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

[mamacatnv]

Well, now you have. See below.




Thanks Shelby!


I got my very first tattoo on my 16th birthday. 2 months after my 14th birthday, I was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma is an extremely rare type of bone cancer. I went through 10 months of chemotherapy, countless surgeries and operations, many blood transfusions, and a knee replacement surgery. I had to re-learn how to walk, and it took my over a year to do so. I lost all of my hair, I lost some of my friends, and I lost my childhood.

Shortly before my 16th birthday, I lost a very dear friend and longtime classmate to brain cancer. She is my hero. It was a year ago yesterday that she passed on. Along the way I also met many influential people who inspired me so much. My nurse had the same kind of cancer treated by the same doctors and was a 10 year survivor.

I knew that I was going to get a tattoo to honor my battle with the monster and to honor all of my friends who had passed away or beaten it. I now have a small gold ribbon for childhood cancer on my foot. It's about 3 inches by 1 1/2 inch and I love it. I absolutely do not regret it, and if there ever is a day I regret it I should be deeply ashamed of myself.

I feel that people should NEVER! say never. Because you know what? I NEVERNEVERNEVER thought I would get cancer. But guess what? I did! You may never think anything bad will happen, but it can and it will.

This is my tattoo:

It was taken right after it was done and at a weird angle. A few weeks ago I celebrated being 2 years cancer free, and yesterday I mourned the one-year anniversary of my dear friend and classmate. This tattoo symbolizes that they all walk with me. And I will never, ever regret it.

Well stated, I am sorry about your friend.

 

[phorsenuf]

In NH you have to be 18 to get a tattoo, even with parental permission. My son had wanted one for a while but I was too lazy to take him to VT to have it done. I planned to take him to get his as his 18th birthday present but the little bugger went and got it done before-hand.
It's real nice. It's on his forearm, just done in black ink, but not thick lines. It's the symbol for youngest brother. He's wanted that ever since his older brother, that he just adores, got oldest brother done on his back.

Because the tattoo is 'block' lines he realized the other day that within the chinese letter all his brothers first initials are within it. He's thinking of somehow doing coloring to identify them. He hasn't figured it out yet.

Well, I guess you can tell I have no issues with my kids getting tattoos. As long as it's tasteful and not some spur of the moment thing but something they've thought out then why not. He's wanted that one for years, another son has been planning his for as long as I can remember, my oldest has 4 now I think and there is one that hasn't said if he wants one one way or another.

I got mine when I was 18 and have no regrets. I've been wanting another one for a long time but couldn't figure out what. I think I have now but I'm going to sit on it for a while to make absolutely sure.

My husband doesn't have any and doesn't want one......although I think he's rethinking that. LOL

Being 13 though, that's nuts! I'm surprised the artist did it.

 

[Tomader]

I don't want my daughter's who are 22 and 24 getting a tattoo. I realize I could not stop them but they know how I feel. When your young a tattoo looks okay but as you age not so attractive.

 

[FoundMyPrince]

My children can have all the tatoos they want after I get my first one. (they are going to be waiting a long, long time)

 

[Jewel1310]

I would let my kids get a tattoo after the age that I no longer have a say. Both my kids are now 18 or older so it is up to them. My son, almost 21, got one in a location hidden by clothes and it is a symbol of his celtic heritage. I expect my daughter will do something similar.

imabrat - what an amazing story and a clear example why judgements about such things as tattoos are not accurate. I am glad you were able to get a tattoo and that you are proud of it. My condolences to your lost childhood and the loss of some friends along the way.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

When they move out?

 

[CathrynRose]

What's your limit?

My limit - piercings. And I'm kinda iffy about those.

My oldest has an industrial (that bar in the ear thing) he got just shy of 16 - and his eye brow pierced (just shy of 18). Both I had to sign for.

My youngest wants his lip pierced (as did his brother) and I said "Ick! No!". So, I wouldn't sign for that. My oldest can get what he wants now (almost 19) but he hasn't mentioned that gross thing again.

Tattoo's. Whole 'nother ball-o-wax. No way. I wouldn't sign for crap. No way.

