That's Super, Boy!

So at bedtime the other night the 5 year old says to me, "Remember, I want a tattoo like yours."

Actually I didn't.

"But I want Superman, not Batman."

We discuss it a little more. As I talk to him about it more, he explains that he wants one that *never* wears off. Like mine.

I tell him that kids aren't allowed to get tattoos that stay forever. They need to wait until they're big.

He wants one anyway.

I tell him that the people who put the tattoos on aren't even *allowed* to put them on kids.

He suggests that, maybe, I could tell them it's for me, and bring it home, and then I could put it on him instead. Hmm. Points for problem solving.

First, I tell him that it wouldn't be nice to fib. *Then* I explain that real tattoos don't go on like that. (Maybe I'll have to show him the pictures from when I got my tattoo on my last birthday.)

I tell him that maybe I'll use a permanent marker that will stay on for a *while* anyway. That satisfies him. Off to sleep he goes, happy.

Tonight, as I come home from work, he runs up to me. "Dad!! Remember you need to give me a tattoo!!!"

Right. Good memory.

So I go get a red Sharpie marker. Permanent. Draw him a nice little red 'S'. It looks good, he's pretty happy with it. He wants the yellow in there too. So a yellow highlighter finishes the deal.

He tells me that when it comes off, I need to put it back on.



So how long does a permanent marker 'tattoo' stay on a kid's arm, anyway? Strangely enough, even after five kids, I've never had a reason to find out.

Until now. But I guess we'll see.