Tattoos on teens - opinions pls

[KitCat]

Tattoos are a bad idea. When a person grows and changes through the years will they think they had a good idea in their youth? Probably not!

[lizbud]

My ex and I were pretty conservative parents so this was something
that never came up in conversation with the children.If they ever wanted
a tattoo I never heard about it. They are grown adults now & can do as
they please, but somehow I think they still wouldn't do it.

[Sevaede]

Tattoos are a bad idea. When a person grows and changes through the years will they think they had a good idea in their youth? Probably not!

How so? How can you claim that *EVERYONE* changes and morphs and never looks at the same idea twice?

I know and have seen MANY older folks with tattoos that *STILL* look fantabulous! In fact, I think I have only seen one older person with tattoos that looked bad. That was because she had tattooed over the same ones several times!

[buttercup132]

Tattoos are a bad idea. When a person grows and changes through the years will they think they had a good idea in their youth? Probably not!

I have 3 I'm 16 and I know I will still like mine. Your theory is wrong, seems like you don't know much about the subject so you shouldn't assume that. I personally find that offensive.

[pnance]

I vote help him. He's 18 so bottom line he can get one with or without your permission. At least if he know's your behind it you can offer suggestions and perhaps help find a good place.

Just a suggestion, do your homework (ask friends, etc.)and pay a little more if necessary. My brother had a tatoo done at one those ?? places for less and has never been really happy with the work. I had a tiger done but did my homework first and went to a shop and artist that was extremely well known and even published in magazines. Everyone I knew recommended this guy. The tiger looks real it's so good. The other thing is since he's young and has no idea what type of job he'll end up with suggest putting it in a place that's easy to hide, believe me it will make things easier down the line.

[sumbirdy]

I have 3 I'm 16 and I know I will still like mine. Your theory is wrong, seems like you don't know much about the subject so you shouldn't assume that. I personally find that offensive.

You can never know what you are going to like in the future. I am 17 and there are so many things that I don't like now that I did when I was 16 and vice versa. I was going to get a tattoo when I was 16 and am so glad that I didn't because I don't like the same thing now. My mom got a tattoo done when she was fifteen (something she said she really liked then and something she never thought that she wouldn't like) and by the time she was 20 she hated it. So you probably shouldn't say that you know you will still like yours.

[columbine]

I'm all for keeping it above-board, and if anything, Dad's prohibition will prove an incentive, not a disincentive anyway. Tattoos don't have the shock value they once did. But definitely discussing the economic ramifications (e.g. you may have to live in a decent-sized city with an unacceptable cost of living to be able to find a job at all) makes sense; and tying that in with the "not under my roof" angle (e.g. "Nobody will hire me" will no longer be an acceptable excuse to live here rent-free!) Explain how people will make up excuses or lie outright and just hire a less qualified candidate if they "just don't like the look" of a job applicant, which might well be the case for certain individuals in a position to make hiring decisions.

What the heck, he can move to Boston - nobody here bats an eye at tattoos, facial piercings, or blue hair. But you need 2 full-time jobs just to stay off the street, so he better not harbor delusions of having a social life!

Love, Columbine

[mike001]

Leaves you between a rock and a hard place. You have to choose between your son and hubby. I imagine it will cause a lot of friction in the home if he does get it. Yet, at 18 he is old enough to make a decision.Would he be willing to wait another year? If not, everyone will have to meet halfway.
I never was a tatoo fan, so I would also have said no to my kids had they asked. I guess if it's in good taste and somewhere hidden, it would be ok. My main concern would be what he could pick up. No matter how reliable the place, there's a lot of risk, take a look at what you pick up from needles at the hospitals.

[Sevaede]

You can never know what you are going to like in the future. I am 17 and there are so many things that I don't like now that I did when I was 16 and vice versa. I was going to get a tattoo when I was 16 and am so glad that I didn't because I don't like the same thing now. My mom got a tattoo done when she was fifteen (something she said she really liked then and something she never thought that she wouldn't like) and by the time she was 20 she hated it. So you probably shouldn't say that you know you will still like yours.

I think people can decide for themselves how they feel and view things.

[sumbirdy]

I think people can decide for themselves how they feel and view things.

Yeah, but I'm just saying...

[ramanth]

I vote Yes to make sure it's done right and not have him go behind your back.

When I read the title, the teen age that popped into my mind was 14-16. I'd be more hesitant then.

However, 18 years old... he's legal to smoke and join the armed forces so I would think a tattoo would be a drop in the bucket. Dad will get over it.

My dad forbade me to get my ears pierced a second time when I was 16. Mom took me to a place she trusted to get them done since she didn't want me jabbing needles into my ears or having a friend botch it up.

Dad got over it.

[Barbara]

I'm older generation and I remember that although you can decide everything with 18 most of us would decide some things differently when we became older.
Bad thing with a tattoo- it's irreversible.

So has he ever thought to get a piercing? My stepdaughter got several when she was 18 (and we hated them all, the arrows in the root of the nose between the eyes, the one in the belly and the one in the tongue) but now she's 26 and doesn't have them anymore.

Things like this are also done to be different from your old-fashioned parent generation and of course this was much easier for my generation when long hair for the boys and no bras for girls could cause enough shock to your parents

[Twisterdog]

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]

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.

Is there something WRONG about Jon Bon Jovi? You mean he isn't still the love of your life?

[Twisterdog]

Is there something WRONG about Jon Bon Jovi? You mean he isn't still the love of your life?

You know ... if he only would have not cut his hair ....