How young is to young?

L

lorihart

Cathlete
This should be a good topic, with many different views I would imagine.
Alot of you have young teenage daughters or (like myself) have a child who eventually will be a teen, huh!
Anyway, we went to the water park yesterday and I couldn't help but notice this young girl that was in the line up as well. She was with some people, I could only assume it was her mom and her sibblings.She stood out to me b/c of the big tattoo she had on her lower back. Her mother didn't seem to be the best roll model.I was confused as to if they were actually mother and daughter b/c they seemed to be getting along to well and while we were sitting next to the pool she spent the whole time with this lady.But she was an older lady, who wasn't very well kept and she was very overweight.By not very well kept, I mean, dirty looking.
While her sibblings were splashing around in the pool, the young girl stayed close to her mother (?) and was afraid to get wet. She had every hair on her head in its place,her make up on, her belly button pierced, a tattoo on her thigh and the big one on her lower back. When she was stood up talking to the lifeguard her mother must have been talking about the tattoo b/c she made the young girl turn around and they were looking at it.
And I got to thinking, whatever kind of realtionship they have, I am sure I won't have one like that with my daugther.Im sure we will be close b/c I am still very young, but they were more like friends.But the age gap seemed to be to weird for that.
Im assumming the young girl was between 14-15 yrs old. And at what age do you say yes to a teen wanting to get body art done? They may think that know what they want at the time (been there) but Im sure they don't.Then every where I looked there weren't any tattoo's but pierced noses and belly buttons.
So what do you gals think? How young is to young? Should they be moved out of the house before they get this stuff done? Im wondering how many wrinkles my 9 yr old will give me when I get older!
Lori:)
 
Piercings are temporary. You take out the jewellery and they're gone. Tattoos are with you for life, so you better make damn sure you like what you're getting, and you're gonna like it when you're 95, because barring expensive removal which leaves scarring, you're stuck with it. I know tons of people who regret their tattoos - not necessarily getting them, but the design they chose.

For that reason, among others, 15 is too young. 18 is probably too young.
 
I don't have kids but I'm thinking that once they turn 18 and they are legally adults, you don't really have that much control over them, especially if they're earning their own money. Even at 17, they are driving and may have jobs. However, if they continue to live with you and they need your money, then you can exert some limited control.

Maybe my brother and SIL have been lucky, but so far, they haven't had any problems with my nieces who are 18 and 13. Thank goodness!
 
I think I'm the exception on this forum when it comes to tattoos and piercings. All my friends, almost without exception, have at least one, often many, tattoos and all are pierced in multiple locations, including places you don't wanna think about. Several have brands. I don't see it as anything beyond ordinary.

I still think there's an appropriate age, though, especially for tattoos.

Hey, at least the nurses will have pretty pictures to look at when they're changing our diapers in the old age home;)
 
When I went to high school I knew quite a few kids who had tattoos and body piercing at age 14 and up. I think the piercing are probably the easiest to hide and even close up, if you figure out you don't want it for the rest of your life. But tattoos are pretty much there for life and what's bad is they fade so you got to have them recolored every few years. Something a lot don't know, and if you don't they start looking like a blotch. Plus I still have a hard time thinking that all that ink on the skin isn't doing some type of harm to the body that just isn't known yet. Our skin absorbs a lot and sends it to the blood stream, every day toxins etc. Why not part of the paint, especially since it's kind of being injected into you.

But I think the only way to lead a kid down the right path is to have a good relationship and let them know everything, don’t just say no, explain it, and even give examples.

Kit
 
I have two daughters, 23 and 20. My oldest never wanted a tattoo. But the other one talked of getting one in high school. I told her when she was 18 she could then do what she wanted (and spend HER money). She did get a small one on her lower back her first year at college.

Joanne
 
Shelly,

I didn't mean tattoos and piercing are the wrong path for everyone, but generally you don't want your child to decide to have something that is going to stay with them for life, and then regret in a year and regret for the rest of their life. I guess misdirected path would have been better, choice of words.

I have no problem with piercing or tattoos, just I know so many who have regretted getting them at 14-15 and are now in their 30s and really wish they hadn't did that. Especially when they happen to have a guy's name tattooed to their glutes, and the guy is no longer around.

