Teen Idol Inspiration: One Direction and my 11 year old daughter

They are crying for One Direction, huh mom?

Kendall and I watched the “This is Us” trailer together.  At one point, she turned away from the images of teeming, hysterical fans, “They are crying for One Direction, huh mom?”  I remember my first wide-eyed crushes.  Michael Jackson smiled back at me from the walls of my locker with his mysterious single globe and seemingly dangerous songs about love in a graveyard and obsessed fans.  A foray into the international sounds of Duran Duran (mainly Rob Taylor) and Menudo, who to this day I have not actually listened to, only gazed lovingly at the magazine fold-out taped to my wall.  I was truly boy-crazy, imagining what they would say if they could spend an evening doing homework with me, wondering what it would be like when I could finally kiss a boy every bit as cute as the faces I saw on those posters.

Five normal lads having the time of their life.

In sharp contrast, 11-year-old Kendall is a pint-sized dreamer who once declared third-grade as her year and then made it so.  Where I imagined meeting my teen idols, she imagines BEING in the shoes of those on stage.  I just wanted to fit in; she wants to influence and change the world.

“This is Us” is about “five normal lads having the time of their life.”  For an American girl, the lads are strangely named, Niall, Zayne, Liam, Harry and Louis, yet there is nothing particularly strange about their almost absurdly normal roots in working class families.  Kendall doesn’t seem so enthralled with the screaming fans and I’m not sure she has more than a cursory interest what I see as truly good looking and charming young men.  She interested in the “normal” side of the story, the behind-the-scenes glimpses into the lives of artists and human beings.  The special opportunities to serve others, Zayn buying his mother a house.  Maintaining friendships in the middle of what looks like overwhelming fan-sanity.  And why the One Direction lads are so interested in returning to their (what’s working class, mom) roots and hanging out with people who knew them before they were famous.

Planting a seed:  Anything is possible.

She also has a curiosity about the power of their connection with the public.  What is about THESE young men that is so influential and energizing?  Why did we choose them?

I think One Direction’s story will plant a seed.  “This is Us” will show Kendall another world of possibilities, beyond the safe and suburban life we live.  And who knows?  Maybe someday, she will be an normal girl having the time of her life, just like the One Direction lads.

• Kendall and I are going to see the One Direction concert movie, “This is Us” on August 30th.  Are you going to go?  The One Direction fans are hyped- let me know what you think and check out what they are saying at #1DThisIsUs.
• Check out all kinds of juicy behind the scenes bits about their thoughts on the tour, their families and their backgrounds.
• Watch One Direction live from the Red Carpet!

This post was sponsored by One Direction: This is Us.  Kendall’s opinion, however, was all her!  I hope you enjoyed it.