Maybe a year after we got Charley, my oldest said he was going to get a tattoo of Charley on his arm, when he was old enough. I'm glad he loves him, but..... And, when he turned 18, he had no desire to get that.

I think under 18 is way way too young to be picking anything. My God. I remember wanting a spider-web in the skin between my pointer and thumb fingers, and a bat on my shoulder when I was 15/16-ish. Could you imagine? I was "punk" so it seemed like a really great tattoo idea then.

I now have 6 tattoo's - that I got all as an adult, and I do love them all. Glad I waited.

 

[Tiger926]

I don't like tattoos at all, but for some people, such as imabrat, they are very powerful symbols. I teach at-risk highschoolers, who have lots of tattoos, and many of them are in memory of dead relatives, lost babies from teen pregnancies, etc. For them, they are permanent symbols of some seriously heavy stuff.

I happen to think that you can show your love for someone other than marking your body up, but for many people, this is the ultimate way to show their love.

That being said, I will not allow my children to get tattoos as they are a permanent marking on the body - people are very fickle and change their minds constantly, so marking up the body at age 15 is so silly, as I'm pretty sure that 5 or 10 years down the road, that particular tattoo isn't going to mean so much (unless of course it's symbolic of beating cancer or a memorial for a dead relative). But, if they did make that choice, I would never love them less. There are so many more traumatic and serious things in the world that could happen...despite the fact that hubby and dislike tattoos, we would never disown or kick a child out for them.

I just think tattoos are mostly symbolic of independence and doing what you want - it's my body, and I'll do with it what I want. They are mostly symbolic of rebellion, IMHO. I don't subscribe to this theory, and so I won't allow my children under the age of 18 to mark them up in that fasion, especially with silly markings that probably won't mean anything a few years after the fact.

That being said, I don't judge others who get tattoos, nor do I treat them differently - in my job as a Spec Ed teacher of seriously at-risk teens, there is no judging books by covers at all. I have my ears pierced, and so I wouldn't expect someone to treat me differently because of that, just as I would hope someone wouldn't be treated differently because they have a butterfly on their ankle. I do have issues with inappropriate tattoos, and we have had to have our students cover those up, but for the most part, they are pretty understanding and grateful that we don't make it a big deal at all.

Tiger

 

[crz4mm2]

Legal adult.

 

[declansdad]

We've made it crystal clear from day 1 that tattoos will make you instantly self-supporting. There are no surprises. If an adult child decides that getting a tattoo is more important than getting a paid-by-us college education, that's their decision. We aren't sabotaging anybody's future, they are doing it to themselves. We want the best for our kids (and that's related to the no-tattoo stance).

And we have always been entirely predictable when it comes to our rules and expectations from the time the kids were toddlers, so they know we mean what we say.

I am "against" them as far as my family goes. I think they are hideous and can be limiting. I have a formerly lovely niece who married a very nice man who owns a tattoo parlor. They are transforming themselves into people who are nearly unemployable with all the body modification.

My BIL is a dermatologist and not a day goes by when he doesn't have people coming in wanting to get tattoos removed.

Would you love your child less if they had a tattoo? Or just dislike them enough to make it more difficult for them to get the education that you have been helping them with.

 

[hereyago]

Seriously some of the posters here: Even Jeffrey Dahmer's dad still stood by and him after he was convicted. There are more important things in this world then if your offspring gets a tattoo.

 

[disney1990]

This has been a pretty hotly debated subject in the past.

People have said that they would not give any more money to their children or that they would not pay for their college education, if they got a tattoo. That's going pretty far. Yes, I wasn't happy to have my daughters get them, but I certainly would not cut off my support, my help for their higher education, etc. I even pay my daughter's cell phone bill and she is away at school and technically living on her own. But, why cut my own throat to make a point. If I don't pay for her cell, she can't afford to have one and then she won't call home. DUH.

Both of my daughters got their tattoos as adults -- over 18. I would not give permission for them to get one before that. They are adults and they have to live with the decisions that they make now.

