Parenting Rethink: Billy Ray Regrets Being Miley's Friend
The Internet breathed a collective sigh of "I told you so" as the news broke that Billy Ray Cyrus has some regrets about the way Miley was brought up.
In a long and seemingly honest interview with GQ Magazine, Billy Ray's achy breaky heart is filled with regrets: regrets about Hannah Montana, regrets about his marriage and regrets about being a friend instead of a parent.
It almost made me feel bad for him.
We have been watching the Miley situation like it is a train wreck in slow motion (obviously one of the downsides of celebrity parenting), but it's like he just saw what is going on for the first time. Cyrus is admitting his mistakes: he wishes that he had done things differently. We all feel that way as parents and luckily we don't have the whole world watching. I happen to think that allowing your child to become a child star is a mistake that very few recover from but most of us aren't in that situation.
But the choice to be a parent instead of a pal is one that happens everyday, albeit on a smaller scale. My natural inclination is to be their friend, to chat and watch TV and eat junk food. I don't like being the parent. I wear the disciplinarian's hat uncomfortably, but I do it.
Growing up, I was always jealous of my friends who called their mothers their best friends. The ones who cracked a beer with their mothers (or more), talked boys and stayed up late together. But now those friends aren't so happy with their mothers who didn't parent them consistently. In fact, in most cases those friends have turned into the parent in the relationship.
Hopefully being called the meanest mother in the world, as I was called tonight, will pay off in the end. If not, look for me posting my regrets in this space in about 10 years.
Do you find it hard to be a parent and not a friend to your kids? Do you think Billy Ray made bad decisions?
Check out this video for more on Billy Ray's GQ interview:
Want more? Last year I had to admit it: I can't skate.
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