Daughter wants a tattoo!

[Oldcountryboy]

I told her only if she'll get grapes tattooed on her. That way when she gets older the grapes will turn to raisins!


But seriously, she does want a tattoo of somekind. She's only 14 and a lot of her friends have them. Seems now days almost everyone has them. I've always wanted one but never gotten one due to being a bit too religious.

When I was a young man I was taught that we are to keep our bodies pure as we are suppose to treat our bodies as the temple of God. Well I haven't done so well with that lecture. I use to try to drown my body with beer every weekend. Filled my lungs with pot and my gut with speed. Just dang near killed myself by the time I was 30. But through it all, I never had a tatoo place on my body anywhere. I no longer treat my body like that anymore but I do over indulge in food and it shows badly.

But anywho, I'm still somewhat hung up on the lecture and I don't really want to give her my personel permission. Her mom (ex-wife) is all for it. But I'm thinking of just giving my daughter the permission of making her own decision. She is smart and very mature for her age. She makes mostly A's and maybe a B or two. So I think I'll give her the lecture I was given and leave it up to her to make her own choice. I wont hold it against her if she gets one as if she really wants one, she'll probably get one when she's on her own anyway.

What's your input on this?

[Alice In TX/MO]

I think she should wait till she is 18.

I'm 58, and I got my first tattoo at age 40.

If you decide to cave in, tell her that you have to go with her when she gets it. That way, you'll KNOW if the place is clean or not.

[Oggie]

If she decides that she wants a tattoo with words on it, tell her she should make doubly sure that they're spelled correctly -- just in case she might some day want to take a job outside of Oklahoma.

[mekasmom]

She is 14. She doesn't need a tattoo. She can't get one without your permission. Just don't go to a tattoo shop and give it. If her mother does, then shame on her. But that is on her shoulders not yours. Your child is too beautiful to mar her body with hideous permanent ink stains. All children are too beautiful for that. Don't give her your permission to do that. You love her more than that.

[Steve in PA]

My son is 15 and wants one. Not bad, but he wants one. I told him when he's older he can get one but he should write down what he wants and revisit it after a year to see if he still wants it. We're both Michigan Wolverine fans so I told him if he gets arms as big as LaMarr Woodley I'd even pay for it since he wants a wolverine.

I'm not too worried I'll be paying up no matter how much he hits the gym.

[MullersLaneFarm]

I got my first tat when I was 23. My Daddy (who was 8 years in the Navy) was so totally against body art. I made the mistake of telling my older brother about my tat ... first time he, my Daddy & I were together, he made a point of asking how my tat was doing.

Of course, Daddy wanted to see it (Thankfully, it was on my back ... the whole upper shoulder area) and was tasteful (a peacock)

All my Daddy said, was, "Well, good thing you don't have to see it get old."

Your 14 yo daughter does NOT need a permanent tattoo on her body. Just say 'NO!' or "Hell NO!" If you think she may get one without your permission (by using another adult as her 'guardian'), go around to the local tat shops with a printed pic of your daughter with the caption, "This girl is underage. Do Not give her a tattoo.) Not sure how may tat shops are in your area to make this feasible though.

There are plenty of removable tats out there if she needs something to get through this time of her life of 'everyone is doing it'.

[Lilith]

My advice is to make her a deal. The deal is that she can get a tattoo if she picks out a specific design and waits 365 days. If she still wants the same design in the same location, then it is something she really wants and something that means a great deal to her. If she forgets in that year ... well you win anyways. Just make sure that when you make the deal, that you have everything in writing from her. Keep a copy of the design she wants. I started making this deal with my Mom at age 14, and it took me till age 21 to make it the full year, and what do you know ... I have no regrets.

[Pearl B]

She doesnt know it, she is too young. Each to their own however.
To me there is nothing uglier than a young person with half their body tatted up.
How about a temporaty tatto? They are all the rage and wear off. Plus she can keep getting new ones.
Good luck.

[mrsgcpete]

around here you cant get in to a shop unless you are 16, state law. or get a tattoo until you are 18... i am all for tattoos.. but there are a few rules in my family. you only get tattoos in places that can be hidden by clothes and dont get anything stupid. that eliminates anything misspelled, everything on the flash wall, boyfriends/girlfriends names, cartoon characters, famous people and frogs with claws (long story, not mine).

[Otter]

My brother apprenticed at 16 to be a tattoo artist.
Naturally, this gave all my siblings HUGE, MASSIVE desire for tattoos.

My Dad made a very simple rule. He said told us all that tattoos were forever, and asked us all to list some things that seemed like brilliant ideas when we were twelve. Much laughing later, he said that at least none of that is as permanent as a tattoo, and if we really, really wanted one, then Older Brother would sketch it out, and Silbing and Dad would initial and date it.

If you still wanted that exact, same tattoo, totally unchanged in 2 years, then you had Dad's blessing.
If you wanted to revise it, it could be re-drawn, initialed and dated and then same deal, 2 years.

That didn't seem unreasonable to any of us, and Dad was right, it was plenty long enough to grow out of a bad idea. The tattoos gotten that way, everyone is still very happy with 15 years later.

