Would you let your teen daughter get tattoos?

[Anonymous]

Yes, ofc I did. Mine is now 18 and she has 3. One not visible. One on ankle and one that is visible on arm. All are small'ish. She also has a bunch of piercings. They all suit her.

Tattoos are just not the big deal they once were. And it's fine if you don't like them but it's not ok to be a judgy bish about it. I've had attorneys, doctors, dentists, etc. with tattoos, with nose piercings, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand OP and the judgement on the parent. How could you stop an 18 yo? DH and I are boring professionals in a nice neighborhood and we each have several. You can’t see them. We were young. I personally like tattoos.

I think this judgement has mostly to do with the conservative and cautious culture of the DMV.

More to do with the culture of DCUM. I know lots of DMV people with tattoos and even more who don't care about them.

[Anonymous]

I have tattoos, but I told my kids that they had to wait to get tattoos until they could sign for themselves.

[Anonymous]

No.

But then my kids also dress modestly and excel at school.

[Anonymous]

OP, how on earth would you know what’s “meaningful “ to this young woman? Just because flowers and butterflies don’t resonate with your personal sense of, say: transformation and growth — it doesn’t sound like you’re in a position to actually know what’s meaningful to her and what’s not.

Anyway, I’m another person in the “when you’re 18” camp — but I don’t have any tattoos, and know that I personally would regret having done something relatively permanent at any point. Having said that though, it’s their decision. I can also see supporting tattoos at an earlier age — depending upon the kid, the circumstances, and the tattoo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work with a woman whose daughter just turned 18 and just graduated from HS, and the girl is up to something like 7 or 8 tattoos. A bunch of little ones, all over her arms, wrists, shoulders. Nothing meaningful, just flowers and butterflies dotted here and there. She got her first one, with her parents' blessing (I think her dad took her to get it) when she was 15 or 16.

The mom is educated and a successful professional, and I am frankly shocked. Yes, judgmental. Yes, it's none of my business, but I've worked with the mom for almost 10 years and never would have thought she'd allow her child to make such permanent decisions at such a young age, and especially not ones with that carry such social weight, and yes, stigma.

Would you have this fight with your child? Or take a "her body her choice" stance? Would you pay to make sure she gets it done professionally?

Yes, the Gen Z tattoo style is patchwork. Especially among the artsy, creative, urban set. Think Ella Emhoff. (Kamala's stepdd, and biological daughter of 2 other very successful people.)

This seems about right. She looks like daughter of a dad that cheated on his wife and caused a divorce. That she was living off the celebrity of her stepmother is just icing on the cake. Hopefully she finally finds the one tattoo that gives her peace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work with a woman whose daughter just turned 18 and just graduated from HS, and the girl is up to something like 7 or 8 tattoos. A bunch of little ones, all over her arms, wrists, shoulders. Nothing meaningful, just flowers and butterflies dotted here and there. She got her first one, with her parents' blessing (I think her dad took her to get it) when she was 15 or 16.

The mom is educated and a successful professional, and I am frankly shocked. Yes, judgmental. Yes, it's none of my business, but I've worked with the mom for almost 10 years and never would have thought she'd allow her child to make such permanent decisions at such a young age, and especially not ones with that carry such social weight, and yes, stigma.

Would you have this fight with your child? Or take a "her body her choice" stance? Would you pay to make sure she gets it done professionally?

Yes, the Gen Z tattoo style is patchwork. Especially among the artsy, creative, urban set. Think Ella Emhoff. (Kamala's stepdd, and biological daughter of 2 other very successful people.)

This seems about right. She looks like daughter of a dad that cheated on his wife and caused a divorce. That she was living off the celebrity of her stepmother is just icing on the cake. Hopefully she finally finds the one tattoo that gives her peace.

Awww bless your heart. I'm sure you think you said something smart.

[Anonymous]

Where's Dad? The young women who get tattoos young usually don't have a strong male presence at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where's Dad? The young women who get tattoos young usually don't have a strong male presence at home.

