My older daughter, L, loves to sit with me as I put my makeup on. She likes to play with all of my makeup brushes. I don’t mind because she plays nice and always cleans up after herself.

So, I’m putting on eyeliner and watching TV, not paying much attention to L and her brushes until I hear her ask, in her best ‘baby brush’ voice, where Daddy is.

I glance up and notice that she’s holding two large brushes in one hand, one taller than the other, as well as three tiny brushes in her other hand.

A quick line of questioning determines that she is playing ‘family’ with them.

My curiosity is suddenly peaked. Which brush is the Daddy? Would she automatically assume the larger brush is the Daddy?

I ask her. And, yes, the larger brush is the Daddy. Why? Being that she’s only 2 ½ she hasn’t yet been conditioned by society to believe that men are traditionally taller or larger in any way. I am taller than her father. (Just don’t tell him I told you that. As far as he’s concerned he’s taller than I am. winkwink*) I assume much more of a leadership role around the house. (Yep, that’s right. I wear the pants.) So why is it that the big brush is the Daddy brush while the smaller (much prettier) brush is the Mommy?

I’m baffled. Maybe the stereotypes thought to be drilled into our heads via society are really much more innate that initially believed to be. Facinating.

Regardless of her reasons, I will never know exactly what prompted her to make the choice she did. And that’s ok. Because, for now, all curiosity aside, I am content to watch her play house with my makeup brushes. Before long, she’ll have her own makeup, her own makeup case, her own beauty routine. And call me crazy, but I’m guessing, Mommy won’t be allowed to sit and play house with her brushes.