Lylah M. Alphonse, parenting blogger for the Boston Globe, has posted a great list of tips by child and teen development expert Dr. Robyn Silverman about how to help your child deal with being let down by a role model, centered around the recent “hypersexualization” of  Miley Cyrus.  (You can read my take on Miley’s transformation and the Perez Hilton photo scandal on my personal blog, if you like.)

Silverman’s ideas include exposing your child to real-life role models, as well as athletes and celebrities.  Sure, Tiger Woods may be a great golfer, but what about lauding the coach of your son’s t-ball team as a successful sportsman?  If your child is uncomfortable with or disappointed in the way a role model has changed, help them brainstorm alternative behaviors their hero could have engaged in.  For example, ask, “If Miley is interested in changing her image from one of a child star to an adult, what would you suggest? Is this the only way to convey that she is not a child anymore?”

Silverman says for parents of daughters, it’s important to “define what an empowered, confident, bold, beautiful girl looks like.” Continue reading »

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There are some of us who wouldn’t be caught dead buying our kid a Hannah Montana doll. Then there are the parents who go on TV and admit it, but complain that their kid’s doll is dropping the F bomb.

They did catch ol’ Miley at the Teen Choice Awards, right?

The flap about the doll is actually quite funny when you watch the news report. Continue reading »

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A few weeks after Miley Cyrus performed a now notorious pole dance during the 2009 Teen Choice Awards, her father has weighed in on the flood of negative reactions to the dance. According to Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley was just doing what she loves: entertaining. Continue reading »

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Another set of Miley Cyrus photos. Another scandal. But is the teen queen’s new photo shoot in Elle Magazine really too racy for teens?

A post over at Buzzfeed this week challenged Hannah Montana’s alter ego for “showing cleavage, wearing hooker boots (?) and posing questionably on tables.” The comments followed from folks joking that she may well turn out to BE a hooker if she continues dressing like that.

Let’s step back a minute and ignore the Vanity Fair brouhaha of 2008. Continue reading »

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We may never know exactly what happened between Chris Brown and Rihanna. Brown pled guilty to felony assault and received probation. Part of the deal involves keeping the details of whatever transpired between the former couple a secret. Somebody hit somebody that night, and one of the two people is a guy. I’m not saying I know what happened, but, well. You know what I mean. Anyway, I guess it’s over for now. Also part of the deal is that Brown is not allowed to have any contact with Rihanna (no email, no texting) and must stay 50 feet away from her.

Speaking of over, Jon and Kate Gosselin’s marriage is kaputsky. Put a fork in it. It’s over, Johnny. (Video clip below, in case you don’t get that reference.) Continue reading »

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