<p>I let my older D pierce her upper ear at 17, her only piercing so far. But she’s often drawn characters with facial piercings so I think she’s intrigued by it. All I’ve said is that if she wants to pierce anything but her earlobes, she needs to be sure to go to a reputable piercing parlor. She’s 18 now; it’s her own decision.</p>
<p>Mohawk: hey, it’s her head, and hair grows back. When she went to Homecoming she wore a gorgeous black dress, high heels, and a fauxhawk. It was a distinctive personality statement.</p>
<p>Tattoos: I’ve delivered the usual parental advice about thinking through what it’d look like years from now, and about placing it somewhere that you could cover for business purposes.</p>
I would watch my choice of words, if I were you! Many cultures consider both poking holes in their bodies and tattoos as part of their traditions. Words like “barbaric” are truly loaded with baggage that you probably didn’t intend to dump. I would guess that you didn’t mean to be insulting, but I think we need to measure what we say and hold our own rules and family norms separate from making such global statements.</p>
<p>Piercings - standard ear piercings, again no big deal. Other places, I disapprove but if she had really wanted one, OK. Tongue - no way! Not with what we’ve paid for orthodontia all those years!</p>
<p>Tattoo - no, I wouldn’t assist. I had my d look at pictures of us in the 80’s. She laughed at the way we looked. I told her that the way we wore our hair & clothes was at that time the height of fashion. Then I asked, “What makes you think that tattoos won’t go out of style, too? Then what?” I also suggested that she picture a tattoo on her grandmother. That stopped her (although she wasn’t serious about it anyway).</p>
<p>We’ve had this family discussion. Hair, no big deal. Piercings I’m not too keen on the face. It think they are distracting and your attention gets drawn the the item protruding from the face instead of looking at the person and listening to what they are saying. This is the cruicial problem with facial marketing/piercings. Tattoos, I’m OK as long as they are somewhere where they are covered with clothing in a work situation. Interestingly, none of my kids has wierd hair, piercings or tatoos. I do believe that it can influence hiring decision making in a business environment. We tell the kids there are many people who just can’t get past facial piercings, colored hair or tattoos that are “seen” outside of clothing. Happens all the time. Until today’s pierced, tattooed kids are in senior positions which will be decades, it’s not a good idea if your ultimate plan is to work in certain environments.</p>
<p>I used the “enhance beauty” phrase because I have heard[women] use the phrase “body art” referring to a tattoo. Haven’t others here heard that phrase? For those, yes, a tattoo is intended to enhance beauty. Some others have used “tasteful” describing tattoos. That word too, indicates something attractive- as opposed to distasteful. Some will feel no tattoo is tasteful, although they can be small. Not all people see much difference between an inch square musical note, and an inch square daggar. Both are tatts, but <em>tasteful</em> is in the eye of the beholder. My phrase “enhance beauty” while directed mostly at women was not intended to apply to all women.
To chedva- you are SO right! The tramp stamp, so popular in the 90’s seems practically passe’ now, much like the whale-tail that featured the tramp stamp, and much like a guy that still wears his mullet from '87. Of course the big difference there is that the guy can easily update his haircut.</p>
<p>True story: One hot summer day, S and I were waiting in car for wife to come out of a store. A shirtless, multiple tattooed guy with hair to the middle of his back rode by on his bicycle. I told S “That is my new dentist”. He didn’t buy it, saying a dentist wouldn’t look like that. Although I tried to convince him we couldn’t tell what schooling he may have had and what job he has based on his looks, he just wouldn’t buy it. Should looks matter? Most would say no. Do they matter? Most would say yes. Is that right? Is that fair? Those are great debatable topics but not for this thread. So back to the OP. My answer is no, I would not. Until of course my S was a self supporting adult. Then, he is still my son, but he is fully an adult and can then make his own choices.</p>
<p>I’d be incredibly disappointed if either one of my kids pierced or tattooed. Nothing permanent like that is a good idea IMHO. In fact, those piercings actually take my appetite away. When waitstaff in restaurants have them I feel like asking for a replacement. For some reason it just grosses me out.</p>
<p>A little off-topic, but I just have to ask: How much do tattoos cost? I was at a parade over the weekend and saw a lot of heavily tattooed people there. How much did they pay to get that way?</p>
<p>sigh…S1 says he will be getting another tattoo within the next couple of years. I can only hope that he will get it alongside the first one so it is not visible with clothes on. </p>
<p>Maybe he’ll change his mind but I doubt it. I’ve always told him he will likely regret it someday. Aside from that, there’s nothing I can do.<br>
He is a smart,handsome,talented young man. I hate to think that people will think less of him because he chose to get a tattoo. It is not unusual for someone in his occupation to have tattooes which is why he got the first one and thinks it’s great.</p>