Interesting Article:

Tattoos and piercings: attitudes, behaviors, and interpretations of college students
College Student Journal, Dec, 2007 by Jenn Horne, David Knox, Jane Zusman, Marty E. Zusman

Previously, in those segments of America where "proper" behavior was valued, tattoos and body piercings were examples of what Goffman identified as "stigma"--they spoiled one's identity. Today, tattoos and piercings have become more mainstream. This study reports the survey of 400 undergraduates at a large southeastern university. Regarding tattoos, 27% (women more than men) reported having a tattoo. Significant gender differences for tattoos included: women sought tattoos for personal body decoration, men for group identity (e.g. Marines); women, compared to men, were more likely to view tattoos on the other sex as attractive, to believe their parents would not approve of a tattoo, to fear that getting a tattoo would be painful, to believe that negative health consequences would occur, and to believe that the meaning of a tattoo would change over time.

 

[HOGFAN]

when they are 18 and can pay for it themselves

 

[Buckeye Princess]

When I was in middle and high school I really wanted a tattoo. My mom actually was going to let me get one while in high school. I couldn't quite decide on what I wanted. Thank goodness! By the time I was in college I changed my mind and decided that I did not want a tattoo. I think about how often I changed my mind on things when I was in MS and HS. I'm happy that I didn't get one and wish my mom had said no in case I had gone ahead with it. My sister got a tattoo at 17 and the worst part is that it looks terrible. The quality of the work is just not good at all.

 

[Pigeon]

Would you love your child less if they had a tattoo? Or just dislike them enough to make it more difficult for them to get the education that you have been helping them with.

I wouldn't love them less at all. I wouldn't be the one making it harder for them to get an education. They would be taking care of that by themselves.

 

[CathrynRose]

To the nay-sayers (and I'm talking about adult children):

If the worst your child ever does, is get a tattoo, consider yourself blessed.

There are bigger fish to fry, IMO.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

18, and in many states, tattooing a child (younger then 18) is illegal and a person tatooing can be held legally responsible, regardless of consent given. In NY, it is illegal and punishable.

This is coming from a guy who got is first tattoo at 19 even though my parent's didn't approve (I have many more and larger ones now).

 

[Pigeon]

I get it your house your rules.
I personally think that threating an adult with their education over a tattoo is controlling and has nothing to do with wanting what is best for them, it is what you deem is best.
My son has enough of his own mind that there is no way I would ever think to threaten him over a tattoo, I am not sure that I would prevail and I would hate him to take out a student loan and get a tat just to spite me. Not a battle I choose to engage in, there are far bigger fish to fry.
Just my way of thinking vs. yours. I was just stating my opinion.

As for the Niece, well he does own his own business so I guess his needing employment is a moot point. To call her formerly lovely is kind of mean, but I do understand.

For the record, I don't like tats. I think they are ugly and I really really don't like them on women. I do think they present an image that is not always favorable. I also notice that the majority of people here all concede, put them where they can be hidden and they should not be vulgar.

I just would never exercise my pocketbook to the point that you have chosen to do so.

She and her husband now look like circus freaks. Kind of mean, maybe, but highly accurate. They are largely covered in tattoos. He has grommets in his ears you could drive a Volkswagon through. They hang several pounds of scrap metal off of their faces and assorted other locations.

They are now over 25 and are interested in her getting a better job and him getting into a different line of work. They are not having any success at all, and yes, it's related to the body modification. They are genuinely nice people and I love them both. I wish they hadn't handicapped their futures.

If my kids graduate from college, are self supporting and decide to disfigure themselves, that's entirely their decision and I won't say a single word about it. But while they are on my dime, they can refrain. I hope the few extra years will give them a little wisdom. I work with college students, and in general, the first few years they are a whole lot more impulsive than when they graduate.

 

[rainydayplay]

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.

Have you seen the episode of Big Bang Theory where Sheldon tells Penny, "Why do you have the Chinese character for soup tattooed on your left buttock?"

Penny: "It's not 'soup'; it's 'courage'."

Sheldon: "No it isn't. But I suppose it does take courage to demonstrate that kind of commitment to soup."

 

[wdwfan16]

If you are a minor then no tattoos. If you are an adult and living under my roof then no tattoos. If you are a self supporting adult then you can do as you please.