At what age would you let your child get a tattoo?

[MushyMushy]

Where do you live? I hope that 13 is a typo.

No typo -- they are in 8th grade. DD is 14, the friend is 13.

She's not the only one in the school with a tattoo.

We live in a small rural area, low income but fairly low crime. Surprising to me that so many kids have tattoos!

 

[Mrs.Toad]

my nephew's first tattoo was to hide a scar.
it started his love for tattoos!

OK, I can see letting a minor get one in this circumstance. Or if the unthinkable happened, like one of my children were killed and the other wanted a small, inconspicuous memorial. I'll never say never, but a tat just for the heck of it, or the 7 line memorial on the leg of a 13yo is just awful!!

 

[johnsontrio]

I'm seeing more and more kids in middle schools with tattoos and the latest one I saw just appalled me -- I admit it, I'm judging. One of my daughter's 13 year old friends got this really big tattoo on her leg... a 7-line long hand written memorial to her grandfather who died 11 years ago. (says something like RIP grandpa, his dates, I will always love and miss you, etc)

I'm a pretty flexible mom. I *considered* allowing my daughter to get a small purple rose tattoo a few months back for a charity thing (for a girl undergoing multiple transplants). I ultimately decided no, but I think I was being open minded about it.

I finally decided she can get a tattoo when she's old enough to drive herself there, pay for it with her own money and sign her own release form.

What's your limit?

I guess I'm wondering how close her relationship with this Grandpa was since he passed on when she was 2 years old. Is this something that is motivated by the family? DD has a friend that, on her 16th birthday, got the family tattoo that all the women in her family get commemorating her Dad that has passed. AFAIK, she is the only minor friend of DD that has ink. I would not be a party to putting something permanent on my child's body. In fact I think I'm with the other poster that will prohibit tattoos while on the "family payroll". DD is 16 and I don't pay for highlights or acrylic nails either. To me those are not necessities and she can figure out how to afford them if she wants them badly enough.

 

[Halloweenqueen]

My daughter can get a tattoo when she is 100% self-sufficient.

That means I no longer assist her with college expenses, cell phone, insurance, she doesn't live me at all, etc. It must be 100%.

She's only 15 and I doubt she will even want one when she is 18, but that is my rule.

In my opinion, if she has enough money for a tattoo, then that money should be going towards something else I may be paying for at the time.

And I'm not at all against tattoos. I have one on my stomach. But I was 29 (nearly 30) when I got it.

Mostly I just want her to be absolutely sure it is what she wants before she rushes out to get one.

I agree.

 

[MizTink]

Where do you live? I hope that 13 is a typo.

i'm in sarasota florida and tattoos are extremely popular. from young teens up....

 

[jimmalru80]

21 if I can help it!

Same here.

 

[LisaR]

18 at least because after that I have no say. My dd is in high school and she says quite a few of the kids have tattoos There's even a girl with "thug life' tattooed on her inner lip

WHAT?? Inner lip? I didn't even know that was possible. How painful and well.......odd.

45

45? Really? Don't you think you are being a little too lenient? In our house it is 50.

 

[karenos]

I'm seeing more and more kids in middle schools with tattoos and the latest one I saw just appalled me -- I admit it, I'm judging. One of my daughter's 13 year old friends got this really big tattoo on her leg... a 7-line long hand written memorial to her grandfather who died 11 years ago. (says something like RIP grandpa, his dates, I will always love and miss you, etc)

I'm a pretty flexible mom. I *considered* allowing my daughter to get a small purple rose tattoo a few months back for a charity thing (for a girl undergoing multiple transplants). I ultimately decided no, but I think I was being open minded about it.

I finally decided she can get a tattoo when she's old enough to drive herself there, pay for it with her own money and sign her own release form.

What's your limit?

I guess I am not a flexible mom - because my 1st thought is: Never!! But alas, if either of my adult children wanted to get a tattoo - there is not much that I can do to stop them. I would advise them however that what looks good in one's 20s might not look as good as middle age/old age approach. I'm thinking of a dear friend's tattoo that looked kind of cool at 22 - not so much at 41.

karenos

 

[disykat]

Make sure she researches the tattoo...those chinese characters don't say something like peace or tranquility...they are something the tattoo artist got off his carry-out menu, it really just says"no MSG".

I joke, I joke.

"Why do you have a tatoo that says 'soup' in Chinese?" (Big Bang Theory)

House Rule: no piercings, no tattoos while I am providing tuition, housing, health insurance, etc.

I agree. When they are financially independent, they get to make all their own major decisions - not before.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I got my first tattoo at 20 and the second at 25 (both small). It never occurred to me to even want one before I was 18 and considering I changed my mind 1,000 times a day back then I'm glad I never did want one (not that my parent's would've even allowed me to). I had to wait until I was 18 to get my belly button pierced (I wanted one at 17).

