I have to say Sinead O'Connor is brilliant in offering up her advice to Miley like this!
 
 
But not because of anything she said - because she is starting an American tour next month and, until now, nobody has mentioned her name for 15 years or so.
 
But thanks to Miley's tongue (and other parts), she can get endless free publicity!
 
 
Or am I too cynical? 

drewfx1
I have to say Sinead O'Connor is brilliant in offering up her advice to Miley like this!
 
 
But not because of anything she said - because she is starting an American tour next month and, until now, nobody has mentioned her name for 15 years or so.
 
But thanks to Miley's tongue (and other parts), she can get endless free publicity!
 
 
Or am I too cynical? 

Nope.  Not at all.
 
In the past she's cut all her head off to get noticed, maybe this time she'll try cutting her entire head off?  That would at least be something new...

drewfx1
I have to say Sinead O'Connor is brilliant in offering up her advice to Miley like this!
 
 
But not because of anything she said - because she is starting an American tour next month and, until now, nobody has mentioned her name for 15 years or so.
 
But thanks to Miley's tongue (and other parts), she can get endless free publicity!
 
 
Or am I too cynical? 

Have to admit that I thought this before I even read it. I think she would be better employed tackling hunger in thirld world countries. After all, she has managed to dine out for 25 years on the back of one cover version.

 
I'm finding myself agreeing a lot with what Danny and Sharke have said here.
 
And when push comes to shove, it's all about taking responsibility.
 
When you're an adult, you have to take responsibility for your actions.
 
When you have kids, or you're in charge of others' children/minors, or those unfortunate enough not to be able to make decisions for themselves, then you have to take responsibility for their actions.
 
 
 
 
 

Parenting is a crapshoot.
 
 
I was a young father at 19 (and not a very good one) and my kids turned out great.
 
I've known fantastic fathers and their kids became drug addicts and criminals.
 
 
As I remember parenting was fairly easy during the pre-teens; After that friends and school mates became the major influence; mostly a negative one.
 
 
Especially considering the direction this country is heading, it might be a good idea to wait til your mid/late twenties before having kids
 

Can I just say, that childhood and adolescence is a 20th century construct.  Education is the key, I ignore Miley, I think if we all ignored her, she wouldn't get any traction.  I would not be listening to an ignorant, ex catholic self-righteous individual like Sinead.  For one did anyone hear of the story where she served broccoli at her kids birthday party.  Again people education!!
 

Mesh
I am soooooo glad we're homeschooling our children.........trying our best to preserve their innocence and give them a chance to be "children".

In total agreement with you Mesh. We homeschool our 3 kids also, and we're fighting tooth and nail to keep our kids from being corrupted by the mentality that's so prevalent in today's youth. It's so hard sometimes. And Danny, I respect you and your talent a lot man, and I am not picking a fight. But, it's just different when it's your own kids.

Leadfoot
In total agreement with you Mesh. We homeschool our 3 kids also, and we're fighting tooth and nail to keep our kids from being corrupted by the mentality that's so prevalent in today's youth. It's so hard sometimes. And Danny, I respect you and your talent a lot man, and I am not picking a fight. But, it's just different when it's your own kids.

(Wish I could make this shorter....but it's the only way I know how to try and tell you how/what I'm thinking. :) Not picking a fight here either, honest. I do have a clue as to how hard parenting can be. I've had a few on this end challenge me as a big brother.)
 
Totally understood Leadfoot, but the fact of the matter is I sincerely see it as senseless to blame a kid star turned adult as the lone cause for the corruption of our youth. When I listed how and what I grew up in....it wasn't to air out any of my dirty laundry regarding myself or my past. The reason behind it was, I had so much other stress going on, there wasn't a star that could have made a difference in my life other than (wait for it...this is intense) drug infested, alchol induced, sex craved.....Eddie Van Halen who literally inspired me and kept me off the streets due to his talent. You see, I saw what I wanted to see. I knew right from wrong and used the "right" as a weapon.
 
I'm no angel...I've dabbled in things I shouldn't have yet have no regrets that I dabbled. The experiences made me who and what I am...and honestly without sounding egotistical I think I turned out pretty good. :) My point is, I could watch, love and be inspired by stars for the good they brought to me while ignoring the ugly. That was the deal between my parents and me. If I skipped school, I'd be punished. If I came home stoned, I'd end up in military/reform school. If I let my grades slip, I'd be tutored and attend summer classes. All I had to do was all the right things and my parents totally allowed me to "test the waters" so to speak until they saw something that was a cause for concern.
 
