OT- Kids tattoos....ummm WHAT????

[Momvic5]

Tattoos have hit a new high in popularity. It all became very apparent last summer when my family went to a popular waterpark in Texas ~Schlitterbahn. My husband and I were totally surprised to see how many young teenagers had tattoos. I mean they were everywhere. More teenagers had them than not, and these tattoos looked real. We couldn't imagine how they were getting them. Then we spotted the means. This waterpark had airbrush tattoo stands around every corner and they were flooded with teenagers wearing skimpy swim suits and having these tattoos put in not so nice places.

I think tattoos have become the norm and children are getting used to seeing them everyday in those hidden but not so hidden places. I have seen many mothers at the grocery store wearing low rise jeans and bear their tattoo while bending over to get something. Its becoming the norm. Gone are the days when a tattoo was on an arm or at the ankle. Children often just imitiate what they see.

 

[katerkat]

Oh geez! Another reason I'm a bad parent. My 8 year old did "shots" with his uncle at the wedding reception. It made for some great pictures that everyone got a kick out of.

Don't worry, I'm worse. I have video of Russ drinking from a wine glass in WDW, on the Australian wine-walk-about. When he was two and a half. And clinking glasses with everyone and saying "cheers!"

 

[SharpMomOfTwo]

LOL - DH took the kids to Target today and came back with Hannah Montana dolls for them. Inside, there were 2 temp tattoos which DH quickly put on DD3 - But on her arm, not her tushey!

 

[DisneyPhD]

Don't worry, I'm worse. I have video of Russ drinking from a wine glass in WDW, on the Australian wine-walk-about. When he was two and a half. And clinking glasses with everyone and saying "cheers!"

Wine glasses seem different to me because I drink out of them all the time, and I don't drink alcohol. They are more "fancy" glasses. It isn't as common for anyone to drink out of shot glasses unless they are doing shots (at least that I ever see.)

Same with kiddy cocktails. They are smoothies, that kids have all the time. I love mixed drinks, just not with alcohol.

 

[katerkat]

Wine glasses seem different to me because I drink out of them all the time, and I don't drink alcohol. They are more "fancy" glasses. It isn't as common for anyone to drink out of shot glasses unless they are doing shots (at least that I ever see.)

Same with kiddy cocktails. They are smoothies, that kids have all the time. I love mixed drinks, just not with alcohol.

Mental note: do not tell DisneyPhD how Russ actually learned to say "cheers!"


(OK, it's not that bad. I put my vitamin in the cap of the bottle and toss it back. He thought that was funny so he started doing it too. Then we started clinking vitamin bottle tops and saying "cheers!" We're weird. We know.)

 

[DisneyPhD]

Mental note: do not tell DisneyPhD how Russ actually learned to say "cheers!"


(OK, it's not that bad. I put my vitamin in the cap of the bottle and toss it back. He thought that was funny so he started doing it too. Then we started clinking vitamin bottle tops and saying "cheers!" We're weird. We know.)

See, we do cheers all the time, and it isn't with alcohol so it seems innocent enough to me. Heck, clinking glasses if fun.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I find the phrase "tramp stamp" offensive too, especially because it carries with it a judgment of any adult woman that may choose to have a tattoo there. There are some people that choose that sort of location for a tattoo because it is easy to cover for circumstances where they don't want it shown.

I assume the phrase "tramp stamp" came to be because a majority of these women (actually teens/early 20's that I've seen) who placed a tattoo is this area, also walked around in tiny shirts and low rise jeans that showed the cracks of their butts, along with their tattoo. Anyone can have one here, but I think it becomes a tramp stamp when it becomes visible and calls your attention to someone's butt crack. You can't tell me that this isn't meant to call attention to someones butt.

 

[DevilDuckie]

So I am dropping my two DDs off at daycare this morning, when in comes a little girl who is in my DDs class (5yo). She is very excited to show the teacher her new tattoo. I am expecting to see a cartoon character on her hand. What I saw was a little girl pull down the top of her pants to expose the top of her bum where she had a very large butterfly tattoo. It was a temporary one, but still!

I am curious, do you think this is appropriate?

How...charming. She has her very own "tramp stamp".

I think this is revolting, much like giving little girls clothing with things written across the rump. Hello? I don't really want to attract attention to that area of a little kid.

 

[jagafen]

Are there any "conservative" (not politcal, but rather dress and behavior) parents left?

Our DS also has his version of cheers...DH is Italian, from a young age he would clink his sippy cups against our drink glasses and yell "SALUD!!"...I don't think that necessarily condones drinking (booze)...it's a family tradition that he's picked up on. We drink in front of him, but it's a glass of wine or a beer.....we wait for him to go to bed before we get ripped!

