Dream Job?

Aurora has a series of sticker books that are a modern take on paper dolls. Each page has a scene with pictures of people on it, and there are clothing and accessory stickers you can stick on the dolls. Aurora just turned 4 1/2. She loves these books.

One of her most recent sticker books is called Dream Jobs.  There are 3 girls who pose in different scenarios of jobs they would like to have: Costume Designer, Professional Snowboarder, Safari Vet, etc. To my surprise and horror, one Dream Job listed is Forensic Scientist. "One of Becca's dream jobs is to become a forensic scientist." It goes on to describe studying crime scenes, dusting for fingerprints, and collecting clothing to check for hairs and blood. "This would help detectives to solve the crime."

If you look closely at the photo, it depicts a jewelry heist crime scene, complete with a work boot footprint and blood. One of the choices of clothing is a hazmat suit. The other two girls are a security guard and a police officer. Feminists unite!

Who do they think is playing with paper dolls, ten to twelve year olds?? I don't think so. Seriously, I have to explain what on earth a forensic scientist is? "What's evidence? Why is there blood? Why does she need to check the clothing for hair?" Aurora has not asked any of these questions, thank goodness; she just likes to put the stickers on the dolls.

When I was 4, I didn't know what a forensic scientist was, and to me, a dream job was being a mommy, teacher, vet, and artist. If you want to get politically correct, swap the crime scene for a construction site, and if you want blood, show a doctor dream job. To Aurora, the closest thing to a crime is when that little girl pushed her in ballet class--she still talks about it.

Let's keep our kids blissfully unaware for a few more years, folks. My dream job is being a nanny.