Why are mothers so eager for pop culture figures to be role models? When 15-year old TV/music star Miley Cyrus traded in her kids-tested-mother-approved duds for a few yards of billowy satin fabric for a Vanity Fair shoot, soccer moms all across America gasped in horror. What? Miley Cyrus, we've put our faith, our trust, our hopes in you! I've allowed my 4/5/6 year old to worship you unconditionally! I've "invested" hundreds of dollars in Hannah Montana paraphenelia; concert tickets, dolls, videos, t-shirts, flip-flips, beach towels and pinatas... all in that hopes that such earthly goods bearing your grill could help shape the moral development of my young and influential daughter! And now THIS? Your bare back is exposed suggestively! Miley, you are supposed to be a role model!
We thought you were different, Miley. We were so sure you wouldn't disappoint us like, like that LINDSAY LOHAN girl! Even Hilary Duff has raised our eyebrows a few times.
Okay, enough with the pink italics. I'm no longer pretending to be "in the head" of soccer moms.
This got me thinking about mothers and their desire for their daughters to have good role models. Sure. We all want our kids, male or female, to have good role models. But why do we entrust pop stars, even the "squeaky clean" ones (like, uh, Disney's Hannah Montana?) with our children's tender, moldable minds and psyches? We'll pay top-dollar for all the right "gear" so that our kids can "fit in." And we sit them in front of a television program, hoping that some edification will come of it?
I hope that my daughter finds positive role model as she grows up. But I won't be plopping her in front of the tv to find any of them. And even if she did fall in love with Hanna Montana (despite my best efforts otherwise), you can bet I won't be holding Miley Cyrus (or any other famous individual) to any lofty moral standards just because my kid owns a lunchbox with her face on it.. I'm too smart for that. I've seen too many Disney-spun tween/teenage idols rise to their own demise in the transition from kid-star to adult celebrity.
My oldest daughter is still only a toddler. It may be a decade, a year, a month or a week before I hear her say, "I want to be like (whoever-the-next-child-star/pending-train-wreck-will-be) here." Will I have a fight or flight reaction? I don't know. All I know is that there is one female my daughter sees every single day. She imitates her tones, her mannerisms, the things she says. Her eyes watch her ever-so-carefully.... and she thinks the world of this highly influential role model. Can you guess who this woman might be....?
Lord have mercy.
Our daughters (and sons) are watching us. What a humbling reality! Let's step up to the plate, moms, instead of relying on Disney to procure more ill-fated "idols."
I realize that I'm probably preaching to the choir here. Let's pretend for a moment that I am an influential msn syndicated columnist. Oh, to be paid to rant...
