Tattoo U

Had another illuminating conversation with my three-and-a-half-year-old daughter in the car today:

"Mom. I think I'm going to get a b--- tattoo when I'm a bigger kid."

"A birdbath tattoo??!" (I've never heard her use the word "tattoo" before. Neither my husband nor I have any, and tattoos are not a regular topic of conversation at our home. I'm also wondering what kind of nonsense a birdbath tattoo is.)

"No, mom! Ha ha! Not a birdbath tattoo -- a Barbie tattoo!"

(Talk about nonsense.) "Where did you learn about Barbie tattoos?"

"On TV."

(Good grief.) "Do you know what a tattoo is?"

"It's when you put stamps all over yourself. You can put stamps all over Barbie, too."

"Hmmm. Are you talking about putting tattoos on Barbie or putting tattoos on yourself?"

"Both, Mom! I saw it on TV! I think I can get a Barbie tattoo when I'm older!"


Later, out of curiosity, I googled "tattoo barbie" -- my daughter is an imaginative kid, but I just didn't believe she came up with this one on her own. I already know Barbie has a dog that poops -- would it really be so outlandish for there to be a Tattoo Barbie?

Apparently not. And apparently the networks that I so carefully and (I thought) conscientiously chose for my daughter to watch have already blasted the impressionable "Dora" crowd with Tattoo Barbie ads. I never imagined that my daughter would learn about body art from Barbie. (Barbie!) At least she has the sense to realize she has to be "a bigger kid" before she can get any tattoos. Hope she can hold out until she's at least five.