Overheard...

A few days back, I overheard two of my 4 year old little girls talking....


A: "I'm getting my nose pierced when I get big."

"Well, I'm getting a ring in my tongue." replies C (sticks tongue WAY out and pulls on it with her fingers)

" Oh, yeeeeeaaaahhh." A says, as she rolls the idea around in her head. "I'm probably getting a ring in my tongue, too."


Surprised that they even know that the nose and tongue can be pierced, I asked them if they know anybody with a nose/tongue ring. "No." they both reply. Really? Do kids these days just come out of the womb wanting to stick a bar through any piece of flesh they can? Not that I care, really. I mean, adults can obviously pierce any body part they wish. And I am certainly not bothered by it. (unless its excessive and they start looking like they might leak if they drank too much water.) If it weren't for my intense metal allergy, I'd totally have more piercings then five I have. I'd be all about it 'cause I love all things sparkly and girlie.

But already thinking about it at 4? Wowza. And since I know both these girls' parents and I know that they aren't being raised by punk rockers or bikers...but are instead growing up in households of bankers, insurance adjusters and professional type people...I can only assume they got those ideas from media outlets maybe?? Although all we watch are PBS shows here and I've never seen the Today, Big Bird gets a Bar in his Beak. Brought to you by the letter B episode. Hello! Its called Sesame Street, not Puppets with street cred. Again, not that I really think its a bad thing...its just...well...at four? Life should be all about rainbows and princesses. Pastel colors and glitter. Stickers and bubblegum smelling lip gloss. ABC's and 123's. All that stuff. At least, that is how I want it to be for them.

They have the rest of their lives to be big and to do big things. Be little for now.

So, I told the girls..."You know, getting a piercing hurts. Its just like a shot, except maybe even hurts more than a shot."

Wide eyed, they both looked me. Because shots are the worst to little kids. Just say the word and they freak.

"NO WAY!!!" A screeches, "I'm NOT getting anything that feels like a shot!"
C, who is more reserved, calmly says "Well, maybe I don't want to get my tongue pierced."


I smiled to myself, hoping that I had steered their thoughts away from all things grown up. "Girls, let's get the glitter paint out and paint some rainbows and flowers", I suggested. "YEAH!!!" they exclaimed. And as I was digging in the art cabinet I overheard A telling C....

"I am not getting a nose ring if it feels like a shot!! I'll just get a tattoo instead!!"


Sigh....

Much love.