The Problem with Miley and other Child Stars

The Problem with Miley and other Child Stars

I am not using my blog forum to jump on the bandwagon and skewer Miley Cyrus. She appears to be a troubled 20 year old crying out for attention. I can’t sit here and add to the criticism when I see that she is going down the inevitable path of a Britney Spears, a Lindsay Lohan and all those other unfortunate child stars before them. It appears that way for Justin Bieber too.

What Miley is mostly suffering from is an appalling lack of basic parenting.

Children look to parents to set boundaries, to instill basic values, to provide structure and rules and consequences when necessary. They need a moral compass and parents need to provide that.

I think there are so many parents of child stars that have accepted the gravy train (money) that their offspring brought in and chose to stand back and be one of the many “yes” people in their lives. They chose to relinquish the role of parent and reversed roles where they allowed the child to call the shots because the child is the main breadwinner. Their child is famous, and above criticism. The power gets unnaturally shifted to the child.

Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears mothers allowed them to go clubbing and engage in other adult behaviors while they were still children needing some guidance.

If you look at Shirley Temple or Annette Funicello, you would be hard pressed to come up with bigger stars in their days. Certainly they were much bigger than Britney or Lindsay or Miley. Yet, they grew up to be outstanding citizens and normal adults because they had parenting during their childhood, despite their stardom.

Look at Sarah Palin, allowing Bristol’s boyfriend to sleep over and SURPRISE, Bristol becomes pregnant. Jamie Lyn Spears’ (another big Disney star like Miley)  mother Lyn, – the same mother of the aforementioned Britney Spears admitted that she allowed her daughter’s boyfriend to sleep at their home. You don’t have to be a child psychologist to figure out that creating an environment that allows sexual behavior will probably result in a teenage pregnancy.

It’s not just parents of child stars who relinquish the role of parent and forget to say No when necessary.

I have ranted about the sexualization of our youth. They mimic what they see on TV and in the media, and hear on the radio. It is absolutely horrendous what is done today in the name of “art” and entertainment. It is then up to parents to create the boundaries of acceptable behavior and instill values. It’s a tough job. It’s an unpopular job. It’s a never ending battle at times. But it is a job – a responsibility that too many people relinquish.