A Message to Miley Cyrus

The teen celebrity buzz this week goes to....Miley Cyrus.  No surprises here.  As we've read ad nauseum in the media Miley is feeling a bit embarrassed by some photos of her in Vanity Fair this week.  And like Ashley Tisdale's nose job, I'm not quite sure how I'm feeling about this.

Like most moms protecting their children from a world gone mad on teen celebrity shenanigans, I've been holding out hope that Miley would be our "messiah."  Level-headed, with parents who seem to be paying attention, I want to believe Miley could be the one who avoids the trappings of the 21st century young and famous, that she can come through the mania a somewhat normal, smart, together girl.

So when I read the buzz about "the pictures," I had to check them out. OK, one's a bit provocative.  But this is Vanity Fair, for goodness sake.  And Annie Liebowitz was in charge of the camera.  If it weren't for the world's obsession with Lindsay, Brittany, Jaime Lynn, Vanessa, and Ashley, I'm not sure this would have made such a splash. Ten years ago we probably wouldn't have even known about it unless we subscribed to Vanity Fair.

Let's put it this way.  I'd rather come across Miley in these photos in Vanity Fair than, say, posted on a website in a negligee. Or hear about a videotape of her after dark exploits available for $29.99.  Or see her on television, while sitting with my family,  looking wasted in the back seat of a car on Entertainment Tonight.

So here's my message to Miley:

Miley, the photos are fine; you made a business decision to take the pictures and, given the publication, should have known what you were getting into.  So you did it.  Now be proud of the pics. But don't give into the media by proclaiming embarrassment. These pictures aren't going to ruin my children's futures.  They're not going to set a bad example for them.  They've seen much worse on the front page of the newspaper or in magazines stored in our bathroom rack. Quite frankly, they don't read Vanity Fair anyway. And we don't subscribe.

Just please, PLEASE avoid the drugs, alcohol, clubbing, teen pregnancies, and everything else that causes me a lot more trouble when I have to explain them to my kids. We know you're young and will make some mistakes.  Like all of us, you'll trip here and there along the way as you make your way to adulthood.  Whether or not you stay in the public eye, keep your wits about you. Keep it all in perspective. And don't let us down. We're counting on you.

Miley, we still believe. Please don't let us down.