Opting Out of the Twilight and New Moon Craziness?

While all the world is a-twitter about the release of New Moon (the second book and movie in the Twilight series), one would get the impression that this is ALL tween girls are talking about. While New Moon is on track to bust a few movie-going records and has been supported by a star-studded, all-out marketing campaign, a few tweens are opting-out. Miley Cyrus, a tween celebrity favorite, remarked this week during a radio interview that "I don't like anything about it [Twilight]." Ms. Cyrus doesn't believe in vampires and is frightened by werewolves jumping out from the screen.

Several parents have raised concerns about the overt sexualization of New Moon's stunning male leads, Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson, but there is little concern about the content of the story (although the fourth book, Breaking Dawn, is a bit more controversial). Dr. Wendy Walsh, who holds a Ph.D in Clinical Psychology, commented on this topic and writes that Twilight isn't over-sexualizing its stars as much as "keeping up with industry standards, for better or worse". She has used the books to start productive conversations with her tween about relationships, hormones and restraint. Dr. Walsh concludes that her own tween daughter's obsession with Jacob is simply an age-appropriate school-girl crush, and, as a parent, she takes solace in Twilight's teenage sex abstention message.

Is your tween Twilight-obsessed? Are you? Will you be attending opening night of the movie this Friday? Has the series sparked any conversations with your tween?

Photo: Getty Images

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