I love to see this family in the spotlight, and hope that all good things come their way, but I agree with Daniel that Bindi is being exploited. I believe that it is her family that should keep the media from exploiting her. Sometimes the eminent dollar signs keep us from making good decisions.

I particulary agree with the point Daniel makes in his article regarding the family manager - and his comments to the media saying that Bindi's daily wishes are being adhered to - as if she is old enough to make such important decisions on her own! An 8 year old? She is extremely clever and knowledgeable of certain things beyond her years...but?!

My daughter is 13 and insists she is old enough to "hang out" in a big city with her friends of the same age and no adult supervision. At 13 she (and most other 13 year olds) do not have the facilities to handle difficult and dangerous situations that may arise in such a situation. It is up to me as her parent to make the decision FOR HER based on her emotional and physical capabilities, whether she likes my decisions or not. I don't care how much she tells me she wants something. When it has to do with her life, safety and her well-being, there is no debate. It's tough on me to be the "bad guy"...but what else are we here for as parents if we are not here to protect?

All I can think is that Bindi's mom is seeing this as an opportunity to make something good come from a hard situation - boosting her daughter's career - and subsequently her life will be easier in her future? I don't know. I definitely don't think Terri Irwin would deliberately exploit Bindi.

But believing Bindi is capable of making her own decisions at this point in her life is incredibly ludicrous.

In regards to the Bindi exploitation topic, I suggest one should take a look at child rearing. I believe the most important characteristic you can install in a child is self belief and self disciple. Children learn what they live and they pick up traits that last the rest of their lives. How many times have you commmented on an adult behaving like a 5/2 year old. They learned that behaviour when they were 5/2 and obviously the parent re-enforced it as exceptable behaviour.The biggest thing that stops children/people obtaining this life success characteristic is the parents lack of self belief and fear. Bindi's parents ooze self belief and self disciple. They may live a life different from ours but that doesn't mean we should knock them down as we tend to do in Australia. Daniel (sorry if name isn't accurate) I suggest reading the educationalist John Holt"s books "How Children Learn" and "How Children Fail" it will definately give you something to take into concideration. I may not have had the most supportive parents but I'm not going to knock someone down for having the support I didn't.

I saw the Bindi Irwin show on the ABC at the weekend and still can't help thinking this little girl is being exploited.

Yes she's been 'groomed' for show biz and has been berforming for years, but the death of her father changed things.

Bindi was thrust into the limelight even more with his passing.Comments posted earlier quoting their manager as saying she does it because she wants to don't wash. Children don't know what they're doing. They do things because they think (or are told) it will be fun and they do things to please people, especially their family in times of difficulty.

In the show, which is predominantly clips from her dad's docos, she's constantly talking about him "My dad this", "My dad that", "We went here", "We went there". It's surreal,and sad not because Steve Irwin died on the Barrier reef, doing what he knew were the risks of his job, but because I can't help thinking this little girl is living someone else's dream.

I'm sure the adults around her think they're doing the right thing by Bindi, but the constant pushing of Bindi just keeps me coming back to the thought she's there to keep the family business going when the front man has gone