Croc Hunter's Daughter: 'Wildlife Warrior'

[Roon]

WASHINGTON -- Bindi Irwin is ready to continue her famous father's work spreading the wonder of wildlife.

"I'm going to become a wildlife warrior just like he was," 8-year-old Bindi, daughter of the late Steve Irwin, told an audience Friday at Washington's National Press Club.

Five months after Steve Irwin was killed by a stingray, Bindi and her mother Terri are touring the United States to promote Bindi's upcoming television series.

"Grief is a road that each individual travels in their own way," Terri said, her daughter by her side. "For us to get right back up and be able to say that Steve's work counted for something" has been a help to the Irwin family and others.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/nationalnews/10796779/detail.html

[jpgray]

1. I applaud his conservation work and his obvious love for animals

But the confrontational approach attributed to him, whether it was real or imagined, is kind of unsettling.

[Arugula Latte]

2. Just a sidenote question, but:

has anyone noticed that Bindi seems to have an American accent? I know her mother is a Yank, but doesn't she spend most of her time in Oz? :shrug:

BTW, that little girl's poise and presence is astonishing, IMO.

[deucemagnet]

3. I was thinking the same thing when I saw her on Letterman.

Her mom basically sat back and let Letterman do the entire interview with Bindi.

On edit: I was referring to how poised and articulate she is. I didn't really pick up on the accent.

[LostinVA]

6. Huh -- I've always heard her speak with an Australian accent

[Arugula Latte]

16. Actually, I just watched the Letterman interview and she did sound Australian

I'd previously seen a different interview, however, and she had a very American accent. Weird.

[Scout1071]

11. Actually, they live in Australia.

And I saw the press conference yesterday and Terry said they would continue living in Australia. They actually live in the Australian zoo.

And yes, she seems like a pretty amazing little girl.

I wish them well.

[DesertRat]

4. She doesn't attend school and is always with adults.

I think that this little girl is missing out on a childhood. Can't being a "wildlife warrior" and performing shows for a living wait a few years?


"Bindi, and her mother, Terri, appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres show in Los Angeles, telling the audience she wanted to "try and be" her father.

"I feel like I'm him. All over ... I want him to be proud of me," she said.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/people/i-feel-like-im-dad-bindi/2007/01/12/1168105154504.html

[LostinVA]

5. Terri and Steve are/were loving parents

There is no way they wouldn't do the best for their kids, including Bindi. Hav eyou seen the kid with animals? She's doing what she loves, that much is very obvious.

And, I'm sure Aussie laws are like US laws -- she's getting schooling.

[DesertRat]

13. I know that she's being homeschooled

I just hope that she doesn't grow up to have some of the problems that have plagued other child stars who never had a real childhood.

[LostinVA]

15. I wouldn't call Bindi Sue a child star

[Bombtrack]

21. Um, well you should because she is one. The most famous person her age on her continent, maybe Earth

If she isn't a child star who the hell is ?

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

7. The kid is doing what she loves.

That's a pretty envious childhood. And I'm sure she's being homeschooled. It's not like they could neglect her education.

[LeftyMom]

8. With so many interesting educational opportunites, I don't think it'd be possible

I suppose she could fall a bit behind in math or something, but she'd wind up way ahead of her peers in science just by paying attention, and she's surrounded by educated adults who obviously dote on her (how could they not? she's adorable and clearly very bright) so she has no lack of opportunities to learn.

[Jamastiene]

19. Math, unlike the commonly held belief, is not the be all end all.

I had to go through all sorts of math to get to this point in my computer engineering degree classes. We have yet to use any of that math, other than the most basic math, in any of our classes and this is my last semester of it. I sure hope Bindi gets to do what she wants given the circumstances with our planet. It would be a shame to discourage anyone (child or adult) who wants to do something to help.

[WindRavenX]

12. I WISH I could do what she does

And get paid for it...damn you reality!!

[Jamastiene]

18. Where I come from,

childhood is when you actually care for the environment and animals, then when you grow up, you get with the big picture and help the rest of the adults destroy the Earth and its inhabitants. If she wants to protect wildlife, I say let her. It's her choice and her decision. Maybe that is what is wrong with our society; that stiff unflinching belief that children should go to school to learn football, soccer, and gymnastics instead of something useful that they can use for good in the world. Maybe she has home schooling. She already knows more about animals at her age than I did at her age and I had a set of encyclopedias. I say more power to her and I hope she succeeds.

[grace0418]

9. Gosh she's a fantastic little girl, and she looks just like her dad.

I bet he is so proud of her.

[sammythecat]

10. Just saw her on YouTube with Letterman,

what an incredible and delightful little girl. If I could have a daughter I'd pick one just like that.

[skygazer]

14. I have mixed feelings about a lot of this

I don't know these people so it's impossible to say what the reality is for them, of course. And I'm sure both Irwins were devoted parents and Terri still is, wanting only the best for their kids. But I get a little uncomfortable when there's such seeming finality in a child's life direction at such a young age. Even though the kid is certain right now that this is what she wants, it sometimes happens that they get locked into a direction that only later they realize they've chosen because they know their parents want it so badly.

To kind of illustrate -

I have a good friend - we're both in our 40's now. We grew up together. Both her parents were in the medical field and they were delighted and proud when she announced at about the age of 8 that she was going to grow up to be a vet.

Now mind you, these were wonderful parents and they never, ever pushed her or gave the impression that they expected her to do this. But at the same time, they never really expressed anything to give her the impression that there were other options, that there was plenty of time to look into other directions, etc. They always evinced pride and joy that she had chosen to go into a medical field and there was kind of a family tunnel vision about it.

She did become a vet and while she likes it, she's realized that much of the reason she did is because at a certain point, she began to feel obligated to do so. It had gone from a dream to an expectation without either her or her parents realizing it. I think her parents (both dead now) would be horrified to think that they pressured her in any way but the truth is, by never treating it as one of many options, they did.

Terri and Steve were rightfully proud of their daughter's ambitions but I have to wonder if at the age of 8, they're really her ambitions or if they're largely a way of making her parents proud. Maybe they are and if so, fine. But I just think kids ought to be able to be kids without that amount of pressure on them.

JMO

[Gormy Cuss]

17. I know what you mean.

I think Steve's death could place an extra burden on her to feel like it's her obligation to do his work.
We can only trust that her family is leaving the door open for Bindi to pursue other interests should she choose. I wish the best for her and her younger brother.

[Missy Vixen]

20. I was uncomfortable at the idea

that the child's father has been gone for four months, and she is now on a cross-country promotional tour with her mother. While I'm sure the mother is a very nice person, I think she's in shock of her own.

>But I just think kids ought to be able to be kids without that amount of pressure on them.<

I was told after the deaths of both of my parents to NOT make major decisions for a year, and I was 30. It turned out to be very good advice. Obviously, I'm not her, and I'm not her parent. I fail to understand why Bindi needs to be making appearances on network television right now when perhaps the best thing may be to spend some time with her family, and as mentioned above, spend some time just being a little girl.

IMHO, YMMV,
Julie