Barbie

I'm starting to question whether I should be the one influencing my children during playtime. No matter how hard I try I always seem to say something questionable that then gets repeated a million times over. Today for example, my normally tom boyish, little girl, Edie, insisted on playing Barbie's with me. I admit I was THRILLED! I started brushing their hair, and talking about the wonderful Ball we could attend, but before Rapunzel's horse could come and pick us up... Edie pulled off all their clothes and was casually conversing about "being naked" and "having a gina (vagina) too". Well this kind of conversation is not really my cup of tea, so I hung quietly in the background brushing Rapunzel's horses hair. Despite her conversation about "Gina's" I remained happy she decided to play with a doll instead of her brother's batman cave.

Now yes, I admit to teaching my kids the names for their body parts - and the proper names at that...as well as all the nicknames...but I digress. Soon Gabe was fascinated by the barbies and their lack of clothing, and he loudly announced that they all had "Barbie Boobies". Well anyone who doesn't find it hilarious -a three year old making an awesome alliteration like that - is just prudish. So I chuckled to myself and agreed with Gabe, they do indeed have Barbie Boobies. Our weird and slightly awkward Barbie play continued a little while longer, but soon it was time to clean up and I started to put all the Barbie's clothes back on - Edie was long gone, coloring somewhere in the corner by then, and Gabe picked up one of the dresses and asked which Barbie it went to. Well now out of my mouth pops an expression I should have probably kept to myself because the next thing I know he has named...NAMED...the Barbie this.

I told him the dress belonged to "Skanky" the Barbie.  I think I'm all clever and hilarious until he takes the doll to his batman and says, "Hi, my name is Skanky - what's your name?" (Inner groan commences). And I mean...come on! This Barbie has black, four inch (Scaled to size of course) high heels, a short dress that has only one strap, and eye makeup any proud corner owner would do justice with! Now was it smart to tell my son that she was Skanky the Barbie...in retrospect...not so much. But I think the bigger offence here is the fact the Barbie could be named Skanky and no one would think twice about it...and people would probably still buy the doll for their daughters!


....FYI...I was not the purchaser of this particular doll...that unfortunate choice lays at the feet of my oblivious husband!

Oh Barbie...what have they done to you....

And sorry Gabriel...for your new and unfortunate word - or name - as you now know it to be.