The Little Girl Who Grew Up |
I usually eschew Hollywood news, but it's hard to ignore when it's being shoved in your face. The headlines are nothing but tabloid feeds. I need to remind myself that there's hard news about the government, the war, and new laws that affect my life. But when the celeb-hungry press routinely produces the "when girls go bad" stuff, I am heartsick to see the haste with which they tell the world all the excruciating details. They forget the other victims; they forget the pain it causes the moms.
Take Lindsay Lohan, who just spent time in an expensive rehab facility. She turned herself over to the police for a DUI violation and a hit-and-run misdemeanor. Now she's run smack into another DUI and a drug possession. She's 21, an adult. So although Mom has been telling her daily to avoid the bottle, the drugs, and the partying with the ne'er-do-wells who surround the stars, she has the right to ignore that advice. Unfortunately, it's Lohan's mom who gets to regularly enjoy all the articles about her daughter's drinking, drug addiction, and her DUI. She probably gets a ton of phone calls: "Well, well, Mrs. Lohan, what's happened to your little girl?"
What's her mom thinking: My little girl has grown up into an alcoholic, a drug addict, a criminal? I'm guessing she just wants everyone to leave her little girl alone. Do we help Lohan's mom by ignoring the news? Do we care? Are we that apathetic to a mother's heartbreak? Or is Lohan, like Paris Hilton, fair game? Celebrities lose privacy, we gain gossip. What a trade.
When little girls grow up and get DUIs, their whole family suffers.
I have little girls -- okay, not so little any more. They've gone through a great deal, and I admire them for it. They've had their share of near disasters, but I'm relieved to know they had the common sense to get out of a situation before it got out of hand. Luckily they have had better friends than Paris and Lindsay. But I think I'd be hard-pressed not to play protective mommy if they were in a similar fix as the Lohans. I'd request a respect for our family's privacy. No, I'd demand it. Not one word would leak out. Enquiring minds would have to enquire elsewhere.
I encourage women (as well as my own little women) to help other women trade the bottom of a bottle for a happier, more peaceful life. Put down the People and look around -- your girlfriends, sisters and daughters are suffering.
And Mrs. Lohan? Give your little girl a ride outta Hollywood. |
Bernadette Sukley |
| About the author: |
| Bernadette Sukley has written, edited, fact checked for nearly 20 years. Her topics range from health to sports and lifestyle, from human interest to hard news. Her work has appeared in Men’s Health, Sports Illustrated for Women, and ABROAD magazines. Currently polishing up 3 novels for publication, she welcomes discussions on women and literature.
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