Inking Your Progeny... Child Abuse, Cool Parent, Or Something Else?

*Edited to add that I am asking this because I am trying to guage if I am in the minority since I would NOT sign for my child to get tattooed.*

My daughter asked for a nose piercing about a year ago. She was 12 at the time and I told her I didn't think she was ready yet. Fast forward a year, she turned 13 and was still asking. We had many talks in that year about after care, complications, etc. I told her I would think about it. I did, and decided to allow her to get her nose pierced. The deciding factor for me was the fact that it could be removed without an issue and would heal up completely. It was reversable if/when she was tired of it.

The only place to have this done is at my local tattoo shop. Later that evening she was talking about a few of her friends at school who had tattoos done there. I almost ran off the road. Really. I have seen more and more 16 to 17 year olds with them and thought that was still too young for something that is so permanent. But my daughter is only 13 and still in middle school with children 10 to 14. I asked her how many? She specified atleast 8 that she knew of. 3 Of those were 13. I was like WTH?

I am not a holier than thou person but this amazes me. I have tattoos of my own, and personally would not sign for my daughter to get a tattoo if it was the night before her 18th birthday. I would never want her to regret it then ask me why I let her do it. It is permanent. Many years ago she said she wanted a spongebob tattoo on her forearm, I told her that is why children aren't allowed to get tattoos.

I realize tattoos are becoming more acceptable in our society, but there is still a lot of stigma and preconcieved notions about who gets them. Is it ok to let a child make this big of a decision? What about future careers?

I looked around trying to get some stats about this seemingly new trend. I couldn't find stats but shockingly ran across this article: www.cbsnews.com...

These folks actually tattoed their own young children.

I am no prude and am fairly young, but maybe I am the only one who feels like something this permanent shouldn't even be considered until they are adults. I can remember always wanting a tattoo but knew better than to even think about asking my parents!

So I am just curious... Is it child abuse to sign for your child to be tattooed? Can they (as young as 13) understand the ramifications of what they are asking for? Or is it simply a sign of changing times and like "mall hair" should be allowed and openly accepted?

You strike me as someone who would know this answer already. Tattoos with few exceptions are considered trashy. She needs you for proper guidance, and this time that means NO.

If you as a parent have to sign off or agree to your child getting ink, then I'd say no. It might not stop them doing their own, as I did when I was a kid, and they may hissy fit, but blah.

When they are of legal age, if they get ink and it's something they regret later on in life, they have no one to blame but themselves.

Im a fan in tats btw, but not for kids who need parental permission.

Rings, studs etc, can be removed and there is barely no results.

Ink is for life.

Originally posted by EssenSieMich
Tattoos with few exceptions are considered trashy.

What an ignorant statement.

So are flares, golly gee those pesky hippies...

reply to post by EssenSieMich


No! I am not asking for me. I would never sign for my daughter to get tattooed even if it was 11:45pm on the eve of her 18 birthday. She would have to wait the other 15 minutes and sign for herself!

I was trying to guage if I was in the minority, because obviously lots of kids are getting inked up.

I wouldn't go as far as to say it's child abuse but more a 'brainfart' on the parent's part. Let your child make that decision when they're of age to do so.

Aside from medical emergencies or similar type situations, I certainly wouldn't want to make a choice or decision that my child would be stuck with (physically) for life. Yeah. Tattoos are somewhat removable anymore, but still ...

Let them make those type choices once they're able to walk in and have it done without you Having to be there ... imo


*not anti-tat ... love the art ... just sayin'*

[ETA]
the above is by no means directed at the OP ... but more the 'scenario'

reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe


Oh Good, that's what I would have thought. Well in that case, I don't know if I would call it child abuse but it is definitely neglect.

There is no real age to decide whether to take a tattoo or not, but what is important to me is that the body must have finished growing (vertically) and either the shoulders must be broad or the hips must have widen, all in order to prevent misforming representations.

The younger, the better I say.

That's why my darling 3 month year old has "juicy" tattooed on her lower back.

Really?
13 or 14?

Are you in Australia? Sorry if not, you know the avatar and all suggests you may be.

I'm fairly sure that is illegal, you have to be at least 16 and have parental permission otherwise it can't be legally done. I don't know there may be a draconian state that might allow it.
I'm all for tattoo's and have a number myself but I would be reporting this shop for breaching code.

When my daughter was 14 she begged and pleaded and stamped and cried for me to allow her to get a tattoo like her friends at school. I told her that when she's 18 she can get her whole body tattooed if she wants, but until then it's an emphatic NO.

