What is the deal with Hanna Montana?

[Pennylane]

So my DD comes home from school today (she's 6) and says that the Hannah Montana movie is coming out on Friday and she wants to go see it because all her friends are going. I ask her what she knows about Hanna and she says she sings and is on Disney. The only way she can know this is from a commercial or a friend because I've never had it on in our house.

So my question is what is this show about and is appropriate for a 6 yr old? I've seen Miley Cyrus on some websites and she looks like another Britney Spears or someone like that. Now I've never watched the show, but it does not seem like it would be something a young child should be watching.

Maybe I am just overprotective...When my dd asks to watch something I will put on Max and Ruby, Backyardigans, etc. Not shows with teenagers dancing and talking about boys. Am I just being naive in thinking I can keep her from these shows?

Ann

[LarsMal]

I'll just say this...when we went to visit my parents last week my 23 yo brother had Hannah Montana on! Now, at first I just thought he was doing it b/c it was a Disney show and he thought Disney= kids, so DS would want it on.

I didn't know the story of Hannah Montana, but he (my bro) was able to fill me in on the whole story! Guess he watches it more than I thought!

From the couple episodes I saw, it wasn't Britney Spears at all. It seemed pretty tame, but I'm sure others who watch it more can let you know if it's appropriate for a 6 yo.

What is the movie rated?

[candybomiller]

My 5.5 year old boy LOVES Hannah Montana.





























I do too.

[cdlamis]

Ann,
I feel the same way. My daughter (5 1/2) loves Hanna Montana even though she has only watched a few episodes of it while at Grandma's house. There is nothing bad on HM, just stuff that she can wait on- like boys, dates, etc. I also would love to stick with Max and Ruby (our favorite!) as long as possible. We let her watch High School Musical. She is obsessed with it. Again, its good clean fun but now I feel like she has entered that tween stage way too early- squealing when the movie comes on, she talking about it at school. I wish I had held out a bit longer and just enjoyed her being 5. Maybe I am just a naive parent since she is my first?

Would love to hear what others have to say.
Daniella

[g-mama]

My 7yo ds loves Hannah Montana, too. I have watched it and it's not at all Britney Spears. I can see why you would be concerned initially because it is about teenagers, but it is quite mild and I'm okay with it. I've seen Miley Cyrus (the actress who plays the character) interviewed and she's nothing like a Britney or Lindsay - she has a good head on her shoulders.

My ds doesn't really watch shows like the ones you mentioned anymore, he thinks they're babyish. I think it was when he started kindergarten that the outside influences started to make a difference. Hannah Montana and High School Musical are what is popular with kids this age and that's what they talk about.

[egoldber]

Sarah has never seen Hannah Montana although she has heard of her. She has seen HSM and proclaimed to "love it". She wanted to watch it over the summer because all the girls in her camp were talking about it. She has never asked to watch it again though.

I count my lucky stars she is still happy to watch Amy's favorites the Backyardigans, Jack's Big Music Show and Teletubbies. And the only shows I tape for her every day are Mr. Rogers and Reading Rainbow.

Some of the kids in her first grade class are so "grown up". But others don't seem to care like her.

[kransden]

HM is (IMHO) a harmless Disney show that is rather conrball. I don't know if your dd will enjoy it, but there will be nothing that she can't see. HM is the current queen of the tween set. There is nothing Britney about her. Whether your dd would enjoy the experience, I am not so sure. My dd loves idea of High School Musical, but not the show. Is your dd the same way about HM?

[SnuggleBuggles]

Haven't watched it. But, I wanted to say I wish I had the same success keeping my ds on preschool shows. He now will cover his ears and run if the TV turns on and something like Dora, Diego, The Backyardigans or some other "little kid show" happens to be on. I have no idea where this aversion came from. I do kind of feel that it is a natural time to move on from those shows. I do think their target audience is for preschool. The Disney channel shows seem ok to me, from what I have seen.

Beth

[egoldber]

I do kind of feel that it is a natural time to move on from those shows. I do think their target audience is for preschool.

Some of them are for preschoolers but not all. There are shows (mainly on PBS I suppose) that are aimed at K and early elementary. Mr. Rogers, Reading Rainbow, Fetch with Ruff, Arthur, Postcards from Buster, Word World, Super Why...

But Sarah likes the songs on the Backyardigans. Heck *I* like the songs on the Backyardigans. ;)

[SnuggleBuggles]

Some of them are for preschoolers but not all. There are shows (mainly on PBS I suppose) that are aimed at K and early elementary. Mr. Rogers, Reading Rainbow, Fetch with Ruff, Arthur, Postcards from Buster, Word World, Super Why...

But Sarah likes the songs on the Backyardigans. Heck *I* like the songs on the Backyardigans. ;)

I was mainly thinking about Noggin. I like The Backyardigans too. :)

Beth

[Davids-Coco]

I love hannah montana... and so does DH. :jammin:

Honestly, I think it is pretty wholesome as far as older kid/preteen/teen shows go. I really like it for some reason.

[s7714]

I watched one of the shows a couple months ago just to see what it was and while I wouldn't have a problem if my DDs accidentally saw an episode of it, I'll by no means be intentionally exposing them to it any time soon.

