A bit surprised: tattoos for under-18s?

Discussion in 'Other Conversation' started by farouk, Nov 30, 2013.

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Tattoos? best to wait until 18 or over

Poll closed Jan 19, 2014.
  1. Yes, best to wait until 18

    7 vote(s)
    58.3%
  2. Yes, often, but 16/17 okay in states that allow it

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  3. Don't know

    1 vote(s)
    8.3%
  4. Never!

    4 vote(s)
    33.3%
  1. farouk

    farouk New Member

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    I must admit that even in states that allow it I'm a bit surprised at under-18s being given parental permission for a tattoo.

    Not trying to be judgmental, mind.

    There was a bit of discussion a while back. I think that it's just sensible to wait.

    I'm not against tattoos, mind. (So what do others think? the amount of ppl getting tatts has really soared in recent years, anyway.)
     
    Last edited: Nov 30, 2013
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  3. farouk

    farouk New Member

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    3 votes so far in the poll...
     
  4. eyeofthestorm

    eyeofthestorm Active Member

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    I have to admit - I was surprised recently to learn of a parent who got a tattoo for a child younger than ten. To be clear - the tattoo was ON the CHILD, not the parent. And I did not read this on Facebook or anything - the grandparent of the child told me (the grandparent is NOT happy).

    While I wouldn't bat an eyelash at meeting a child from another culture who had tattoos (if that culture embraces tattooing at a young age as a typical occurrence), I'm still trying to get my head around how, in a country where spanking is illegal in some places, it's okay to tattoo a child so young.
     
  5. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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    A former student of mine came back to me to visit once, and still under 12, had a tattoo of his mother's initials on his hand, in the "thumb web". She did it herself, and he thought it was cool. She had a "friend" ... who had a tattoo machine, and thought he knew how to draw/tattoo ... and didn't. I saw a couple of her other friends who let him tattoo them - looked like a 2nd grader had done it while drunk/high. He let the mom use the machine to put her initials on her son's hand. I thought they all should have been arrested: mom for doing it, friend for tattooing without a license, and the others who let him tattoo them just for general stupidity.
     
  6. farouk

    farouk New Member

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    Far, far better to make 18 the age that they go have it done (if they do).

    (My two cents'.)
     
  7. jakk

    jakk New Member

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    My oldest son wanted a tattoo and I told him when he is 18 he can get one. Two months before he turned 18 we were visiting my parents in another state and my parents said they would take him to their tattoo artist. He is reputable and clean. My dad has tattoos and has been going to the same place for years. I signed for him to get the tattoo because I figure it would be better then letting him go to just anyone back home.
     
  8. farouk

    farouk New Member

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    Okay, so what you're saying I guess is that you don't really mind the idea of signing for a tattoo if they are just a bit under 18, if it's a clean and reputable place; and it sounds like you are tattooed family in any case or at least it's a bit of a family tradition if s/he wants to do it. Well, okay, ty; this is interesting.
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2013
  9. jakk

    jakk New Member

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    I don't mind tattoos. I don't have any only because I'm afraid it's going to hurt :eek:. My DH does not have a tattoo either. My dad was a fire fighter and he got his first tattoo after 911. It's a fire fighters hat with the number 343 on it. My mom has a tattoo in memory of my brother that passed away. Tattoos are very personal.

    My son was going to get a tattoo when he turned 18 regardless. I chose to sign for him two months early so he could go to a reputable place rather then just someone listed in the phone book. He only has one tattoo which is meaningful to him.

    My younger son got his first tattoo when he was 20. He has two of them, and they are personal to him as well.
     
  10. farouk

    farouk New Member

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    Oh well if 2 out of your 3, and grandad AND grandma are tattooed (and sounds like mom would really like to be!), I guess that being some months short of 18 wouldn't seem to make too much difference.

    (You could always use a numbing cream if you really wanted to do it. The number of people doing it in recent years has soared, in any case.)

    No I don't mind tattoos, either.

    It was just the age thing, I guess.
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2013
  11. Meg2006

    Meg2006 New Member

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    Even 18+ sometimes aren't responsible enough for tattoos! Case in point: My husband got his first and only tattoo at the age of 20, of the initials of his fiancée. Two weeks later he was dating me, and had dumped her. Who paid for this tattoo and watched it get done? Oh, me. :D LOL So...yea. Inking your skin is permanent. I tell him how much I would love to tattoo my wedding ring on my skin because I am always between sizes and I can never find a ring that fits for very long, however then I laugh and say that two weeks after we were to do that then we would get a divorce. HA!

    I just think it's a bad idea, no matter how old you are.
     
  12. farouk

    farouk New Member

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    Sounds like you secretly do want to get tattooed really... :)

    but that, anyway, for you the 18+ thing doesn't really mean much.
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2013
  13. Emma's#1fan

    Emma's#1fan Active Member

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    I know far too many people who have tattoos and now want them removed. While tattoos can be personal for some people, I will dare to say that many people get them because they are living in the moment. I see no reason for tattooing the body. Still, people can do as they please, but I do not believe we should make it so easy to permanently mark the body. These days, many 18 year olds are still very immature.
     
  14. farouk

    farouk New Member

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    Thanks for your comments; so what would you suggest, specifically? Like, raise the age from 18 (in force in many states)? They are reckoned to be adults at 18.
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2013
  15. Emma's#1fan

    Emma's#1fan Active Member

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    To your question: No, an adult is an adult even if they do not act like one. Legal is legal, regardless. I would make it so parents can't sign for permission. Once the teen is 18, then they are an adult. Since there is no way to regulate maturity, we have to set an age, and we should stick to it.



    This is a little off topic, but I find it strange that we (CA) legally consider a teen an adult at 18, allow them to join the military, yet we do not allow them to purchase alcohol until they are 21. I am not advocating selling alcohol to 18 year old adults, still, if the legal age of an adult is 18, then they should have all the rights of an adult. The law is sometimes a bit odd, to say the least. LOL
     
  16. farouk

    farouk New Member

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    Well, I guess this would be one option. In the US it's now a state responsibility to set the minimum age; I think you're saying, then, that Congress should mandate 18+ for tattoos into Federal law. In Canada it's 18+ country-wide, I believe.

    You would probably find that someone such as jakk, above, who is a mom that signed for her 17 year old, would not like the idea of her right to sign being taken away from her.

    I can sympathize with 18+ being the age. It IS 18+ in many US states, but not all.

    Also I can see the other side of the argument, I guess.
     
  17. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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    Patty, if I remember correctly, the age of majority was 21 like forever. Then when 18 year olds were getting drafted to go to Viet Nam, they lowered the age of majority to 18. Suddenly, tons of 18 year olds were legal to drink alcohol (and vote - I don't recommend doing both at the same time). Not too long after, the Feds insisted that states change the drinking age back to 21, or the states would lose federal highway money. There were a loooooooot of disappointed 18 year olds!
     
  18. farouk

    farouk New Member

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    So would you actually recommend that the Feds coerce States into raising the tattoo minimum age to 21+, in a similar way?
     
  19. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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  20. farouk

    farouk New Member

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    Okay. I don't think I would, either, as an abstract principle, anyway. Seems like the parlor trip at 18 has become too established for a lot of young people, for such a proposal to work.

    (There is also the aspect of restricting parents' rights to think about, which is what jakk, above, raised.)

    Anyway I'm not hostile to ink overall (are you?) Just a question of balance in the 'when' framework for doing it. Thanks.
     
  21. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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    The Feds were trying to make a show of concern for the 18-21 year olds who died because of drunk driving. I've never heard of death by tattoo. (Illness maybe, death no.)
     

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