Think about it. I was watching heavy metal, which was always considered devil music....was inspired by dudes that did massive drugs, drank like fishes, trashed hotels while having sex with thousands of women and bragging about it. I was around drugs and weirdo's myself my whole life and one day became a weirdo in the looks department...lol...yet, I turned out really good man other than some long hair. I've never been arrested for anything other than fighting when I've had to defend myself and have never seen a prison.
 
My parents were a part of my life. (My dad still is) They supported me as well as my decisions whether I ate the bear or the bear ate me. My house was the one everyone played music in. My house was the pool party, the basketball court, the baseball field, the football field, the tent campground. The one that always had noise coming out of it. We weren't rich. Mom and dad knew where their son was and knew what I was about. We talked regularly and they made it a point to be involved in my life. It was never mom and dad....and Danny. It was a trinity of best friends where the 3 of us supported one another. This is how I try to handle the kids I deal with today eventhough they are not my own.
 
To get into the head of a kid today that is sort of neglected, you have to be an authority figure yet interact at their level and gain their trust or you lose every time. Ruling with an iron fist "for the sake of" loses 8 out of 10 times with the kids of today because they are only looking for love, support and someone to give them a little of their time to show some caring. Instead, they are left to fend for themselves while mom and dad go about their business by ignoring that they have children or because the economy is so bad, both parents may need to work 2 jobs. Still.....this falls back into the "if you can't take care of yourself you don't have kids" category. Safe to say someone needs to think about what may happen after that intense sex you may have Friday night after partying for a few hours. But few do.
 
I'm 46 years old and never had kids by choice. Why? Because I wasn't ready to change my life and be a full time, forever father. I'd love to have kids at some point and they would complete me. However, you need the right person, you need to be willing to change and accept change, and you need to live for them and be there for them today even moreso than 25 years ago. That is something I don't feel I'm ready for just yet...or maybe I never will be.
 
I've done society a favor by not contributing to its demise of unloved/unwanted, lost and corrupted children because it's not what I want. I've deprived myself from certain pleasures in life at times due to the possibility of becoming a father and me not wanting that. I don't understand why others do not think as I do. It's simple really...you think with the right head or you plan/entertain the chance of parenthood and do it to the best of your ability when it happens. I chose "thinking with the right head". :)
 
-Danny

Oh yeah, I forgot something....just what you need, me being even longer winded...uggh...so sorry. :(
 
Getting back to "it's different when the kids are your own", I'd be more in their lives. To "see something that is a cause for concern" you have to spend time with your children and know them or you'll never notice a problem. I'd be a great father and like I said, my young daughter (if I had one) would be told that she can't watch Miley until she is an adult. If I had to punish her, so be it. When you're too young, you're too young.
 
When you police a situation, you've laid down the ground rules to the child that it's wrong. You may not stop it from happening but you've planted the seed and told them there would be repercussions for their actions. I'd not handle it any other way really. Of course I can't do that with the neighborhood children other than to tell them they can't play here if they are a problem to me or other children, but again, all their parents need to do is take an interest and police them.
 
A kid disrespects you when you allow it to happen which starts when they are young and goes on for years. The kids in the Burger King that I talked about will get worse and worse. When you lack discipline from the start, it's easy for a child to revolt when you hit them with discipline at an older age. Like the supposedly wicked step-father that gives the 14 year old kid that's out of control, chores to do. If he had chores when he was younger and was disciplined correctly, he'd not have such a problem with it unless the step-father was a complete Richard Cranium and was a slave driver.....which we know is the case at times.
 
Anyway....the moral of the story is....I can't blame stars for how people/children are influenced in the wrong ways. People know right from wrong...and if they don't, I blame the parents and always will unless psychiatric evaluation proves otherwise. Who's the better person...the guy/girl that doesn't even try to work that lives off of us or Miley who decides to work the way she chooses to survive? We may not like Miley's choices, but she's not breaking any laws and she is helping to support the system, ya know?
 
That's just how I feel about it really. Hopefully this doesn't offend anyone or make them question their parenting as that was not my intent. Then again, if the comments here made someone look deeper into themselves and it helped them become a better parent, that's a plus too. :)
 
-Danny

Hi Danny,
I feel I understand you a little better. And I don't blame anyone in particular. The world has just changed a lot. I'm 43, my kids are 10,11&14. And I agree 100% about being involved. My wife and I are VERY involved in our kids' lives and things like MTV and stuff like that simply don't come into this house. Our family is very involved in church together, we pray together, and we communicate, which is so important. My wife and I use current events as teaching points to help guide our kids on the right path. Are we perfect? Nope. Am I naive enough to think my kids aren't gonna make some mistakes? Nope. But we've laid a solid foundation for our kids about what's right and wrong that they'll be able to draw from for the rest of their lives. :) By the way I salute you for being a big brother to kids in your area. I enjoy your tutorial videos, and love your guitar playing!:) Much respect brother.
Bob