I Can't Be Tamed.

Where were you when you were 13? Who were you listening to on the radio? What show did you have to see on TV? Who did you try to emulate when you walked out of the mall?

Let's see... Well, I was in 7th grade. I was a Sonny & Cher fan. I loved Sheryl Crow and the Cranberries. I also owned a lot of showtunes. I generally watched shows like "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" and "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" My style of choice probably most closely represented anyone that was stuck in t-shirts and jeans. Maybe sort of "Freaks and Geeks" without my having ever watched the shows at the point.

I'm kind of scared when I think about most girls at this age today.

They've got this:


(Miley Cyrus)

And... umm... this:


(Taylor Momsen)

I have managed to position myself in this teen world by default thanks to my Disney Channel influenced way of life. I've seen many of these idols in concert: Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Jonas Brothers, Jordin Sparks, Taylor Swift... The list goes on. I watch "Wizards of Waverly Place," "JONAS LA," "Good Luck, Charlies," etc. But what continues to baffle me is why, when I go out of my house, I constantly spot girls that would rather look like Miley than, say, Selena Gomez.



They may wear their fun homemade t-shirts while running around the concert venues, but they pair them with shorts so short that would still be considered summer wear with five inches added to the hem. The worst thing is that they're accompanied by parents. I don't know about you, but there is no way I would've been allowed out of my house in such attire, let alone have been taken out looking like that while under the supposedly watchful eye of parental guidance. Though modesty has sort of been instilled in me, and I owned maybe own or two shirts that my mom asked me to change, but I could never imagine being part of the skin baring contest that comes along with having the word "teen" at the end of your age.

I'm aware that there is a Britney Spears for every generation. During the summer of 2004, my parents owned a business at the Jersey shore. During my time there, I worked with a guy that had recently graduated high school. Most of the time we worked together, our conversation revolved around the appalling nature of youngins that were spotted walking up and down the boardwalk in extremely short skirts and skimpy tops. He estimated the average age of these girls at 13, meaning plenty were younger. I am 100% certain that his negative comments were not purely for my benefit. Recently, a family friend spoke of not wanting to spend time on that very same boardwalk watching the teens and tweens shake it for the world to see.

I've always thought that there is an unfortunate double-edged sword that comes along with this subject. Whose job is it to make the decision? While in high school, I was very much a Britney and Christina fan. I made the choice to walk down the hallways of high school looking like the farthest thing from a Rolling Stone cover.

So, now I ask, where does the responsibility lie? Does this all mean that Miley needs to wear the Hannah wig forever and pull on jeans instead of the booty shorts (and where are HER parents? A different blog entirely.)? You'd think someone in her position should bare the weight of social responsibility, but the idea that she - and idols like her - be considered active and productive role models can't be required. Instead, it should simply be thought of as a good idea.

And, hey, is Taylor Momsen in your house holding you hostage? Does she flip magazine pages in front of your kid and supply her with the funds to dress just like Gossip Girl demands? How is it fair to place all the blame on those entertainers or performers that profit from the allowance dollars parents hand their children?

Though I'm not yet a parent, and I don't plan on being one for some time, I recognize that for every Mandy Moore there is a Lady Gaga, and for every Jonas Brother there is an Adam Lambert. They may not all wear purity rings and mouse ears. The next time you see something you don't like, flip the station, change the channel, or have a conversation. You may not be able to tame Miley, but let's hope more people have success teaching their children to tame themselves.

(Sidenote - my blogging site timed out during my first draft, freezing the save function. I did my best to recreate my own words of wisdom halfway through the entry, but it's hard to do that twice.)

"I'm wired a different way."