I allowed her to have her navel and ears pierced - which she still has, but it was a 'no' to any face piercings. Although you can remove a piercing from the face if bored with it, it will still leave a 'pock-mark' type scar after it heals.

She is now 25, and last year she thanked me for not allowing her to have a tattoo all those years ago. She is the only one amongst her friends who has no tattoos at all, she says she likes them but is glad she hasn't got any.

My son was the same at 14, but again I said 'no' to any tattoos and/or face piercings. He's 22 now and plays guitar/drums in a death metal band (yuk), and has the whole of both arms covered with tattoos, lip, nose and eyebrow pierced. But he's an adult now and makes his own decisions.

By the way, 2 years ago my son wanted to join the Royal Navy, but he has a barcode design tattooed on the back of his neck and it showed above the collar, and because of this they refused him. He was gutted.

Never let your kids get inked, they have the rest of their lives once aged 18 to get as many tattoos as they want

Originally posted by EssenSieMich
You strike me as someone who would know this answer already. Tattoos with few exceptions are considered trashy. She needs you for proper guidance, and this time that means NO.

So you dare call me trashy? What makes you the best judge of what is trashy or not? Just because you do not like a thing that some one does with no harm to others doesn't give you the right to call them trashy. I make more money, am more popular, and am quite the parent and family guy. So because you do not like tattoos I am now trashy. Bigots like you are the cause of global problems, you go around pushing your ideas and judging others just because you feel different about things then they do. This in my book makes you no better than a racist. Spew your judgemental assbackward drivel else wear.

I do not agree on tattooing minors. There are too many things that will change in their life over the next several years that may or may not make them want to get tattoos. My personal opinion on tattoos and piercings, this coming from a shop owner and artist, is that if you want them then great, get them, if you do not then great do not get them, but NEVER, EVER, judge me because I have them, and likewise if you do have them do not judge those that don't. It is a personal choice, it is cool to be you weather you get tattoos and piercings or you do not.

While many tribes do indeed have ritual tattooing as rites of passage, I cannot think of a single instance in our Westernized world that would qualify a young person under the age of 18 to memorialize the event with a tattoo....( although I'm sure the kids could come up with plenty).

As it stands these days, getting inked is more just an attempt to "fit in" than anything...a dangerous precedent for anyone. Were I a parent, I'd have to decline any consent on that point alone...even though I'm inked myself.

I got a tattoo when I was 17. I didn't get permission, I went to a place that didn't check ID, I did at the time, look of age, they were a new store and I must have caught them at a busy time and they didn't check (they are actually a really well known shop now in Brisbane). It was a small one, J.R.R Tolkein's signature/symbol on my thigh. I still love it. But I thought long and hard about what I wanted. I got a second one shortly after, that I didn't think about too much, and it's now been covered up.

I have a daughter, and several more tattoos now then I did back then, but there is no way i'm signing a form for her. It's her life choice, she can wait until she's 18, and she can sign, and if it's something she ends up regretting, that's her life mistake she has to make. I won't wrap her in cotton wool, and stop her getting something that she is passionate about. But if she got/gets one before she turns 18, so help her, she won't be leaving her bedroom for a LONG time!

I actually think 13 year olds with Tattoos are disgusting. It's completely illegal, so please find the place that is doing it, and report them, if they are so slack with Laws & ID, how do we know they are even using the correct health measures, like autoclaving piercing supplies etc. So wrong.


I'll edit to add, the 2nd tattoo, 2 months later - they did ask for ID.

Originally posted by EssenSieMich
You strike me as someone who would know this answer already. Tattoos with few exceptions are considered trashy. She needs you for proper guidance, and this time that means NO.

considered trashy by whom ?

I have tats ,but my kids can wait till their 18.

reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe

Jus giz us da booby milk an no one gets hurtz
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/54a077cfeaeb.jpg[/atsimg]

Don't mess wid da BabYakuzu

reply to post by pazcat


In australia, you CANNOT sign a permission form for a minor under 18 to get a tattoo NOONE under the age of 18, parental consent or not is allowed to be inked. Piercings yes, Tattoos, no.

Originally posted by LeaderOfProgress

Originally posted by EssenSieMich
You strike me as someone who would know this answer already. Tattoos with few exceptions are considered trashy. She needs you for proper guidance, and this time that means NO.

So you dare call me trashy? What makes you the best judge of what is trashy or not? Just because you do not like a thing that some one does with no harm to others doesn't give you the right to call them trashy. I make more money, am more popular, and am quite the parent and family guy. So because you do not like tattoos I am now trashy. Bigots like you are the cause of global problems, you go around pushing your ideas and judging others just because you feel different about things then they do. This in my book makes you no better than a racist. Spew your judgemental assbackward drivel else wear.

