo shoot in a commercial… all these make up the schedule of a typical stage parent, but one must consider the impact of early exposure to the ego of the future adult. It gives them a taste of excellence early on, and we all know how much the rush of knowing you can do something better than others contributes to our confidence.

This advertisement is commissioned by Cute Kid Contest, an event where parents can send in their child’s photographs for competitions and exposure. Talent scouts and casting agents are always on the lookout for new talents.