 

[Aidensmom]

Don't worry, I'm worse. I have video of Russ drinking from a wine glass in WDW, on the Australian wine-walk-about. When he was two and a half. And clinking glasses with everyone and saying "cheers!"

If we get wine in Germany in Epcot, we also get our son the concoction they have for kids there, and its served in a stemmed glass. We all do the cheers thing too.

My child knows that wine is for adults, and he also knows that drinking a glass of wine does not make an adult drunk, and is nothing to be ashamed of. He doesn't have preconceived notions about tattoos being trashy either, as both of his parents have them, (I have one on my ankle, my husband has one on his arm and one on his chest) and we are just normal law-abiding citizens who don't do anything "trampy".

I guess my kid is on the fast track to hell.

 

[MousekaMaddi]

hey ...when u get there, be sure and say hi to me cuz I am definately on my way there!

 

[graygables]

There is something to be said of societal perception. Sure, people can get all up in arms about self-expression and freedom of speech, blah, blah, blah, but it boils down to the males of the species "knowing what it means". As such, the majority of the population perceives it as inappropriate for any decent female, much less a child. If I have 2 equally qualified job candidates who bend over to pick up their purses, I promise you, the one whose pants stay up will get the job over the one who flashes me her thong with her tattoo emblazoned above it.

What never ceases to amaze me is why young women want to continually degrade themselves in the name of "female empowerment" and what flabbergasts me even more are the mothers who encourage sexualized behavior in their daughters. My ex is a pedophile. You would be horrified at the things I learned.

 

[hoosiergirl7]

I'm really torn on this issue. I am a strict mother and thus far only have 1 child who happens to be a boy. Yes he thinks his rear end is the funniest part on his body and has no problem saying, "mommy look at my butt" as he streaks across the house naked.

I do see it as somewhat innocent because this child doesn't know better. It's not a negative thing until we adults make it a negative thing. However, I think that this little girl could get unwanted attention and if she grows up thinking that it's OK to look like this...

I absolutely HATE the majority of the clothes I see on the racks for little girls. It's very inappropriate although it seems like it is starting to get better again. And there are some stores and catalog companies like Lands End, Gap and Gymboree that make children look like children not mini-floosies. I can't believe the amount of little girls under the age of 10 that I see walking around in mini skirts that are WAY too short for them and black heeled boots up to their knees. I think more shocking is that there are parents that actually buy their little girls these clothes and think it's "cute" for them to look like tramps.

I refuse to be my child's friend. I'm their mother. I know DS 4 when he doesn't like what we tell him says, "Mommy, I'm not going to be your friend." I tell him that's OK because I can't be his friend because he's my son and I'm his mom. My son doesn't have a TV nor does he watch a lot of it. He's not allowed to drink juice except on special occasions - it's water, milk or tea. My parents were never my friend, they were my parents and disciplinarians and I think they made me a better person by being strict.

I too noticed the banner and laughed at how ironic it was to be there with this topic being discussed.

 

[Liljam]

I happen to love tattoos and actually I have a half sleeve started on both arms, one on my belly below my belly button, one tramp stamp that I dislike now that I'm older but only because it's a typical one,and I'm adding a back piece on the 18th of April. They consist of swallows, a lotus flower, butterfly, and a tribal with the addition being a sugar skull and roses. I'm sure to some, I look like I don't amount to much, and I get judged a lot from outsiders but mainly out of town and places like Disney. That being said, I totally disagree with a child putting a temp tat on her lower back area and showing it off. I also don't agree with parents who sign for they're kids to go ahead and get tattoos although my own mother signed for my brother to get a beautiful memorial tattoo after his best friend since age 5 died. He was 16 at the time and I argue with him that he needs to wait until he is 18 and even up in to his 30's like me. I think that sometimes it is adults who make these stereotypes stick. Kids don't seem as judgmental. I bet the other kids didn't think much of this girl having a tattoo at all. I worried last year when I went to WDW that people would see my sleeves and make harsh comments, and I don't bite my tongue easily. Not many people did. This year, as DVC members, I worry that other members might assume I'm a guest or renter because how could someone that looks like me have DVC, lol! I know that sounds so extreme but these are things that I have to deal with because of my love for body art. I just recently had a son and I will introduce him to things that make up who my husband and I have come to be including music (DH has a southern rock band.) BUT I will make him stay a child as long as I can and I won't allow him to have any ink until he is legal without a signature. I just thought I'd add my input h ere, because if you saw my own ink, you'd think that I would be on the encouraging end f the spectrum...

