                     
                     // set the child's parent to this for now (when initializing styles,
                     // we'll have to do some funky business).
-                    child.mx_internal::_parent = this;
+                    child._parent = this;
                     
                     // Set the nestLevel of the child to be one greater
                     // than the nestLevel of this component.

        _width = this.width;
        _height = this.height;
        
        mx_internal::$scaleX = mx_internal::$scaleY = 1;
        
        removeEventListener(Event.ADDED, addedHandler);
        removeEventListener(Event.REMOVED, removedHandler);

        if (!myParent.scaleContentWhenResized)
        {
            // apply the scale to the width/height
            containerWidth *= myParent.scaleXDueToSizing;
            containerHeight *= myParent.scaleYDueToSizing;
        }
        
        // Size the flex content to what they want to be, 
