I know that Hannah Montana / Miley Cyrus is a popular icon right now. My daughter has asked from the beginning if she could watch the show and I always said no. I know she seemed really sweet and innocent, but given what has happened to other young female icons in recent past I was leery. I didn't want my daughter becoming fascinated with someone and wanting to be like someone who could possibly end up heading down the same path as some of the others....like Britney or Lindsey. Of course I had to listen to her complain about how I'm a mean mom and she is the only one out of all her friends who is not allowed to watch it. I talked to her about my fears and tried to explain it as best I could. On top of those fears, I just think the show deals with some topics that a girl my daughter's age doesn't need to even have on her radar....like boyfriends, kissing, etc.
I'm sure there are lots of opinions out there on the matter, and I'm not trying to stir up controversy. But I just thought I would leave you with the most recent photo shoot that Miley Cyrus did for Vanity Fair......you can draw your own conclusion.
Sorry, but this is not who I want my daughter looking up to. And don't even get me started on how inappropriate her performance was for a 15 year old girl on Idol Gives Back. She does not need to be down on her knees and pushing her hips forward towards the crowd with her eyes closed, head turned to the side and her hand behind her head (to paint a visual for you).
I know I don't usually post stuff like this. But I just couldn't hold this one in. My intention is not to judge anyone who is a fan.....just to bring awareness to the situation.
You are a great mom! This is a great way to grab those teachable moments about idols, modesty, purity, values, morals, peer pressure. Stand firm, it will pay off especially as she gets older. My 17 year old, wanted to watch something popular when she was 9 and and we stood firm. When she turned 10, we would watch the show as a family and discuss it afterwards or as the show would break to commercial. Would we always ask her, what is the main theme of this show, was it worth the hour you gave it, and would you watch it with Jesus sitting right next to you? Our goal was for Crystal to say to her friends, "I don't like that show because..... not "my parents won't let me watch it."
ReplyDeleteI so hear you on this one. I was SHOCKED watching Idol Gives Back... and these pictures from Vanity Fair are ridiculous. Her parents were there... In what situation can a sheet be considered artsy and tasteful?
ReplyDeleteWhy can't one of these girls just make it to 18 without having to go this route? I really thought she'd be different.
Fortunately, I've got a son, and he could care less about Hannah Montana, but he admires a few sport stars I am praying tow the line!
Great post.
Some of them do grow up and tend to go in the wrong direction. My girls like to watch re-runs of the show "Sister-Sister", and I don't remember seeing those girls trippin' out. Even though my girls watch Hannah Montana's show they are still able to look at those recent pictures, and say that's gross, and why would she do that? My girls are older than yours, so that might make a difference. There is a big difference between watching a show, and idolizing her. Vanity Fair should be ashamed of themselves for even wanting to show a 15 year old like this.
ReplyDeleteShannon, you are right on. The corporations who run ass culture are trying to take control of kids as early as possible. My son is a 4th grader and went to a PTA sponsored dance at school on Friday. Most of the music was hip hop, rap, etc. I saw some boys mimicking gang attitudes and the girls knew the words to every song. Not meant as a slur against any racial groups, but how did ghetto music and attitudes get to be so prevalent in our culture?
ReplyDeleteShannon: sorry about the word goof in my 1st sentence. I meant to say "our culture". It must have auto-corrected a mispelled word.
ReplyDeleteAmen Shannon!! I to have been so leery of the whole Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana success.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that her parents allowed this to happen. It also saddens me that instead of taking the high road, they decided to go the route of "act now, apologize later".
I am not a fan!
I'm with you 100%.
ReplyDeleteI knew from past experience that anything Disney needs a close eye. They have consistently done anything possible to blur all lines between right and wrong. It is sad to see Miley stray since her dad has always seemed like someone a parent could trust.
100% right on Shannon! Scripture tells us to put our children before 'wise council' ...is Miley a christian? Is she spearding truth or just becoming another distraction to lure our kids away from Christ and the narrow path? With all the good influences out there why do we have to follow the crowd and let our kids become so fascinated with those who are not on the narrow path? IT's NOT about NEVER letting them watch the shows or hear the music...for me though, it comes down to 'who does your child look up to and who does your child idol?' ...for many out there, their idol is Miley and that's a 'shame on us parent's' for letting that idol be placed before our kids so much that they are now lifting their hands and praising this person as she walks into a room. Not okay in our house. Regardless if she posed in this revealing photo or not. This girl is a 'friend' of her fathers, not a 'child' or 'responsibility' of her fathers. I've seen them togehter and heard them speak, she is under the influence of the world right now and that is something to be very cautious about when choosing who we will allow our kids to adore.
ReplyDeleteJust my thoughts of course.. :)
The kids who you see fainting and crying and freaking out when they see a star, must have parents who act the same way. I am not really sure who makes idols out of the people they see on television? That is a bit scary. To say that Miley and her dad are under the influence of the world, is probably true...however, we all are. I think we are fooling ourselves, if we think otherwise. This world influences everyone!