BAHAHAHAHAHA I love when DCUM-ers pull statistics out of their ass. It's my fave.

[Anonymous]

No, but only due to health risks (cancer, etc...)!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work with a woman whose daughter just turned 18 and just graduated from HS, and the girl is up to something like 7 or 8 tattoos. A bunch of little ones, all over her arms, wrists, shoulders. Nothing meaningful, just flowers and butterflies dotted here and there. She got her first one, with her parents' blessing (I think her dad took her to get it) when she was 15 or 16.

The mom is educated and a successful professional, and I am frankly shocked. Yes, judgmental. Yes, it's none of my business, but I've worked with the mom for almost 10 years and never would have thought she'd allow her child to make such permanent decisions at such a young age, and especially not ones with that carry such social weight, and yes, stigma.

Would you have this fight with your child? Or take a "her body her choice" stance? Would you pay to make sure she gets it done professionally?

Yes, the Gen Z tattoo style is patchwork. Especially among the artsy, creative, urban set. Think Ella Emhoff. (Kamala's stepdd, and biological daughter of 2 other very successful people.)

Ugh, I hate it. I have some respect for the well-thought-out, well-executed full back and sleeve. But this style screams "I have $80 and no ability to think ahead."

Yeah they aren't getting these to please the boomers that is for sure.

They aren't thinking about it at all. It's pure impulse.

Maybe they forget that they’ll be 40 soon enough and a picture of Donald Duck on your arm won’t look as cute.

[Anonymous]

Yes, ofc I did. Mine is now 18 and she has 3. One not visible. One on ankle and one that is visible on arm. All are small'ish. She also has a bunch of piercings. They all suit her.

Tattoos are just not the big deal they once were. And it's fine if you don't like them but it's not ok to be a judgy bish about it. I've had attorneys, doctors, dentists, etc. with tattoos, with nose piercings, etc.

"Of course" you did?? Obviously, for most parents this is not an "of course, go for it" issue for kids under 18. Kids that age aren't even allowed to vote, why would you allow them to permanently adorn their body? They will definitely not want the same things at 16 as they do at 35. For many, tattoos are still definitely a big deal. Many, many employers do not allow visible tattoos. When I am interviewing professionals, I do not want to see tattoos because I think the clients we serve don't necessarily want to see them. In Japan, you cannot use public baths/hot springs with tattoos and tattoo studios are not permitted. You may not judge, but there are certainly many people that do. In this case, it says more about your judgment than your teen's.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No.

But then my kids also dress modestly and excel at school.

OK??

My kid has tattoos, piercings, doesn't dress modestly all of the time, and is a 4.0 STEM major D1 athlete.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate tattoos but I am 50 and I think they're trashy.
My kids are 17 and 18 and their generation definitely views them differently! Fair enough.
They attend a high end private school and I think my just graduated senior has 4 friends with tattoos. Some got them prior to graduation, some since. I have no idea if they got parental consent or not. These are all kids who are going to top colleges, have wealthy professional parents etc (just adding that all in to illustrate the demographic)

Not at all. Please don't generalize your kids' circle to others, even in your own neighborhood. My son and daughter are 20 and 15 and think tattoos are vulgar. They attended/attend a public high school in Bethesda, and we live in a rather expensive neighborhood. My son goes to an expensive private university. No one in their circle has tattoos.

I think you would be surprised. I bet a lot of parents wouldn't think my kid has a tattoo, and she has more than one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No.

But then my kids also dress modestly and excel at school.

I’m one of the PP who said DH and I are boring and we have tattoos. I went to a very prestigious university. I dress modestly and always have. I don’t even drink.

And I was fairly impulsive with my tattoos when I was young and don’t have any regrets. They were not deeply thought out with meaning. I liked how they looked, that was it.

For those saying they are permanent, that’s really not true anymore either with removal. We still have ours but know others who have had them removed. Laser has come a long way.