So, I have been going back and forth, asking family members what they thought and I am sooo undecided.
She is 15 yrs old, and I understand that that is a very young age for a tattoo. Here is my dilema. If i tell her no, will she go and do it on her own and find someone off the street to do it for her. Or do let her and I take her that way it's done by a professional.
I would really appreciate your thoughts on this.
Please keep in mind that both her dad and I have tattoos.
Thanks! Lisa
I have no problem with piercings, funky hair or stange hair colors. I do have a problem with teens getting tattoo's. Mine had to wait till they were 18, is their the risk that they will run out and get some botched tattoo from someone just learning; yes. Now if you ask my dd about that choice (done 3 months before her 18th b-day) she will tell you it is one of her regrets, cause now she is paying to have them covered by someone professional.
Parents shouldn't make decisions based on fear of what their child 'might' do. They should make a decision and stand by it, because it is what they believe. I have no qualms about saying no, even though she did it anyways. Now her choices are her's to live with. No my problem, nor my problem to fix.
we have always told our kids that tattoos and piercings had to wait until they were 18 and paid for by them.
Our son is 19 and still no tattoos and no piercings, our daughter is 16 and the same except she does have her ears pierced.
I think all you really can do is make the decision you are most comfortable with and stick with it. If you make the rule that she has to wait and she goes behind your back and does it anyways be prepared to have there be a consequence.
She is 15, you are the parent if you don't want her to have one let her know. I told our kids when they were getting ready to leave for college please do not get a tattoo we do not like them and if you do we will not pay for your tution. No if ands or butt. My oldest is 25 and does not have one and my middle one who starts college this summer knows better.
When it comes to body "alterations", tattoo's are something that can't be reversed easily. Piercings, colored hair, colored braces, etc. are all changeable. Anyway, to the point, I have a 19, 18, & 13 yr old sons. When asked if they could alter their bodies before 18 (or after hs graduation), I would ask them to wait and think about it for 2 months. Ask other friends & grown-ups about their experience, do they regret it or not? After 2 months of thinking about it, usually my older son's would change their mind because a lot of stuff tends to be a trend and trends don't last too long in the teen world. Plus, it was something they would have to fund for themselves, so saving for it gave them some perspective too.
After the 2 months, if she still wants to, then take her to a professional. I personally think 15 is too young to make a good decision about something so permanent, like what she wants tattooed on. I would ask her to please wait til she is a bit older and if she agree's then I would fund it for her being responsible and thoughtful about it.
If she gets one off the street, then get her checked for aids and pray it's not something stupid that she'll regret. If so, it's her regret, like luckysevenwow said. I agree with her whole post.
I'll also add that I have 3 tattoo's, the dad has one, and the kid's have none.
I would say NO and tell her what will happen IF she does it on the street. Who is in charge? Your 15 year old? Doesn't matter if you do or not. I bet you were older, or I hope you were. Personally, I hate them but my 18 yo has 2. She promised that is it and they are on her feet so no one sees them most of the time, thank goodness.
I told both of my dd's to think about how much they changed between 12 and 14, 14 and 16, and then by 18. They will continue to change and may have different likes and preferences. My rule about anything permanent is to wait until you know who you really are before you make the decision. Since I do tend to consider, research, and provide rationale for my no's, they tend to respect the boundaries. I also told them that if they got any tattoo that showed in their wedding dress, I would not pay for it. That's just my own preference and boundary. My oldest dd got 2 tattoos after she got married. She is 27, and wants them both removed now! My youngest dd I allowed to get what's called an industrial piercing after graduation. It's a little bar across the top of her ear. Painful and bloody, but she wanted it. And it can be taken out if she doesn't want it anymore. No tattoos yet.
Quoting luckysevenwow:I have no problem with piercings, funky hair or stange hair colors. I do have a problem with teens getting tattoo's. Mine had to wait till they were 18, is their the risk that they will run out and get some botched tattoo from someone just learning; yes. Now if you ask my dd about that choice (done 3 months before her 18th b-day) she will tell you it is one of her regrets, cause now she is paying to have them covered by someone professional.
Parents shouldn't make decisions based on fear of what their child 'might' do. They should make a decision and stand by it, because it is what they believe. I have no qualms about saying no, even though she did it anyways. Now her choices are her's to live with. No my problem, nor my problem to fix.
Very good advice
My husband and I have tattoos but we still made our dd wait until she was 18 to get hers which she had to pay for. We'll do the same with our sons if they choose to get tattoos when they are older.
Pictures of your teen
Would you drug test your teen?
- ScaredSilly78
on Jun. 20, 2012 at 3:24 PM