To NOT want my DD to get a tattoo?

[neiljames77]

She's 18 tomorrow and I have so far told her I don't want her to have one.
After tomorrow though, I have no say at all. Some of her friends have them and they look hideous and have even ruined their career prospects by having them.

[Scrummummy]

I got a tattoo at 18 a tribal arm band which will show my age. no thought about it. and have regretted it. but a few years ago I did my research and booked a brilliant tattooist in London who has gone on to be awesome Claudia de Sabe. now a world respected artist but she cost £200 ph 8 years ago. I have a full back piece and 2 half sleeves. and a professional job. I love my tattoos they can be covered but I probably could have bought a new car for what I spent.

[IamInvisible]

I agree MrsDV.

I'm right behind DS2. Every time he is a little bit doubtful, I tell him he can do it and will be bloody amazing at it. I have no doubt that he will, one day, be the most brilliant nurse, and I am really proud.

[OhBabyLilyMunster]

She will come home with one, then another then another. Then it will be a the musician boyfriend, with long hair and flares and facial hair and tattoos. And she will get pregnant and have to marry him.

Then he will work his arse off and work in management in banking, and pay for a nice life and a nice house and be a wonderful father. Thats what became of me after my first tattoo at 18.

Generalising based on tattoos is pretty ridiculous.

[chocolatemademefat]

I hope she reconsiders. We all do things when we're young that we cringe at when we're older. YANBU but teenagers are headstrong so you're probably hitting your head off a brick wall. Im in my fifties now and have always been keen on fashion and think I would find it hard to pull off a classy look with a visible tattoo. Unfortunately, what matters when we're older doesnt when we're 18. Good luck.

[LadyBeagleEyes]

I like tattoos, I have a small dove on my shoulder, only visible in the summer when I wear vest tops.
At 57 I'm getting old and saggy, though I'm not yet a wrinkly old granny and I don't get that argument.
I won't reach old age but if I do I'd rather die with my pretty dove than with a pair of beige slacks and a perm.

[DrunkenFlamingo]

I seriously regretted mine on my wedding day (funnily enough it's the only thing my mother was right about)...might be worth mentioning that to her so she can think about positioning.

[neiljames77]

I'm very proud of both my DD's, MrsDeVere.
It's only a figure of speech to highlight peer pressure.

[usualsuspect]

What's a wedding day got to do with this.

She might not even get married.

[thankfeckitschrismas]

For more those of you with little ones, promote the temporary tattoos.

Get a huge big box, put a different one on, every time.
Have a big thing about picking a new one and a little celebration when it's gone. I'm glad that one didn't stay it was horrid etc

Then when they're older they get the idea that they don't want to to get stuck with one forever

[usualsuspect]

I don't think.it quite works like that with teenagers.

[thankfeckitschrismas]

Yes that's why I said little ones

Dh has lots but keeps them well hidden, it always surprises people when the find out.

I'm always very vocal that I'd love one but amworried that I'd vet bored with it

[FracturedViewOfLife]

I am friends with a few tattooists and none of them will tattoo somebody on their hands or neck if they don't already have lots of visible tattoos.

I think a lot of people look great with tattoos (I'm just too indecisive.) I think ankle is fine and even the wrist. I only have one, it is on my wrist and you can't see it when I have a watch on. I'm not sure on the rules about wearing watches and the NHS though.

[RedchairBluechair]

An analogy I have used in the past, talking to people who are thinking about getting a tattoo: would you consider buying a pair of shoes that you would have to wear for the rest of your life? those shoes will quickly fade, go out of fashion, and will affect how people think about you?

And have you ever seen a bride in her wedding dress, with tattoos on display? it's one of the most distracting, tacky things you could imagine!

[SoWhatDoWeDoNow]

Tell her to do herself a favour and make sure she has it in a place that can be totally covered up even when in short sleeves and shortish skirts.

Tell her that when she hates it and regrets it when she's older (which she will) you do not want to hear a single bit of whining or crying over it and that she had better start a savings fund for the very painful and not terribly effective laser removal treatment that she is eventually going to be desperate to have, and then butt out and don't say another word.

When she comes home with it done, just shrug, say you are not interested, and show no reaction whatsoever.

If it's any consolation (and it's the only consolation really) tattoos are so horribly ubiquitous among people under 30 now that she won't look that different to anyone else. Apart from the really classy, quietly self-assured people. But then the classy ones are always the ones who stand out from the crowd by not trying too hard and having simple understated elegance.

IMHO that will mean being non-tattooed in the not too distant future. If she wants to look common, dated and run of the mill for the rest of her life then tell her to go ahead.

[specialmagiclady]

^^ beautiful demonstration of the perfect passive aggressive response. I'm actually very impressed.

[JapaneseMargaret]

If she wants to look common, dated and run of the mill for the rest of her life then tell her to go ahead.

You're almost making me want to go out and get a tattoo, and I pretty much totally agree with your standpoint.

The thing is, this ^ sort of comment is exactly the sort of thing a Mum would say, and all it would confirm in the 18 year old's mind is that Mum is of another generation, she doesn't get it, and that's pretty much the point; she's 'old', she's not supposed^ to get it.

It won't go any way at all towards dissuading her from getting the tattoo, though.

[Chelvis]

Car insurance £100 a week? Is she after a Ferrari??

I think you're fighting a losing battle. I think you'd be better trying to persuade her to go for somewhere hidden than trying to stop her, because - apart from me and my DH - I don't think I know any 20-30 year old men WITHOUT tattoos, and it must be close to 75% of 20-30 year old women whom I know. They are so so popular. I really don't like them - even the ones I think look artistic would look better on canvas than skin IMO.

[LovesBaublingTheTreeAgain]

You'd be better of encouraging her to research it properly, there are some epic fails on the Internet

[BadgerBumBag]

I love my tattoo and my mum doesn't but to be frank, I did it anyway with the understanding that it was permanent and have no regrets.

They don't always ruin careers
They can be beautiful
She may love it - not everyone regrets them

[ContentedSidewinder]

I am sure the police have their own policy of covering up arm tattoos as they now enforce long sleeved shirts for any on the forearm. Imagine long sleeves in summer.

I have a tattoo but it is covered up. I had friends have them on their stomachs which got stretched with pregnancy and now just look botched.

I like tattoos but there are lots who don't.

[Shonajoy]

You can not want her to, but it's her choice now. My dd (19) has two beautiful pieces done by a very talented and expensive artist- I researched a lot before saying I was fine with it as long as she went to such and such a place, and we helped financially. Otherwise she will just end up doing somewhere crap because they're cheaper.

Also, my daughter is in first year nursing so placement was and is important. Top of shoulder and ankle, lilies on her shoulder for me when I had cancer bless her.

And it really gets my goat saying tattoos are horrible- I must have missed the bit where they made people who hated them have one?!

[Joysmum]

Sophie Ellis Bexter on Strictly looked daft in those beautiful dresses trying to be elegant with that tack tattoo on show.

[usualsuspect]

Just when in your life are you going to be dressed like a contestant from Strictly.