Kids 16 and under with tatoos? Mostly girls. WWYD?

[rottiemom]

So many diverse, interesting and passionate responses to this thread I had to add mine . Regarding the original post. I have 2 tattoos and I love them. Never had a single regret. Have been planning my 3rd for about 6 years now. Each one is symbolic. I love tattoos and enjoy seeing people with them. Love to hear the stories behind them. And since we go to a lot of rockabilly & psychobilly shows, as well motorcycle rallies, we see a lot of them.

That said, I don't like seeing them on young girls. This is solely based on MY OWN experience as a young girl. Mainly because I was a young girl once and I know how my passions changed. Even BFFs at 16 turned into "see ya, wouldn't want ta be ya" a few years on. I doubt that any tattoo I would have chosen at 16 would be relevant to my life now.

so just because a stigma has been removed from an act, to make it more socially acceptable and accessable, that makes it a fad?

Time will determine whether it's a fad or not. There hasn't been enough time yet to know.

Tattoos used to be more of a subculture. Now they are a fashion. I'm not in any way saying ALL of them but I am seeing a lot of them now that seem to be an accessory like a hair clip (or pierced ears). 20 years ago a neck tattoo was seriously hardcore. And I'm seeing lots of them on younger girls. Like many PPs said, I'm not the same person now that I was when I was a teenager . I love my first tattoo. I got it when I was 28. It's Raphael's St Michael. The 16 year old me probably would have gotten a unicorn. I don't think that I'd be quite as taken with it now .

I don't see as much multiple ear piercings as I used to see -- there was one point where everybody under 20 seemed to have a long row of piercings up their ear.

Maybe it depends on where you are? I see a lot of multiple ear piercings but they're the more extreme kinds that I can't remember the names for . The bar lengthwise through the cartilage and the hoop through the little nub that covers the ear canal. Lots of large gauge cartilage piercings, too, the kind that will usually scar if you take them out. I have 9 hoops going up my left ear...my God, I've had them for more than 20 years now! And they're so passe (so 20 years ago ) but I love them still or I would have taken them out. I got them originally, 2 at a time, because I thought that they looked very pretty. I still think so .

You don't even have to wait until 50 -- many young women find the perfect wedding dress, only to realize that it's putting their back/shoulder tattoo in full view, and whatever tattoo design they thought was beautiful and tasteful at 18 isn't exactly what they want to project on the most formal occasion of their life.

And this is why they make Dermablend . For me, seriously, I made sure that my gown covered the tattoo on my back. Plus, even if I didn't have any ink, any gown revealing enough to show my tattoo would have exposed my back fat and THAT would have mortified me .

And, for the record, if you take good care of your tattoo, it doesn't have to turn into a faded, blobby mess. You need to keep it out of the sun, or consistantly wear a high SPF on it. The sun is a tattoo's #1 enemy.

You're spot on about the sunblock. Mine (one on each shoulderblade) are as crisp as they were when I first got them 16 years ago. Then again, they are rarely ever exposed. Part of my reason for putting them on my shoulderblades...because I never wear thin strapped tops. But oddly enough, chances are if you met me you'd just assume that I had tattoos. Because I ride a motorcycle. I was riding a motorcycle long before I ever had tattoos.

My mother hates tattoos. Absolutely loathes them. But she grew up during WWII and after the war you saw a lot of people that had had tattoos forced on them, where it was the mark of the camps and as such symbolic of that whole, horriffic time. I would never get one as long as I lived under her roof, not matter how badly I wanted one, out of respect to her. My mother never threatened, there were never ultimatums levied. I was just brought up to respect my parent's wishes. I wouldn't have done otherwise.

I know, I'm the exact same way. But, alot of people's tattoos represent something important in their life - a loss, achieving something, etc. It becomes a part of who they are.

imabrat, every single one of your posts illustrates what an intelligent, mature individual you are . Your tattoo is something other than a passing whim or a fashion accessory. It is a mark of victory.

 

[daisax]

I guess this is a difference of opinion on what is appropriate for work... Something so sheer that a tattoo would show or something so short/fitted that it would ride up so easily doesn't strike me as work wear. Even without any tattoos I wouldn't feel comfortable showing skin that way in a professional setting, and I don't think it would have been acceptable in any of the offices I've worked in.

They're not showing anything intentionally, but many cotton blouses are form fitting nowadays -- they look perfectly professional standing or sitting, but all bets are off when they're trying to reach things way back on the top shelf of the fridge or the bottom drawer of a file drawer. Fleeting stuff, the kind you don't necessarily anticipate when trying on clothes in the dressing room.

