There was story in Sunday’s Parade Magazine, subtitled, “Miley Cyrus says goodbye to Hannah Montana.” The now 17 year-old Miley began her career at the age of 12, and proceeded to be branded as the Disney Channel’s character, Hannah Montana. In this article, she talked about how much other people had been dictating her life, and was pushed onto a path that was not her own. Here is a girl who you may feel is spoiled and has a sense of entitlement. That may or may not be true. Regardless of how you see her, she has lived her tween and teen years governed by other people’s motives. I’m not saying that she didn’t have a lot of fame and fortune…and more to come. I’m saying that in many ways (only on a much more grandiose scale,) she experienced what many kids have to deal with…parental expectations vs. individual desire.
All parents have hopes and dreams for their kids. However, if you’re not careful, you can easily find yourself directing them onto a path that’s yours and not really theirs. There is a fine line between giving your kids opportunities, and deciding their life’s direction for them. And, Miley experienced the latter. And, now she’s beginning to own her path. “…I’m going to rejoice and be happy to finally not have to be…well, to not be somebody I’m not exactly.” “As I’ve grown into it, I’ve grown out of it. Does that make sense?”
It does to me. She’s like a suped-up sports car, that’s been speeding down the road, twisting and turning via the steering of one driver after another, each one wanting his or her directions followed: “Go here,” “Take a right there”…”Follow that sign!” And while the car has been enjoying the ride, one day, as it is being steered into yet another hairpin turn…it stops. And says, “I don’t want to go around turns and down steep hills, and I don’t like this pace. I don’t want to go down that road anymore. I want to follow that road over there. And, I would like you all to get in the back or get out of the car…because I’m going to start steering myself!”
Help your kids find their own path; guide them along their journey, and be comfortable taking the back seat when they begin to say, “I’m going to start steering this ride!”
