Tatoos
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Tatoos
| Tue, 07-17-2007 - 8:36pm |
This was posted on another board I read, but thought folks here would be interested. We had some discussion about tatoos a little while ago. In this article, a mom talks about coming to terms with her son's body art.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19649899/site/newsweek/page/0/
I'm not a tatoo fan, and I hope it won't become an issue we have to face, but I appreciate the reflectiveness of this article.
Sue

Thanks! I can definitely relate.
Actually I was just shaking my head over DS1's tattoos a couple weeks ago and he said "You never told me I couldn't"
That freaked me out! Like the mom in the article, I too wondered if I had promoted individualism and making his own decisions too much
I gave him my opinion about tattoos(negative)I talked about disease and sagging skin and 'forever'. DH took him to the dermatologist because he wanted to place it in a spot where he had a growth removed and we wanted to be sure that was safe. DR said the spot was okay but did give him the medical lecture about the health and long term ramifications about tattoos
Ultimately, though, he was 18 and it was his body and we didnt say "We forbid it"
Was I supposed to?
I don't know-its a wonder I have any brown hair left
I've taken a similar journey to what the writer describes with my DSs' tats.
I guess I have to admit this, my dd has two tattoos. Small ones on the bottom of her back. One is the Italian flag to celebrate her heritage and the other a cross with her favorite bible verse. Saying bible verse and tattoo in the same sentence just doesn't somehow seem right. But just like the story, she is a great girl, compasionate, smart. When she said she wanted them, I just thought, pick your battles. She doesn't drink, smoke or do drugs. I thought if this is how she wants to express herself, so be it.
She is going into her second year of nursing school. Not sure what how I feel about medical professionals with tattoos, but they are people too!!!!!!!!
Andie
Good article! The "wrinkled mass" part is one negative I never thought of pointing out to DSs. So far neither has any tattoos, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them one day--I'm a big fan of independent thinking. Although I've always advised against getting tattoos, and would never do it myself, I have to say there are some I've seen that are quite nice. But the majority are not appealing, at all, to me and I wonder why anyone would pay so much money to be "blotched up".
In yoga class one day a 20ish girl was showing off her back with a huge circle-tattoo, made up of about 20 pairs of intertwined nude females....hmmmmmm. I just smiled. Hope she's sure her sexual orientation won't change.
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http://www.pnhp.org/news/2009/october/meet_the_new_health_.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQTBYQlQ7yM
I am not in love with tatoos but I will allow them because it is not my body. As long as they put a lot of thought into it, didn't get it at a dump, and did thorough research I would be okay with it. I don't want their tatoos to be very public or vulgar because of employment, but if they get a small one I would be okay with it. I know for a fact that Reagan will get one. We have talked about it several times and I might go with her when she turns 18.
Stephanie
Just like piercings or hair colour or whatever fashion trend there is, a little moderation goes a long way. A few cool blue or red streaks in the hair is funky and fun -- a full head of bright purple hair is frightening. A few extra holes in the ears and even a tasteful nose piercing can be interesting to look at. Pierced tongues and eyebrows and necks are scary to look at.
Same with tattoos--a couple of tasteful tattooes on the arm or shoulder or back or calf are okay -- full sleeves, tattooes on necks and faces, elaborate works that cover the whole back are a bit too much for me. My dad and my sister and my husband have one or two nice tattoes and they look great.
My dd has no interest in body art as she is too chicken re the pain aspect. My son, who is still young, has expressed a desire to get a tattoo when he is older. When he decides to go for it I don't mind but I will encourage him to stick with smaller pieces that won't be embarrassing later in his life.
Sue, I read this article in the dentist's office last week.
What a cool article to read. For me it amplifies just how important it is for us as parents to teach our teens about their own individualism consistently and with a light hand. Ultimately, it is they who will live with the choices they have made for their bodies, in particular to mostly permanently marking it up and scarring it up with tattoos and peircings!
From about age 22 I wanted a tattoo, but I didn't dare consider it. Back in 1983 it was pretty odd that a young woman would consider marking up her body with a tattoo unless she was an incredibly free spirit, older hippee or mixed in with a certain low level class of people - haha, my mother's words!!
At 40, after about 5 years of designing and searching I finally got a tattoo that 'spoke to me'. It's special, it's in a spot that can be hidden and I love it. I had it worked on 3 times to get it just right. I wouldn't trade it for anything and I don't regret it at all. Of course, had I gotten one when I was 22, that probably would have been a different story. Tattooing on my 40 year old body is obviously different than tattooing on a young, taut-skinned body so I chose the placement carefully! This past December, I got another one on my upper shoulder that I designed myself. I also love that one!! I figure by the time I *maybe* regret them, I will be senile!! LOL.
I know this woman who got one on her lower abdomen when she was 23. Then she had 3 babies, c-section! The cute little butterfly is not so cute anymore and is barely visible. With each c-section, it's gotten smaller and icky looking. This woman is going to have something done to make it pretty again, now that she's 45 and past having babies. Haha.
DD19 has two very teeny tiny tattoos that she loves. It is addicting and she wants another, but I've asked her to please hold off for at least 5 years. DD17 has no desire to get a tattoo, which is so funny to me because she's one who lives on the edge and actually wants to be a tattoo artist as well as learn body peircing. Funny huh?
Bottom line: They are going to do it anyway, so you may as well love them for who they are not what they look like!!