 

[ckoncurat]

Never. My children can get one as an adult if they feel strongly about it.

 

[Colleen27]

I can't for the life of me imagine such an 'exceptional circumstance'.

I was actually thinking of a specific case when I wrote that - I have a friend who has a Celtic knot tattoo along the scar he got donating a kidney to his brother. He donated the kidney at 16 and his mom let him get the tattoo at 17 (his brother, 20 at the time, also got one). I'd allow something like that - meaningful and not somewhere visible or that would be a concern/embarrassment in professional or formal occasions. As I said, "exceptional circumstances"; most kids are never in that sort of position so it most likely isn't something that will ever come into play.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

I was actually thinking of a specific case when I wrote that - I have a friend who has a Celtic knot tattoo along the scar he got donating a kidney to his brother. He donated the kidney at 16 and his mom let him get the tattoo at 17 (his brother, 20 at the time, also got one). I'd allow something like that - meaningful and not somewhere visible or that would be a concern/embarrassment in professional or formal occasions. As I said, "exceptional circumstances"; most kids are never in that sort of position so it most likely isn't something that will ever come into play.

Wow. A post like this really makes the tattoo sound like the "small stuff", doesn't it?

 

[Sparx]

I guess I'm wondering how close her relationship with this Grandpa was since he passed on when she was 2 years old. Is this something that is motivated by the family? DD has a friend that, on her 16th birthday, got the family tattoo that all the women in her family get commemorating her Dad that has passed. AFAIK, she is the only minor friend of DD that has ink. I would not be a party to putting something permanent on my child's body. In fact I think I'm with the other poster that will prohibit tattoos while on the "family payroll". DD is 16 and I don't pay for highlights or acrylic nails either. To me those are not necessities and she can figure out how to afford them if she wants them badly enough.

This is exactly what I was thinking.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

18 at least because after that I have no say. My dd is in high school and she says quite a few of the kids have tattoos There's even a girl with "thug life' tattooed on her inner lip

Awesome*.

*doused in sarcasm

I was actually thinking of a specific case when I wrote that - I have a friend who has a Celtic knot tattoo along the scar he got donating a kidney to his brother. He donated the kidney at 16 and his mom let him get the tattoo at 17 (his brother, 20 at the time, also got one). I'd allow something like that - meaningful and not somewhere visible or that would be a concern/embarrassment in professional or formal occasions. As I said, "exceptional circumstances"; most kids are never in that sort of position so it most likely isn't something that will ever come into play.

Well yeah, that's definitely a horse of a different color. I'd be swayed in that case.

Wow. A post like this really makes the tattoo sound like the "small stuff", doesn't it?

Indeedy!

 

[happygirl]

I would hope never

 

[MichelleVW]

I took my DD19 this past summer right before she left for college. I have 3 easily covered tattoos and she has known for years that she wanted one. She has a peace sign on her foot, she says she will always want peace so she thinks she will like it forever. Makes sense to me.

She knows that she will never get one anywhere that isn't easily covered by normal clothes because she wants to be a high school teacher some day. She talked a good friend of hers (also 19) out of getting one on her arm because she says it looks trashy and that it might cost her a job some day. She said she felt bad crushing her friend's tattoo dream, but her friend thankfully took her advice and is looking for a spot that's more easily covered.

 

[tzolkin]

My brother got a tatoo when he was 17.

My mom took him because she wanted to check the place out (they looked around) and she didn't want him to just go out and get one when he was old enough. It's a religious tatoo (he spent 5 years studying to become a priest after HS) and it's on the upper part of his shoulder. It cannot be seen if he is wearing a regular t-shirt.


Something like this if it was really meaningful (not something they may likely regret) and in an inconspicuous location might be okay with me. But both my sisters got tatoos and regret them. It may sound sexist, but I think I would be much less likely to let my DDs get tatoos than my DS. Not because I think it's okay for guys and not for girls, but because it's more difficult to find a location that will not show with certain types of clothing on a woman.

 

[DisneyFairytale]

I would never let my under 18 year old child get a tattoo. If they are an age where they need my permission, it is not happening. Once they are 18, I have no say. Two of mine are over 18 and no tattoos so far!

I have never seen or heard of a middle schooler with a tattoo.

I don't even let my kids tan....they know they won't be getting tattoos!

...and I couldn't agree more. My kids will not be getting any tattoos or it will be over my dead body. I work in health care and see all sorts of nasty looking tattoos. Going to make sure I stick that concept in their head before they become of age to make their own decisions about them.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

I won't sign for them. I could care less what they do with their body once they are old enough but I will not help them do something they may regret later. At least it's not my fault later