Fads...

I've been reminded of fads today... I guess I temporarily forgot...silly me...

We went to an 8yr old birthday party and this girl LOVES Hanna Montana. Seemed so funny to me - but I remember way back when all I wanted was Strawberry Shortcake stuff. Then it was Cabbage Patch kids. Then I collected stickers and categorized them in my sticker album (puffy ones, scratch n' sniff, sparkly ones, animals, etc.) Then came the clothes. Anyone remember Normandy Rose jeans, Lawman jeans, Guess jeans, Francois Girbaud jeans, Bum Equipment?
Remember roller skates with the big puffy pom-poms tied on them? LOL!
I thought I just HAD to have it all to be "cool."
For some reason, tonight, I'm annoyed at how people prey on other people to make more $$$$.

To say all that, I'm not saying the party wasn't fun because it was. Sarah especially LOVED the pony they had there.
But children are so impressionable. How do I show my children what is really important in life without being a total Scrooge? I hardly want my little ones idoling a teenager that acts like a spoiled rotten brat. (I've only watched one Hanna Montana show so maybe on the other shows she runs charitable events, speaks about beauty coming from the inside, treating people with respect, using manners, and includes God too?)
I know it's our jobs, as parents, to teach them the things we think are important and we do. But are we, also, responsible as a society to teach our children moral values as well? Seems our society has dropped the ball with this one...but does it come back to the parents taking a stand for morals and we've dropped the ball?