ReplyDeleteOh but Shannon, I heard today Vanity Fair said this photo is being taken out of context! Whatever!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI have a 11 year old daughter who also likes Hannah Montana. I allowed her to watch the show while I was present, in order to explain any inappropriate situations. That seemed to work well for our family. As far as the "ghetto music", that influences kids so much, I think we should be just as concerned with the likes of Marilyn Manson whose music drives kids to suicide. That's a little more scary to me, than watching kids shake their behinds on the dance floor.
ReplyDeleteI KNEW WHEN THE PHOTO CAME OUT WE WOULD BE HEARING FROM SHANNON. I CAN REMEMBER A CONVERSATION WE HAD SEVERAL MONTHS AGO CONCERNING THIS MILEY GIRL AND MY GRANDDAUGHTER. I WAS GOING TO GET HER SOMETHING AT THE STORE SHE WANTED 9A CD AND SHIRT AND SHANNON STATED SHE REALLY DIDN'T WANT HER TO HAVE IT AND WE HAD THE WHOLE CONVERSATION WHY NOT.I SAID OH FOR PITTY SAKE MILEY HAS A VERY PROTECTIVE FATHER HE WON'T LET HER GO THAT ROUTE. AND LOOKY HERE. I'M THE KIND OF GAL THAT THINKS ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER BEFORE WE EVEN KNOW IT AND IT'S TOO LATE.SO GREAT INSIGHT EIGHT I'M BEHIND YOU 100%. LOL MOM
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Thanks again!
You are right on! We have to be sooo careful what our kiddies watch - even surfing channels is a danger! Keep up the good mothering because your daughter will thank you for it someday (mine have)! :-)
ReplyDeleteShannon,
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking a stand for Christian values.
Kim F.
Wilmington, NC
Well I actually for some insane reason thought she was ok. My girls are 11 and 12 and her show seemed just fine and dandy with me and the fact her father proclaims strict morales and even calls himself a christian I really thought it was fine. I didnt see her "performing" to the song you described but I can only imagine. I do NOT agree with this ridiculous picture BUT Miley has come out saying she is embarrassed by them herself. I think she realizes she made a mistake....why her parents couldnt see it while the photo shoot was going on...I DONT KNOW!!! I am glad to hear someone speak out on this in a very conservative manner that realizes this IS A BIG DEAL.
ReplyDeleteGreat topic. It is crazy how fast they want kids to grow up these days. Kids are flooded by images everyday. I'm sure the execs were there too. You would have thought the whole Brittany thing would have steered people away from this stuff.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the music comments...doesn't matter who it is but the content is bad all around. I was at the park (a very nice park) with my family and the security guard was with a friend blasting a song with kids singing "Hey mister dopeman I want to be like you." While I'm not for censorship I was so angry since I was trying to have a nice park day with my kids and husband. It is sad what gets glamorized these days.
My girls are "Hanna-Tanna" fans - they were exposed by our babysitter and after checking into her I thought she was a reasonable character. Though I was surprised by her performance and these less then appropiate pictures, I still think as Christians we need to remember that this is a 15 year old girl - a young woman without vast wisdom to draw upon - and without the greatest parental presence - she is going to make mistakes and in her vast popularity, I am guessing that the consequences of her misquided choices will be much more stinging. Our children will undoubtedly experience the mistakes of youth on some level - when they do, I hope that the Christian people who know and love them will raly around them, forgive them, encourage them, pray for them... While we don't need to idolize this girl, I think we should forgive her and that we should use this mistake as an opportunity to talk to our daughters and to even pray for her. That is just my thoughts...
ReplyDeleteoh Tamara I totally agree with you on the forgiveness and encouragement thing. On a personal level we as christians need to do that. I'm speaking more to the issue of Miley "as a commodity" for lack of a better way of putting it. She is selling herself (and I don't mean that in a negative way...just a business marketing way) All I'm saying is....I'm not buying because I don't like the product, and I don't choose to expose my daughter to the product either. You can forgive without condoning.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for taking a stand, even when it made your daughter unhhappy. Too often we "keep our kids happy" all the way to serious problems in later years as teens because they have never experienced denial, or not being able to do what everyone else is doing. My husband is a high school principal, and the stories he shares are heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteMiley Cyrus has been one I have allowed my girls to watch, supervised, and so we have had to have discussions about these pictures and their wisdom (as well as her parents responsibilty.) I am reminded of my need to be ever vigilant in protecting their minds- even in the face of :everyone else is watching it".
I am a MEAN mom too. My kids are 16 and 18 and still have seen very little compared to their 'friends'.In a article that I read about Miley trying to fix the photo shoot mess she says something to the effect of...'it was Annie Lebowitz and you just don't say NO to Annie' Okay, THAT line of reasoning is going to get her into a WHOLE LOTTA TROUBLE.
ReplyDeleteStand firm!