Hannah Montana

I am struggling with the whole "Hannah Montana" thing. Do I or do I not let Alise get on the HM banwagon? Her 4 year old little cousin watches her. Little girls Alise's age are beginning to get the HM Barbie dolls (the ones that have the button in the middle of her stomach and play a tune when pushed) and even the wig at the birthday parties we've been to recently. What's a mom to do? I did a little research on the internet and discovered that Miley Cyrus - along with her dad, Billy Ray ("Achey Breaky Heart") - and family are professed Christians. I'm not sure how old Miley is in real life (I think she plays about a 15 year old on TV) but she seems to be down to earth and doesn't live the crazy Hollywood lifestyle. I think her parents do a pretty good job of protecting her from that and they try to escape California when the show is not taping by going "home" to Franklin, Tennessee.

One Friday night (during hunting season), Alise and I were flipping through the channels. Hannah was on the Disney channel, so I decided to give it a chance and see what all the hoopla was about. Alise was half interested. She recognized her, but beyond that, she would probably have been much happier watching "The Little Mermaid." Before I knew it, things were getting a little too serious on the show with Hannah -or Miley - I can't keep the two egos straight - kissing her boyfriend. I got up and turned the channel. I was like, no way am I ready for my daughter to be watching stuff like that! Again, Alise hardly noticed.

A few weeks ago, Alise asked for a Hannah Montana t-shirt. Right out of the blue. I think she remembered that her cousin, Brooklyn, had gotten not one, but two of them for Christmas. And when she gave me the HM request, she specifically asked that the t-shirt be pink ("Pink's my favorite color"). So I ran to Wal-mart on my lunch break to buy a pink Hannah Montana t-shirt. It was only $7. But, last week, she asked for the $20 HM Barbie doll (I didn't buy it)!

See, I love the innocense that Alise has right now. All she knows is that the princess marries the prince and they live happily ever after. Is there anything truly wrong with that right now? Does she have to know - at such a young age - how cruel the world can truly be? Not that HM is cruel. Just that maybe that's a party of "growing up" that I'm just not ready for.

I was talking to someone about the HM epidemic a few weeks ago. She told me, "Watch out! You're three year old will be acting just like a 16 year old...attitude and all." Nope. Not ready for that.

So, I think for the time being, the Barbie dolls and wigs and t-shirts are okay. She doesn't understand. She's so much happier playing outside and watching "Cinderella" and "Mermaid." I think I'll keep it that way as long as I can and relish in Alise's sense of happily ever after.