She Broke Her Daddy's Achy Breaky Heart

In an interview released to the public yesterday, singer Billy Ray Cyrus is quoted as saying the Disney show "Hannah Montana" destroyed his family. His daughter Miley Cyrus became a teen idol portraying the character. Now Cyrus is saying, "I wish the show had never happened." He now believes that his daughter is spinning out of control. This comes after she celebrated her 18th birthday at a private party held in a bar. To hear the parent of a teen idol use the term "spinning out of control" immediately causes me to think of Lindsay Lohan. While Cyrus does not mention Ms. Lohan he does compare Miley's path to that taken by Anna Nicole Smith and Kurt Cobain, two celebrities whose lives came to tragic ends.

Am I surpised by this turn of events? No. Miley Cyrus has given plenty of indications that she wanted to leave the Hannah Montana character behind and move on to more adult roles. Reality is, this is a risk that any parent takes when they allow their teen to function in an adult environment. In this case, Billy Ray was a contributor since he appeared in the show. Now he also states, "He tried to hard to be a friend instead of a parent to his daughter."

Teens are not equipped to handle adult situations. When the feelings and temptations of adulthood arise, they are not capable of making wise choices. Literally, it's the way they are not wired. The pre-frontal cortex, that part of the brain where decisions are made, is still in development. That portion of the brain isn't fully functioning until the mid-twenties. Without it, there is no link between emotions and long-term memory. Teen are much more susceptible to impulsive behavior. They have feeling and emtion, and no concept in terms of what to do with them.

Parents need to keep this in mind when allowing their teens to hangout with, or even date friends who are more than a year or two older. Such behavior could put them at risk. The feelings, and yes even the passion, will increase with age. So can the temptations, and if you think your "good kid" is immune I just pray you are not mistaken. Just ask Billy Ray Cyrus. I think he is asking for a "do-over" and real life does not allow that.