Tattoos on teens - opinions pls

**todd** · 01-04-2007, 01:27 AM

I have a tattoo of my cat

**carole** · 01-04-2007, 02:52 AM

I am personally not a fan of tattoo's at all,no offence mean't to anyone who has them and i know quite a few do on PT, just not my thing,as he is 18 it would be legal for him to have it done i imagine, as it is in my country, i do think you should talk to your hubby and try to see whether he would agree, because if he is determined to have one he will either way, and as you pointed out far better somewhere safe and sanitary, if it is only a small one and hidden should not be too much of a problem,anyhow good luck with your decision.

P.S I think Kitcat was merely trying to make the point that there are quite a few people who have had tattoo's at a young age and regretted it and now they have to have painful removal done, some so they can actually get jobs, this is probably the extreme cases i guess, but she is right in stating that to a degree in my opinion ,that is why tattoo removal has become a big business.

**Argranade** · 01-04-2007, 12:45 PM

Well I geuss he is 18 and should have a choice but maybe you should try to talk with the dad first because you don't want him pissed because he wen't behind his back, Tattoos should be considered over & over untill for sure you know what you want because I know MANY! people who grew older then hated themselfs for getting tattoos. Yes he is old enough to choose what he wants but I think it is true ... if he's under the roof the parents should choose cause maybe this could realy bother his dad for some reason who knows.

This tattoo should mean somthing with in himself, don't let him get it just because it looks cool, he might regret it in the future .. I'm sure if you had a tattoo and someone asked what it ment you would realy want to say somthing speacail about it not just ''Oh I thought it looked cool''

You can't say you thought, you have to actualy know.

**RICHARD** · 01-04-2007, 01:45 PM

This is an easy one...

He get's his tattoo....

His DAD picks the pattern

MOM pays for it and picks where it goes...

Cam gets a tattoo!

**Queen of Poop** · 01-04-2007, 02:08 PM

I vote that you and dad discuss the permanance of the tattoo with him, ensure he picks a design that he loves, take him to a place that is clean, sanitary and has a good reputation. Then talk with the artist, discuss all the details and let him make the final decision.

I'm 41 years old, I want to have paw prints for each of my RB animals tattooed on my right shoulder walking down my back (away from me). One paw print for each missing furbaby. This has serious and significant meaning for me and will one day become reality.

**Sevaede** · 01-04-2007, 02:11 PM

Here is a good website. *WARNING - some images may be graphic.*

http://www.bmezine.com . It is very informative. It has tons of experiences, photos, interviews, etc, with people from ALL sorts of different backgrounds, cultures etc.

People with tattoos, piercings, etc, are NO less of people. You've just got to learn and know (as with EVERYTHING else) what you're doing, getting into, etc. It requires lots of forethought.

I have never met anyone who hated themselves because of the fact that they had a tattoo.

My husband has had the same tattoos for a while now. He still loves them every bit as the day he desired them. He has a green gecko on his left shoulder and a dreamcatcher in the middle of his back.

How about a henna tattoo? Have him get one in the design he likes. If he still likes it after it wears off, then talk about it again.

**Cataholic** · 01-04-2007, 02:55 PM

I am against it.

Since when does 18 mean one does whatever one wants without thought to others? It is an age, not a license. He is hardly living on his own, making his way, right?

I might chuckle, slightly, under my breath, at all the people on here that have tatoos, and haven't regretted them, for a minute, at all, love them as much as the day they got them, uh, like, well, 6 months ago, when they were 16.5 years old, at that.

I know more people with tatoos, at the advanced age of 40ish, that regret them than I do people that still love them like they did when they got them. I wouldn't hire someone with a tatoo, or a piercing, that I found objectionable, simply because of the tatoo or piercing. At 18, 20, or 22ish, that might seem so discriminatory, and you might scream, "great! I wouldn't want to work for you/such a place anyhow". But, times change. Bills need to be paid, and working for minimum wage is not that swell. There are plenty of industries that might frown on visible tatoos, or ones considered objectionable, or controversial. There are industries that wouldn't, too. Just make sure you are comfortable staying in that second camp.

They are such a permanent reminder of what can often be a fleeting fascination with something. I would rather see someone 'brand' themselves in another way.

**sumbirdy** · 01-05-2007, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by sirrahved

"The not under my roof" argument never flew with me.

I think a much better approach is reasons why you wouldn't want him to get it done such as:

It's something that is with you for life. How do you know you will feel the same way about the design 50 years from now?

Health risks- has he checked the credentials of the shop he's interested in? Talked to people around that have tattoos? I've found that you need to do this on top of looking at the artist's portfolio. The tattoo artist only picks his BEST work for his portfolio!

Have you thought about the way it may make some people view you differently?

If he has mature answers for all of your questions, then he should be able to make the decision for himself. If he's still in a mindset where he acts childish about your questions, then request that he hold off a while before deciding.

Whatever you do... don't ban him from doing it. It's the best way to ensure he comes home with some band logo in the middle of his forehead

I agree with all this. The health risk isn't only involved with where you get it done at. My brother tried to get his in color and it turned out he was allergic to the color ink and it got really infected. He got the rest of his done in plain black ink.

