Hannah Montana

This Christmas, my daughter wanted Hannah Montana. Everything to do with Miley Cyrus as she is otherwise known, was what B wanted for her presents. Poster, stickers, cd's, clothes. And she got her wish-quite a lot of said stuff.

I have had to listen to this singer/actor for over 4 months now-ever since our neighbour introduced her to my daughter. As much as I despise it all- the showing off, the fanfare, all the attention (not to mention wealth) this individual has still, I decided to look on the bright side and started listening to some of the messages. Everybody makes mistakes, nobody's perfect- I gotta work it again and again..Don't let anyone tell you that you're not good enough,Life's what you make it... and so on.
The songs are upbeat, encouraging, accepting of others and fun. The shows are squeaky clean, the father is responsible and she looks up to her daddy- so basically these are all good things. I can live with it.

I did wonder though if the spectacle is what sticks in the kid's mind over anything else so when we came to the documentary bits in a Miley Cyrus film we watched, we discussed how much work actually goes into a show- how many people are involved to make a concert work, how Miley doesn't actually dress the way she does all the time (wears baggy pants and sweat shirts not shiny glittery stuff when off stage etc).
My daughter realized that she should avoid playing girly music and stuff in front of her already girly almost 3 year old cousin. On her own she said, "it could spoil her childhood. She ought to be having fun playing in the snow wearing dungarees!"

My point precisely. So dialoguing, discussing pop culture with you child is really important and helpful in dsipelling the spell that it throws over our children's minds.