[Big Dave]

DO NOT GIVE IN MY FRIEND. Here is another true story from the Dave chronicles. Joe Dale wanted a big crusifix tattoed on his chest. Went in and picked out one that has the points on the ends. Red and green embellishments on the arms. It took three hours. He want to relax and you can't move while it is getting done. He placed his right arm behind his head and let the artist do his thing. After the three hours it looked just like the picture. Joe Dale got up to look in the mirror. He put down his right arm to his side. That is when the right side of the cross went down ward. I now looks like a Railroad crossing signal. Can not be fixed.
Just say no. You will not be popular but you are the parent not the buddy. Good fortune to ya.

[salmonslayer]

I am in the no tattoo camp but perhaps you could offer that she get a piercing instead. Piercings can be removed and go away, tattoos do not.

It used to be tattoos were for the rebels and individualists and sailors, soldiers and bikers, now everyone has them and they have zero meaning other than "I wanna be like everyone else" and that is what your going to be fighting against since kids do want to be like everyone else.

I also have to add that BigDave's story is hilarious. I had a friend once that was showing off his new tattoo all proud until we pointed out his "Scorpio" above a scorpion was tattooed "Scropio" .

[Bob Huntress]

I was just started A school when I got my tattoo. I was 24, and I wish I hadn't. I'ld say "No". Fourteen is to young to even consider a tattoo. Tattoo's send a message. Mine says how I was either a sailor or convict, which tattoos meant in those days. I was in the Navy at the time. When girls get tattoos it usually sends the message that they are that type of girl. Sometimes a tattoo is a clear indicator that the person is a complete freak. I don't constantly berate my son over his, yet, if I had a chance to prior to the ink getting applied, I would have attempted to portray tattoos as the waste they are. I am sure that I have explained my position on hypocrisy, and I fully admit that I do have an unfinished sailor Bart Simpson on my right shoulder. The banner is empty. The dixie cup hat and red neckercheif is missing, but the Bart is there with a blue shortsleeve shirt. I am not telling others that it is okay for me, but not for them. I am saying that when people see my tattoo, they talk to me differently. Sure many of my church brothers dismiss it with Christ blood saving me from "That type of life", but they don't take me as seriously when they see a tattoo. Have any of you seen profanity in any of my posts? I usually dress reasonably appropriately, and the tattoo is way up on the ball of my shoulder, but once it is known to others, their opinion of me drops. Gone the days when these tattoos gave credibility to trade skills, also. When I first saw my sons tattoo, I didn't badger him, but I know that as he gets older, his peers and supervisers will draw conclusions based on things including his tattoo.

[Common Tator]

“I always look for a woman who has a tattoo. I see a woman with a tattoo, and I’m thinking, okay, here’s a gal who’s capable of making a decision she’ll regret in the future.”
Richard Jeni

[Wendy]

At 14 it would be a huge no. I would discourage it at any age. I am surprised at the number of parents that let their kids do such a permanent thing at such a young age. Who runs the household anyway??

[Pearl B]

Originally Posted by Big Dave

DO NOT GIVE IN MY FRIEND. Here is another true story from the Dave chronicles. Joe Dale wanted a big crusifix tattoed on his chest. Went in and picked out one that has the points on the ends. Red and green embellishments on the arms. It took three hours. He want to relax and you can't move while it is getting done. He placed his right arm behind his head and let the artist do his thing. After the three hours it looked just like the picture. Joe Dale got up to look in the mirror. He put down his right arm to his side. That is when the right side of the cross went down ward. I now looks like a Railroad crossing signal. Can not be fixed.
Just say no. You will not be popular but you are the parent not the buddy. Good fortune to ya.

A good tatt artist should have known that would happen and told him not to.
Thats the other thing about getting tatts. There are so many people doing it now to try to cash in on the trend, that you dont know if your getting someone who is any good at it or not.
And needles, there is still the risk of catching diseases if you are getting tattoed by some idiot that doesnt change them.

[DYngbld]

retired 20 years Navy, never got one, never had the desire to get one. At 14 she has no idea what she wants. If she wants one at 18 and she pays for it, let her you really can't stop her then anyway. Around here you can't one untill you are 18. As long as it is tastefull, and not on her face, or other unprofessional area, let her, she is going to anyway.

[mekasmom]

Originally Posted by Big Dave

DO NOT GIVE IN MY FRIEND.
You will not be popular but you are the parent not the buddy.

That is such good advice. Parents should have that written on the insides of their eyelids so they see it 24/7.

[wannabechef]

Originally Posted by mrsgcpete

around here you cant get in to a shop unless you are 16, state law. or get a tattoo until you are 18... i am all for tattoos.. but there are a few rules in my family. you only get tattoos in places that can be hidden by clothes and dont get anything stupid. that eliminates anything misspelled, everything on the flash wall, boyfriends/girlfriends names, cartoon characters, famous people and frogs with claws (long story, not mine).

The min age is 18 here in Jawga...I'd tell her to wait until she's 18.

[bama]

i would suggest that she wait until she is 21. that is when i got mine. i waited until i knew what i was majoring in and what i thought my career path was going to be, and i put it on my shoulder blade so i could hide or show off. the only thing i hate about the shoulder though is that i won't wear cute sundresses to church or weddings.