Kit
 
As discussed in a previous thread...the belly button piercing MIGHT be okay at that age depending on the maturity of the girl because it is temporary but the tatoo is OUT at that young age because it is permanent! No tatoos until you are of legal age to get one w/o parental permission-18 is the age, I am pretty sure...

That being said, I would not say my daughter/son would have to be out of the house to get a tatoo (or a piercing). No way. That's not fair as far as I'm concerned. I can't stop them once they are of legal age anyway and it's not like I am going to toss them out of my house for getting a tatoo at 18!

If I have a son or daughter who is considering a tatoo at 18 and I happen to be lucky enough to know about it in advance and I feel they shouldn't do it for whatever reason, I will voice my opinnion but that's all. They are not looking to do something awful and if they go ahead and do it knowing I don't approve (IF I don't) it's not like I'm going to stop loving them or treat them any differently. Maybe I'll be disappointed but I'll get over it!

I got my first tatoo at 25 and my second a few years later. I was still living in my mom's house. She didn't approve but she got over it really quickly. It's not worth ruining your relationship with your kid over that. It's so trivial...

What concerns me more with tatoos/piercings is where they are getting them done at? Is it a trusted shop? Is it clean, etc? Plus the content and the placement of them...what kind of tatoo are they going to get and where are they going to put it? I would be more concerned with those things personally.

As far as being friends with your children, I say go for it! There's a time to be a friend and a time to be a parent. If you know the difference than it will work out WONDERFULLY! My mom and I have been the best of friends all of my adult life and we always got along great when I was younger but when I needed a mom, she was ALWAYS there! Actually...I STILL need a mom at times to this day and she's STILL there! :+

JMHO ofcourse. :)
 
I remember when I got my tattoo. My mom was up in arms. And I was 36:p She said "Why on earth would you want to go and do something like that?". Then I showed it to her. And she said "oh, it's pretty":p
 
LOL Shelley! That's funny!

I have a friend who came home with a tat and her mom thought it was fake and told her to go wash it off! LOLOL
 
I went to an outdoor concert a few years ago and did an amazing temporary one around my belly button (which is pierced). I can only imagine how much it would hurt having a real one done there, though!
 
That is my "dream tatoo"...I LOVE that look wether pierced or not...I have yet to have abs that look good enough for that though....
 
I agree with Wendy - one of the most important things I've learned as a single mom is to pick your battles. Some things are non-negotiable like no going out on a school night, schoolwork comes first, chores at home, etc. These are all basic things that they need to learn to become a responsible adult. If they want tattoos, piercings, I don't have to agree with it but I would want to be involved in helping them make an educated decision. And it would have to be at a more mature age than 13 or 14. If after all that they've read and heard about it, they still want to do it, I'll be there holding their hand. And like Wendy said, I would want to make darn sure it was a reputable (and clean) establishment!

Of course, that being said, I would get a tattoo in a second but my BF doesn't like them!! LOL!

Angie
 
>Tattoos are with you for life, so you better
>make damn sure you like what you're getting, and you're gonna
>like it when you're 95, because barring expensive removal
>which leaves scarring, you're stuck with it.

I just saw a 50-ish woman with a tattoo on her arm that was all faded and stretched out. It looked horrible! So if you do get a tat, make sure you don't gain weight (and that you put sunblock on it to protect it).
 
Oh Angie, That is a good reason to get one. My husband doesn't like tattoos and I love them. I wanted one really bad for a long time. I finally got one when I was 35 and I love it. And I think he secretly likes it also. :)

As far as the woman and the teenage girl. I find it hard sometimes to really know how old someone is. When I was around 21-22, most people thought I was only 16. This included other 16 year olds. So, the girl could have actually been older than you think. My niece got a tattoo when she was 18 on her low back. I think it is pretty cool looking. Also, all the tattoo places here will not give you a tattoo unless you are 18 and sober. That is why my niece waited until she was 18.
 
Personally speaking, I don't like tattoos for myself and I hope my daughter never gets one when she is on her own. She wouldn't dare do so beforehand and she knows it. It almost killed me to let her get her hair dyed.

Charlotte~~
 
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