My real issue with it is that it's just a ridiculous over-hyped cultural fad more than anything. Last week there was even something on the news about a 16 year old boy getting arrested for trying to hijack a plane because he wanted to crash it into a Hanna Montana/Miley Cyrus concert was being held. :eek: That's just ridiculous!

[Corie]

Ann,

My daughter loves to watch Hannah Montana. And she loves
her music. The show is great. I don't even mind watching it.

She is absolutely nothing like Britney Spears. It's just a
fun goofy show.

[caleymama]

I wouldn't have a problem if my DDs accidentally saw an episode of it, I'll by no means be intentionally exposing them to it any time soon.
Those are my thoughts as well, except I've never seen an episode. Both DDs are still just fine with Super Why, Backyardigans, Diego, Dora, Postcards from Buster, Word World, Blue's Clues, Richard Scarry's Busytown, etc. Older DD (5 and in K) is just now getting interested in Reading Rainbow and Between the Lions so I Tivo them for her. She'd watched them before occasionally but never really cared for them. Now that she's reading herself I think they are more interesting. Even Sesame Street is even still fine with her. They both love the Zoboomafoo videos we have (me too!).

A few months ago I actually rented and tried to watch HSM with older DD (to see what all the hype was about and to have a Mom/DD bondng time) and after about 20 minutes she asked me to turn it off. Just not interested. I see lots of kids at younger DDs preschool with Hannah Montana and HSM shirts and accessories. I have no major objection to them but we're just not there yet and I am more than fine with that. They've got plenty of time for tween stuff.

[Pennylane]

I think I just want to keep her "young" as long as possible !! She loves HSM and I have no problem with her watching that and maybe HM is the same, I honestly have never watched the show. I guess I just see some of the girls in her k class talk about boys and kissing and things that seem silly for a 6 yr old to be talking about and assume they are learning it from shows like that.


Ann

[egoldber]

have no major objection to them but we're just not there yet and I am more than fine with that. They've got plenty of time for tween stuff.

These are my thoughts as well. I'm not against HM or HSM. I just feel like there's plenty of time for her to be a tween but right now she's 6, not 10. And with Amy being so much younger than Sarah I want to keep the kiddie stuff around as long as possible!

[kellyd]

As far as I know the HM Movie is just supposed to be a taping of one of her concerts. Disneys way of getting the opportunity out to the masses I'm guessing since I've heard reports of it being tough to get tickets. DH and I watch the show too and honestly i wouldn't have a problem with kids watching it. The storyline is a wholesome take on preteen/teen angst... boy problems, snotty girls in the class, stuff like that. - http://imdb.com/title/tt1127884/ that's the link about the movie on imdb if it helps

[lizajane]

i think you really do have the wrong impression. there was a recent article in a mainstream magazine about miley cyrus and her family. she has rules, chores, bedtimes, etc. while we can't ever really know the truth just from what we read or see on TV, it appears as though she has excellent parents who work hard to keep her head on her shoulders.

i have watched the show. there is a lot of corny, silly stuff like when her brother was supposed to get her birthday cake and he kept dropping it. and her dad got her this awful shirt with a cat on it that she was really embarrassed to wear. another show had a rival at school trying to get onto a singing contest show with hannah montana. no one at school knows that miley IS hannah- she hides her identity so she can be a normal kid. so when the mean girl go on the show, miley tried to embarrass her by covering her in green goop. but miley took the high road in the end and let herself get covered in green goop on TV instead of the mean girl.

it really is very tame. and she is definitely not a poor role model. for heavens sake, her exclamation when something goes wrong for her is "sweet niblets!!"

[TaChapm]

My 5.5 year old boy LOVES Hannah Montana.





























I do too.

Same here! Jackson and I both enjoy the show...actually all the kids do...they like to dance.

Off to hide my head in shame....:shy:

[caleymama]

I just feel like there's plenty of time for her to be a tween but right now she's 6, not 10. And with Amy being so much younger than Sarah I want to keep the kiddie stuff around as long as possible!

I just *know* my younger DD would probably think some of the media DD is not interested in is pretty cool and that's another reason I'm not in any hurry. She's going to be exposed to stuff sooner as it is just b/c she has an older sibling.

[g-mama]

it really is very tame. and she is definitely not a poor role model. for heavens sake, her exclamation when something goes wrong for her is "sweet niblets!!"

Yes, and now that is the exclamation our family uses now, too, thanks to ds!

[Pennylane]

I guess I should just sit and watch an episode and then judge it. I honestly was thinking it was something totally different than what you guys are saying.

I'll post my new update on Monday :)

[MartiesMom2B]

We just came back from the movie. Honestly, you probably won't get tickets. The theater was packed. The 3D effects were cool. Although my almost 5 year old wanted to leave in the middle of it, but then the Jonas Brothers came on. She watches the shows sometimes, but she only knows the songs that come on Radio Disney. The movie was only about an hour long, I don't think it was worth the $15, however my girls own stock in Disney so I guess I should I encourage this.

I also want to say that I like how Miley doesn't dress provactively, like Britney did when she was the same age. She wears light makeup and actually looks like a young teenager and not like a hoochy.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Is the show along the lines of Sabrina the Teenage Witch or Boy Meets World? I used to love those shows. :)

Beth