Is 2 Years Old Too Young For a Beauty Pageant? One Mom Says No.

How young is too young for lipstick and tiaras, really? An Indiana mother entered her adorable 2-year-old daughter in an upcoming kiddie pageant and now her neighbors are calling for her head.

Ebony Roberts signed up her toddler Laila for the Sunburst International Beauty Pageant, which takes place on Thursday according to the Indianapolis Star, but when news of Laila’s star turn was announced in their hometown paper, Roberts’ peers weren’t just unimpressed — they were pissed.

Some called Laila’s chance at a crown “exploitive” while others said Ebony was forcing the child to grow up too fast through the use of makeup, fake hair, nails and even false teeth. (Yes, false teeth — it’s a thing on the kiddie pageant circuit.)

But Roberts says there will be no makeup or fake hair on her child, let alone faux choppers.

“She is going to be completely natural,” Roberts said. “I am not going to make her do anything over the top.”

Roberts said pageants are an opportunity for Laila to gain self-confidence.

“Her childhood should be her childhood,” Roberts said. “We do pageants because I want Laila to try different things.”

Roberts says that while she’s enrolling Laila in beauty competitions, she’s also signing her daughter up for sports to grow her social skills (and hopefully prevent her from becoming a sad adult who believes that life’s success is solely based upon her face). Roberts says she’s running Laila’s social calendar for now, but when Laila’s old enough she can tell her mom what she does and doesn’t enjoy.

Until then, it’s afro puffs, sparkly crowns and t-ball? Maybe gymnastics? Or maybe just tiaras, guys.

“I think she is my princess and I have no problem sharing that with everyone,” Roberts said. “She’s very excited, she told me she wanted a new crown.”