Willow Smith- "Summer Fling"
I love me some Smith kids like everybody else does. I named my first born Jadan. I hate to admit it, but that is where I got the name... From their first born. (Is that weird? Now that I just admitted that... I'm also torn on that) :) I just am really having a hard time understanding the uproar about this particular video. I sort of miss the hair whipping of yesteryear. It was all so simple and innocent. We all just knew we loved it :) (And quote it repeatedly. To this day. Enough already.) :)
I've been hearing all the backlash involved with Willow's new song. I have to say, I just don't get it. Who really cares if twelve year old girls like a boy over the Summer? I honestly couldn't give a shit. News flash... It's NORMAL. I have watched the video several times, looking for signs of heavy petting or dry humping... and, alas, there are none. It's just a song about being a preteen/teenage girl in the summer, and liking a boy for a few months. Is this honestly hot news? I can't say it is.
I'm surrounded by 12 and 13 year old girls regularly. They all giggle and laugh about boys, and who is dating whom. It's adorable, and completely expected. I recall being that age. It was when boys finally got rid of their cooties! I would prance around my house telling my parents I was 'Going with' whichever boy had my interest at the time. They would laugh, and ask me (Just to piss me off, of course) "Where do you plan on 'going', Salina?" To which I would respond, "Oh my gaaawwwdddaaahhh... Daaadddaaaahhh... Nooooahhhh! Stop iiitaaaahhh!" And then run to my room and slam my door. (That was the beginning of my no-door-on-the-hinges faze... I never learned my lesson. For real, I still slam doors. It's like punctuation. It is. And you only understand that if you have Estrogen. Estrogen makes you do it.)
In fact, my daughter was 'dating' someone, for pretty much the entire last half of the school year. When she first asked me if she could... 'date'... this boy, I had to think about it. For a hot second. I mean, it's not like he is gonna pick her up in his Dad's car, and take her somewhere for an actual date and second base! It just means she gets to have her first experience dealing with boys that aren't her brother or cousin. They texted a bunch, changed their Instagram status to 'Taken', avoided each other at the local carnival, ate lunch together at school, never saw each other.... and he carried her crap to her bus for her when she was on crutches. Super sleezy, right? :) They recently broke up, and that was a good lesson for her as well. She learned that she is more into dance and her friends, than any boy... no matter how darling he is :) And she listens to pop music. Including Rhianna... who is always crackin' windows, and singing about the smell of her relations. (Personally, I think that girl needs to see a doctor... but who am I to judge) :) Regardless of what songs my kid is listening to, she has had her first experience with puppy love... and nobody coerced her to do it. Not even Rhianna. :) She is just at that age where she wants to test the boy waters. I'm okay with that. For now. :)
I'm not saying anyone has to agree with me. I realize that until you actually have a preteen daughter, you think you have everything all mapped out. I am that mom. I map out everything! It never fails to backfire, however. I have adopted more of a "Roll with the punches" map these days. It's always a surprise how off my planned course I am. :)
Sorry... back to Willow... (See! My maps are always all over the place! Aren't you glad you aren't my kid?!) :)
Our society and media are always so quick to drum up judgmental drama surrounding everything. Even simple things, like an innocent song- I get that. But, I can guarantee you that any preteen/teen girl with a solid view of herself, wouldn't take "Summer Fling" as an excuse to go get knocked up, shave the sides of her head... and have Raggedy Ann style... blonde hair? (That part alarms me more than the rest of it. Can someone fire her stylist!? I'm so old... I don't want to start replicating that look on anyone... holy shit.) :) I mean, Kriss Kross had a whole slew of 12 year old boys thinking they were 'miggidy, miggidy, miggidy mac daddies'... and fortunately, we all lived. :) When I was growing up, Madonna was the target of blame. "Like A Virgin" became the anthem of every belligerent, hormonal girl, who was trying to piss off her parents. We all made it out unscathed from Madonna's inappropriate grasp, as well! Surprisingly, Madonna actually gave me the best advice about raising a daughter, that anyone ever has! On an Oprah episode, Oprah asked her what she would teach her daughter about men. Madonna replied with, "If I teach her self-respect, I won't need to teach her anything about men." A-frickenmen! Changed my life. She is right. No song or movie, or teen idol should be able to sway your kid into bad behavior. As parents, we need to start at home, and quit looking for scapegoats to blame our daughters' shit on. For now, I can sleep well, knowing my kid has a dad who is her b/f/f, a supportive family, great morals and values, wonderful self esteem, and a hovering mother. Go ahead, Willow... sing about whatever you want. We're covered. :) (Until my unruly map fails again... we'll see.)
*Disclaimer- Don't get me wrong, I'm not making light of teenagers 'doing it'. I see pregnant little girls all the time. It breaks my heart in half, and makes me really appreciate my upbringing. It's tragic, and I wish there was something I could personally do about it. My point is just that I'm pretty sure that didn't happen because of a song. I could be wrong... wouldn't be the first time, but I just can't seem to think that is the case. We sensor what we can as parents, but it's just never enough. Music is a huge part of our lives, and some of that is just out of my control. If my daughter or son make me a Grandma before I'm 40... I'll probably just blame the other kid. True story. :)
So, in closing, I guess I would just like to give a big, fat Kudos to the Smith family. Once again, they have taken a mediocre song, with very little musical appeal, and made it an internet/media sensation that we will never forget! I think this was a detour on their map... that was planned long in advance. Well played. :)