As for the virgin shooters, lol! I hate shooters myself, but my drink is whiskey so I guess my son will be having apple juice shots from my RNRC shot glass! (jk)

 

[vellamint]

I know parents that have had their SONS ears pierced....and I am talking about the under 10 group here NOT a teen or tween....

I dont know - maybe its just me. Maybe I am alot older than I am.

 

[ty&brenmom]

I guess my kid is on the fast track to hell.[/QUOTE]


I guess I'm on the way to sending my youngest son on the fast track also. The rule at my house is he can get his ear pierced when he is eight. He goes through having a mohawk to having "spiked" hair (short on the sides and back but a little long in the front that he gels up). He loves hair color (if he behaves and keeps his room clean then he can have colored gel). Loves tatoos and is always putting fake ones one. Wants to ride a motorcycle and play in a rock band. All of this is fun and just being a boy. I don't drink (alcohol) but the three of us love drinking juice or soda out of shot glasses.
I believe that parents of little girls have it rough, they are surrounded with being "sexy" and that it is the new cute. One of my coworker's 6 eyar old daughter told her that all her friends at school thought she looked hot.
To stay on topic, the parent should have told the girl to place the tattoo where she could show her friends.

 

[PebblesMom]

For me the problem with all of this arises with the intent of adults. I believe that the little girl probably had no idea of the social implications of her putting a tattoo there and was imitating something she had seen someone else do, however we seem to be living in a society that looks at young girls as sexy (an example is all of the disgusting comments and countdowns when the Olsen twins were turning 18). Kids that age don't attach any meaning to things like a "tramp stamp", and I agree that they do think butts are funny, but with the way the world is I would not want my daughter (or son) showing off that part of their body to anyone. I think some people in this world are twisted enough to look at her like they would an adult, not a little girl who IMO is playing dress up. When I was little it was my Mom's high heels and lipstick, but my Mom did not have tattoos!

 

[CastleCreations]

We don't do temp tattoos. We have in the past..until I got a "talking to" by my dd's school, when she came home with her upper arm rubbed raw. The teacher made her wash it off. I guess they aren't allowed in her school.
Now the school is upset by the stamps that her gym puts on her hand, with the industrial ink that doesn't wash off...

 

[all4fun]

We don't do temp tattoos. We have in the past..until I got a "talking to" by my dd's school, when she came home with her upper arm rubbed raw. The teacher made her wash it off. I guess they aren't allowed in her school.
Now the school is upset by the stamps that her gym puts on her hand, with the industrial ink that doesn't wash off...

They couldn't have put a bandaid over it and then talked to you about it? I wouldn't have been happy with them for rubbing my kids skin raw! I can't believe they are upset about the stamp on the hand. Sounds like a really strict school!

I did see a little girl, I'd say about six, at the store one day with a "tramp stamp" on her back (I could only hope it was a temp one, it was hard to tell!). She was also wearing clothes that were revealing enough that the tat was easily visible. The ensemble was highly inappropriate IMO. I agree with the PebblesMom and some of the others who have posted in the same vein:

For me the problem with all of this arises with the intent of adults. I believe that the little girl probably had no idea of the social implications of her putting a tattoo there and was imitating something she had seen someone else do, however we seem to be living in a society that looks at young girls as sexy (an example is all of the disgusting comments and countdowns when the Olsen twins were turning 18). Kids that age don't attach any meaning to things like a "tramp stamp", and I agree that they do think butts are funny, but with the way the world is I would not want my daughter (or son) showing off that part of their body to anyone. I think some people in this world are twisted enough to look at her like they would an adult, not a little girl who IMO is playing dress up. When I was little it was my Mom's high heels and lipstick, but my Mom did not have tattoos!

ps. my ds loves temp tattos but we only put them on his arms, maybe sometimes on the lower part of his leg. He's four, and doesn't even realize that other parts of his body are even an option at this point.

 

[momtoBrandon&Jacob]

Right.

But I'm not a fan of encouraging kids to do that. I'm not afraid of my 5 year old seeing another 5 year old's tush.

But I am concerned that an adult might use this as an opportunity to abuse a child. And, yes, my kids are with trusted adults at all times. But the concern is always still there.

Again: the OP was treated to a look at this little girl's tush. Who is to say who else was treated to the same look? Possibly with a camera phone?

I just don't like the slippery slope this child is on.

OMG, why not just put your kid in a bubble?? What about when you're in a mall or in any public place. People are everywhere with camera phones.