**Sevaede** · 01-05-2007, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by Cataholic

I know more people with tatoos, at the advanced age of 40ish, that regret them than I do people that still love them like they did when they got them. I wouldn't hire someone with a tatoo, or a piercing, that I found objectionable, simply because of the tatoo or piercing. At 18, 20, or 22ish, that might seem so discriminatory, and you might scream, "great! I wouldn't want to work for you/such a place anyhow". But, times change. Bills need to be paid, and working for minimum wage is not that swell. There are plenty of industries that might frown on visible tatoos, or ones considered objectionable, or controversial. There are industries that wouldn't, too. Just make sure you are comfortable staying in that second camp.

So how else would you have people "brand" themselves? I don't see how if I got a tattoo of my cats face that I am branding myself with anything?

You would NOT hire me because of the fact that I had a tattoo? And the argument is that times change and bills need to be paid? Well, yeah, that would pretty much be the chief reason I am out actively looking for a job. I really don't understand what you meant by that whole second paragraph. So, you'd not hire someone with tattoos just because you didn't agree with them. But the reason would be that bills need to be paid and they're getting a lesson and being stuck in minimum wage forever? What about all the doctors, scientists, etc, with tattoos? http://www.bmezine.com/tattoo/bme-tatt.html

My husband is 30 years old. He has had his tattoos for five and seven years. He does plan on getting more.

A tattoo does not have any bearing on your level of intelligence or capability. Yes, people should realize that they might not get certain jobs if they have visible tattoos. But you shouldn't judge your whole opinion on someone just because of a personal decision. That would be like someone not hiring someone because of them being a vegetarian.

A LOT of people get them based on historical signifigance, ancestry, ancient customs, etc. I am willing to bet that somewhere way back in your family history that there are people who got tattoos and piercings and whatnot in reverence to their religion, etc.

I *LOVE* tattoos. Always have, always will. I would not put something permanent on my body that I would regret. I am an intelligent person and I don't believe I deserve less just because of them.

I have lots of friends and family members with tattoos. Many of them have had them for 10-20+ years. I don't see why because of the fact that we have tattoos that we're bad people or deserve any less than anyone else.

(I am in no way trying to be argumentative. I just didn't understand what you meant.)

**Kfamr** · 01-05-2007, 04:44 PM

When I get the nerve to, I will be getting a tattoo of Simba's paw print. If someone chooses not to hire me because of it, I really don't want to work for them anyways.

**dionne** · 01-05-2007, 06:46 PM

I have a tattoo of a moon and a star on my ankle. Not only does this have special symbolizm to me (Dione is the name of the moon goddess, mother of aphrodite and zeus, as well as a moon of saturn), but it is also the symbol of a very hard time in my life, and my strength to pull though out of it alive.

So while I agree, there are some tattoos that are obviously unneccesary (ie: drug related, pornographic), i think they do serve well purposes, like mine in reminding one of one's strength, or in being a symbol of one's faith/religion. basically, what it comes down to, is being a symbol, and i believe that if someone feels like they need something like that (forever) as a cornerstone/reminder, than who are you to judge?

**Suki Wingy** · 01-05-2007, 08:43 PM

Help him out with it and make sure it's something he really wants.

**Twisterdog** · 01-06-2007, 12:10 AM

He's eighteen. He's an adult. There really isn't anything you can do about it, short of your husband kicking him out of the house for getting a tattoo. That would be a little extreme, IMO.

If he really wants it, he's GOING to get it.

I have five tattoos. All are personally important and meaningful to me. None of them are trendy or what happened to be popular or "in" at the time. I have my husband's name, my son's name, and three symbols that have become very important to me as I've found myself and my own spiritual beliefs. All of them can be covered up, as well.

But, persih the thought that I would have gotten one when I was eighteen instead of in my thirties. It would probably say, "I love Jon Bon Jovi" or some such rubbish.

This is what I would do: Try to explain to him, as I have to my teenagers, that what he likes when he's a teenager is not necesarily going to be what's most important to him when he's an adult. Ask him to wait, just so HE won't be unhappy with it later. Ask him if he will think on the particular design he wants for a year, six months, however much time you think you can reasonably buy from him. Tell him if he still wants it as badly after a year as he does now, go ahead.

I wouldn't make an issue of what you or your husband think about it, so much as what your son will think of it later. You don't want him going out and getting it just for the sake of rebellion.

One of my step-daughters has her tongue and eyebrow pierced ... behind our backs and without our permission. The other step-daughter has her lower lip and eyebrow pierced ... behind our backs and without our permission. Their dad said, "Over my dead body will you do that!" ... so they did it. My son wanted his ear and eyebrow pierced. I said, "Let's compromise. I'll let you get your ear pierced, and I'll pay for it and buy you some cool earrings. Then you wait on your eyebrow until you are eighteen, ok?" My husband thought I was crazy. But, my son did not go behind our backs to get his eyebrow pierced. Sometimes, a little compromise goes a long way.

**Cataholic** · 01-06-2007, 12:37 AM