I do not agree on tattooing minors. There are too many things that will change in their life over the next several years that may or may not make them want to get tattoos. My personal opinion on tattoos and piercings, this coming from a shop owner and artist, is that if you want them then great, get them, if you do not then great do not get them, but NEVER, EVER, judge me because I have them, and likewise if you do have them do not judge those that don't. It is a personal choice, it is cool to be you weather you get tattoos and piercings or you do not.

edit on 7-2-2011 by LeaderOfProgress because: (no reason given)

Wow! For someone so sensitive, getting inked must have really hurt. Maybe you are so young that you don't recall it was only a few years when tats took off mainstream. Every other frat boy had to get a 'tribal' armband, every other frat girl just had to have what is now nicely called a 'tramp stamp'. For the longest time proper society has looked down upon tats. They were mostly found on prisoners, bikers, sluts, carnies - lowlifes, in general.

Get offended all you want. Other people ARE entitled to their opinion. You chose to get marked up, then live with it. But to be surprised that there are people who consider tattoos to be the mark of lowlife scum really should not shock you. There are too many televised programs showing how law enforcement photographs the many inkings of prisoners across America. If you want to lay down with the dogs, expect to wake up with fleas.

Do you REALLY think people don't judge you every time you step out in public? We are judged by others constantly, whether you like it or not. Who are YOU to tell people not to follow human nature? I find this comical, immature and ignorant. Is it lonely for you, way up on that high horse?

The bulk of society does not have tattoos. And the concept of grouping the inked into the lowlife pile is the norm, not the exception. "Majority rule" takes place when 51% or more agree to an opinion. Oh! I forgot! According to you, others aren't entitled to their own opinions. Enjoy being in a minority, and have fun seething when people judge you a lowlife due to your tattoos, because they will, and there is nothing you can do about it but get all ITG behind your keyboard.

As for "making more money" - ??? Making more money than whom/what? this makes no sense. I've known LOTS of drug dealers that made huge cash, tax-free to boot. Big deal.

You consider yourself "more popular" - than who or what, I don't know. Popularity is not difficult, just pick up the tab for the beer. You can relate.

And it does not take much qualifications to be a parent or family guy. The way you express yourself, you consider yourself to be quite good at most things you do.

I'm not the hipster you are, but I am aware that there are other people in the world, some with views opposing mine. I welcome their thoughts and opinions, whether they differ from mine, reek of bigotry, hate, whatever. These things exist and are real. And they exist for good reason. Stereotypes come around from reality and observation of human nature.

Of the thousands of people that have come and gone in my life, the most damaged ones have had tattoos. they are not all damaged - some of them were attention whores, some are ignorant young people following trends, and -gasp- a huge amount of guys who wish to high hell they never walked into a tattoo parlor in their life. What did they all have in common? Being trashy.

Wake up. Grow up. People are going to judge you, like it or not, and they have been doing so for a long time.

PS: Had my mind blown a few years ago while reading a tattoo monthly magazine. This issue featured one of the guys from the sugary-sweet pop ballad band, "Air Supply". This fellow was massively covered with some of the best ink in the country, and he participates in shows & expos. I got a kick out of learning this musician is in real life so different from his stage persona. Contrast makes people interesting.

That photo of the babies is in the Worst tast i have ever seen.
are we SO obbsessed we will accutaly use our children to advertise Google legos and so on?right on there bodys . there is NO amount of money you could ever pay me to do taht to a kid of mine

Your daughter is too young to get a tattoo imo and the fact that it is a trend is sad. I again blame reality tv and shows that promote this stuff to younger kids. They think tats are cool because of Kat Von D now. Kids at that age aren't mature enough to make a decision to get something so permanent. Heck I know adults who have questionable tattoos and they always say they were too young and thought it was cool at the time. As for jobs, there is a thread on here now where a guy didn't get a job because he had tattoos. I have been told I would have to cover mine and I don't feel I should have to cover what is a part of me and who I am. It has no reflection nor do they hinder my work. I only have 7 and they are small but they all have meaning to me personally. I was 19 when I got my first one and it is my favorite. I have had it redone since

Kids now a days seem like they want to be adults more than they did when I was a teenager. Heck at 12 I was still playing Barbie. I wasn't worried about nose piercings or tattoos. Personally I wouldn't let my daughter at that age even get a nose ring. I couldn't get a second hole in my ear til I was 18, there is no way a nose ring would have been allowed. However it was your decision since it's your child and your reasoning that it is removable is understandable