To try and persuade DD to not get a tattoo?

[TurquoiseSeal]

DD plays a video game (a lot) and is almost 19. She wants her first tattoo and has had a design done which is literally a character from the game. As she's so young, it might seem cool now, but I really think it's the type you're going to regret, she won't play this game forever. She plans on using the birthday money from us (she is a uni student so doesn't have another way to fund it really) so I'm slightly reluctant to now give money on her birthday. AIBU to have these feelings and persuade her or?

You feel what you feel but I don't think trying to persuade a 19 year old otherwise is going to work.

Be open to talking to her about it, make sure she goes to someone reputable, see if she's open to another design?

Yabu. It’s none of your business what she’s does with her own body.

Ask her to wait for a year and see if she still wants the same design then.
I've always quite liked the idea of a tattoo but I find it hard to commit to one symbol for the rest of my life.

I'd stay out of it to be honest. As a heavily tattooed woman if someone didn't want me to get a tattoo of do it anyway. You should be supporting your daughter , making sure she choses the right studio and eight artist to what she wants. It's a big step. Be the cool mum and support her

I’m 46 and I have 3 ‘game’ tattoos and 2 of the tattoos are from an old game and it’s always a funny moment when someone spots the tattoos and have to comment that they remember the game, just a different perspective for you OP

We paid our DD not to get a tattoo before she was 21, though the bribe started at 16. We didn't pay her then, only at 21.

Yanbu but I think tattoos look horrid, so I'd be trying my hardest with my dd.

@rollerjed believe me that won't end up with a happy mum.

Was she ever a boyband fanatic? I have told my sons that due to the large amount of people with tattoos NOT having one makes you more unique.
The boyband reference is that tastes change so much that something you think you'll love for ever can become an embarrassing memory. How would she feel if she had a JLS tattoo from x years ago?
I'm not a tattoo hater by a long shot. I've seen some beautiful ones. I also have friends with tattoo regret. Naff symbols etc that were all the rage.

Get yourself a semi permanent tattoo somewhere visible but not blatant. Make sure it’s similar size to the tatto your dd wants

Her peers are getting tattoos but her mum getting one night just kill that for her 😁

If not convince her to get a semi permanent first

@HowamIgoingtocope I'm still going to try.

@rollerjed it will end up with a child that hates you.
Sorry im heavily tattooed. Supporting them is the best way forward. Getting people to speak to them that have had them. Making sure they go to a reputable artist. Ensuring the design is right.
Pain. They hurt. Plain and simple. But if that doesn't put thwm off the bloody price may do. If at this point your getting no where give up. They will get one. I did . But o had taken time over it.
In 43 with a nightmare before xmass back piece

I certainly wouldn't be the one paying for it.

On average a standard tattoo cost 60 quid. A deposit may be required and it can range from 50 plus an hour. If she chooses to spend her money on it. Non of your beeswax

If you don't give her the usual/expected cash, the odds are that she'll end up paying some twat who doesn't have the experience necessary to do it properly because they're cheap enough to put it on a credit card.

Seen it happen too many times, where somebody can't afford it, so they go for having a shit tattoo rather than waiting and having a good tattoo.

I doubt there is anything you can do really.

I have tattoo’s. Am a professional. Never been a problem in the past 30 years.

I do regret my earliest ones and these were around age 22/23. In no way do I regret getting tattoo’s but I regret these ones. They are just pretty average/ordinary in so far as artistic merit and skill. My others are all fine in this regard and I don’t regret a single one.

I think at 22/23 I was just wanting a tattoo and I didn’t have enough life experience to get something meaningful, had not yet learnt about artistic merit with tattooing and to be honest was only wanting to know pay a modest amount whereas fantastic tattoos generally cost a lot.

Given this I think your only hope would be to get someone who is positively into tattooing to speak to them. Not to tell them not to but to go through these types of things. I wish I had waited until I was wiser about it all.

You can try, but I doubt it'll work tbh.

Saying that, I wouldn't be giving her money for her birthday knowing she plans to use it in that way. She can find the money herself imo. I'd get her something to do with the game instead, or an Amazon gift card or something.

I always lol when people say “you’ll be more unique without them”, I don’t know anyone who got a tattoo to be unique .

People get them for a whole myriad of reasons. I want to be unique and different isn’t really on the list unless you’re talking about a face tattoo!

I didn't get them to be unique. I got thwm to express something I wanted to and couldn't otherwise. Well thought out big pieces. What are you actually worried about her getting one. In a professional and all my tattoos are coverable.

I'd be concerned too - where is she thinking of having it and how big?

Is it to be unique? I'd have guessed it was to be like their friends.

It seems to me v similar to other trends eg.
The dreadful 80s perms. With the disadvantage that they never grow out and get cut off.

There is a a thing as a cover up you know. Or even laser surgery. Why are people so tunnel vision when it comes to tattoos

She's an adult. You have no say in the matter.

As she is 19, you can't stop her from getting one.

However, my suggestion would be to get her to trace it on her skin, try it out and see if she likes it. Then take a photo of it and get her to come back to the idea each week for three months. If she still loves it, she should get it.

If I'm later life she doesn't like it, she can get a cover up or removal.

My Dds know that I hate tattoos. They would never tell me that they were using money I gave them to get one. If they told me there plan they would be getting clothes or something else for their birthday.

I can't forbid it any more but no way am I paying for it.