Scott Couey

Why do we rush to be “grown up?!”

Something has been on my mind lately (not in a “keep me up all night” kind of way, more of a general wondering). Why do former Disney Channel stars feel the need to prove to the world they are “all grown up” now? Miley Cyrus has been caught doing everything from smoking a bong to dressing very provocatively for her age. Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens are both trying to disassociate themselves from their Disney squeaky-clean, good girl images with a new indie movie. Demi Lovato hit one of her backup dancers and then ended up going to rehab.

If you think I’m just calling out the ladies of former Disney shows, the guys aren’t exactly angels either. Former Disney star Mitchell Musso was busted for a DUI and he was only 20 years old at the time. Not to mention Musso’s numerous tattoos – did he not think about how they will look when he’s sixty and has “moobs” like Steven Tyler? In a 2010 interview, Disney star Hutch Dano (18 years old at the time) was asked by a reporter “What do you think of the fact that when you type ‘Hutch Dano’ into Google, one of the first suggestions it makes is ‘Hutch Dano shirt off?'” and his response was that he “became immediately uncomfortable.” Apparently it no longer makes him uncomfortable because he is now posing for shirtless pictures. Disney’s High School Musical star Zac Efron is trying to shed his Disney image as well.

I was devastated when 80s pop stars Debbie Gibson and Tiffany both posed nude for Playboy because they were my age and were good, clean, wholesome role models prior to this. I’m afraid the same is going to happen to these kids. How much longer until Playboy comes out with a “Former Darlings of Disney” issue (the thought totally creeps me out by the way)?! I also hope that none of these guys get caught in a sexting scandal like Anthony Weiner or Brett Favre. I just don’t understand why they feel they have to go to the extreme to prove to people they are no longer a little kid.

It’s been proven that one of the basic human needs is a sense of belonging, but I think we as a society tend to take it to the wrong extreme. Why can’t someone enjoy their childhood and not worry about proving that they are an adult? As I get older, I wish I had embraced my childhood longer – as an adult you have to worry about bills, work, money, relationships, and more. I wish I could tell these former Disney stars not to stress so much about proving to the world they are no longer a kid. I also wish I could go back in time and tell my younger self to enjoy life more and not worry about growing up so much.

If you could tell these former Disney stars one thing, what would it be? If you could go back in time and tell your childhood self one thing, what would it be?

Photo Credit: By Silwertand