Little Women

While far too many young Americans go to the Peter Pan school of adulthood, another, equally disturbing phenomena occurs: parents encouraging their children to be mini-adults. A friend relayed a story about her daughter's friend whose mother believes that her average little gnome is destined for Britney Spears greatness. And she does believe Britney is a worthy role model.

How old do you think the girl in the picture is? And where is her mother? Here's her mother's point-of-view when taken to task by the article's author:

Surely, she and Bethany's mother Catherine could stop pandering to their daughters' unhealthy obsession with their looks and refuse to pay for it?

Catherine says: "If her nails need doing or the tan needs topping up, Bethany complains she doesn't feel right - a feeling lots of women can associate with."

At a recent family party, Catherine recalls how a 14-year-old boy pursued her nine-year-old daughter.

"He wouldn't leave her alone all night, which made me feel very uncomfortable," says Catherine, who runs a furniture business with husband David, 42, in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.

"But thankfully she told him she was **** and not interested in him.

"I felt a little guilty because of the part I play in Bethany looking older than she is, but all her friends are the same, and when she works hard at school I'm loath to deny her the beauty treats she loves."

The cause of twenty-something adult babies and over-adult children is the same: indulgent parents with no sense. The adults rankle at having ever been told "no" themselves and will indulge in their licentiousness as parents--allowing their children to do all the things they weren't allowed to do as a kid.

As usual, how these parents raise their children is about them, not the child. The parent doesn't want to be the bad guy, or the grown up. The parent mourns all their missed opportunities to be Britney Spears and will go to any lengths and do anything to make sure their child has fame. Some goal, that. The parents focus on the superficial and transitory and their lives are devoid of spiritual or even natural meaning.

How will these children cope with the disappointment when they grow up and find out they get old and ugly just like everyone else yet their mind and spirit, which can still flower and develop through the years, has shriveled from disuse?

These adult children will be the ones still living with mommy and daddy in their twenties. No one else will feed their monster-sized egos. Look at how Britney Spears has reacted to tough love from her friends and family. It's not pretty.

Oh, and the girl in the picture is nine.