And red and blue ink does sometimes show through summer weight cotton. They don't realize because they put their tattoos where they can't see them!

 

[Melmac]

I am not a big fan of tattoos, I do not have one and personally do not enjoy seeing them on teens. I do not have children but the rule in my parents' house when I was growing up regarding tattoos was "not under my roof"! I was scared of my parents so I complied If I had children, I would not allow them to get a tattoo until they were of age - when I was sixteen, I had tattoo ideas that changed multiple times a day. Edited to add: If parental permission was granted for under-age teens, I would feel better about the tattoo. Sneaking around to get one is not cool. Also, I meant to say I do not enjoy large tattoos on anyone, not just teens.

My sister, on the other hand, has five at the age of 27. She got them after she moved out but didn't tell my parents because she was afraid of them being mad at her. I asked her if she regrets them and she said the only one she regrets is her "tramp stamp" (barbed wire with a maple leaf at the base of her back - she is Army) and only because she was told she is unable to have an epidural because of the placement.

 

[luvmy3]

They're not showing anything intentionally, but many cotton blouses are form fitting nowadays -- they look perfectly professional standing or sitting, but all bets are off when they're trying to reach things way back on the top shelf of the fridge or the bottom drawer of a file drawer. Fleeting stuff, the kind you don't necessarily anticipate when trying on clothes in the dressing room.

And red and blue ink does sometimes show through summer weight cotton. They don't realize because they put their tattoos where they can't see them!

Does it really matter that they have a tattoo that can only be seen when reaching or bending?

 

[jenlynn0808]

Okay, this is slightly off topic, but made me think...First off, DH and I (37 &35) have no tattoos. My sister has 2 and FIL has a few (one that says 'Pam' who is NOT my MIL ). Anyway a few years ago during a trip to Hawaii DH's Grandma got a dolphin tattoo on her ankle, she was in her late 70's at the time-it is her only tattoo. A few years later MIL got a tattoo, but I can't remember of what. Next week, my Dad is getting a Mighty Mouse tattoo on his calf-his first and one he has wanted for years- and he will be 59 in December. For the life of us, DH and I can not understand it, we just .

 

[daisax]

Does it really matter that they have a tattoo that can only be seen when reaching or bending?

I believe the original context of that part of the discussion was the assertion that the tramp stamp type tattoos are private enough that you'd "never know" somebody had one. I don't go to the beach or water parks and I seem to come across them a lot, so they can't be THAT private.

A lot of it might be the recent fashion trend towards cropped tops and low rise slacks. Bad combination for flashing your lower back!

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

Okay, this is slightly off topic, but made me think...First off, DH and I (37 &35) have no tattoos. My sister has 2 and FIL has a few (one that says 'Pam' who is NOT my MIL ). Anyway a few years ago during a trip to Hawaii DH's Grandma got a dolphin tattoo on her ankle, she was in her late 70's at the time-it is her only tattoo. A few years later MIL got a tattoo, but I can't remember of what. Next week, my Dad is getting a Mighty Mouse tattoo on his calf-his first and one he has wanted for years- and he will be 59 in December. For the life of us, DH and I can not understand it, we just .

What don't you get? Sounds like your dad is getting a tattoo he's wanted for a long time. You only live once, so why not?

 

[MusiqChic99]

The only reason I don't agree with younger girls or guys getting tattoos is that it's a young age to decide on a permanant choice like that. Yeah I guess you can get them removed but I would hate to think of one of these girl being 30 and regretting that they had this tattoo.

Tattoos in my opinion only look good for so long anyway. So I wouldn't get one but I have no problem with ADULTS making that choice for themselves.

If my son came to me and wanted it, I would tell him to wait until he was an adult and didn't need my permission to do it.

 

[jenlynn0808]

What don't you get? Sounds like your dad is getting a tattoo he's wanted for a long time. You only live once, so why not?

Maybe the fact that he wasn't to thrilled when my sister showed up with hers...or that MIL complains about FIL's and that Grandma has exclaimed she didn't understand why her grandchildren got tattoos...

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

Maybe the fact that he wasn't to thrilled when my sister showed up with hers...or that MIL complains about FIL's and that Grandma has exclaimed she didn't understand why her grandchildren got tattoos...

Lol! That's funny! I can understand the confusion then. I love that your Grandma got a tattoo in her 70's.