To not understand why parents hate their kids getting tattoos

[lailamaria]

Obviously this applies to adult children but it's something i've come across a lot and never really understood it, is it because parents feel some sort of ownership over their kids bodies or is it something different.

This isn't a brag or anything but my mum's never been bothered, she has 2 tattoos herself with extremely sentimental meaning (although i think people should get tattoos whether their sentimental or not) and for my sister's 18th she even paid for her to get one as her birthday present.

I understand not liking tattoos on yourself but demanding your adult children don't get them or even talk them out of getting them I think is rather rude when their paying for them themselves with their own money. My aunt used to ask my cousin to cover hers up just because she hated it (it was a flower on her back so it wasn't like the tattoo was offensive.)

I'm not trying to judge truly I personally just find it strange

I wouldn't want my kids to have them as they are perfect as they are.

I think maybe it’s because most parents don’t want their dc to do something so permanent to their appearance on a whim they more than likely are going to regret a few years down the line.

Eldest dd has a small one. It’s up to her, and she likes it, for now. I haven’t told her I hate it, but she knows I don’t love it, however she also knows I respect it’s her choice and I’ve accepted it fine. But I just see her beautiful arm with this hideous thing drawn on it.

when I see youngsters covered in them, I do think, why oh why have you done that to yourself. To me it feels less like expressing yourself and being an individual and more like trying to cover your real self up with something, hiding behind this false facade of ink.

I got a small one when late teens also, as did some of my friends. Every single one of us regrets it and hates them now. We thought we looked cool then, but now? Nope. Definitely don’t look cool! Thankfully mine is somewhere that’s almost always covered.

to be clear, I don't necessarily mean they will regret the tattoo per se, just the picture/ theme etc. I know a few people who have spent a fortune on removal

Some people dislike tattoos so I guess some parents hate it when their adult child gets one, doesn't mean they want ownership of their body, it's just the parent's opinion.

My husband has quite a few, I don't like them at all, but it doesn't stop me loving him.

Because they had a perfect body and how can they possibly know they will want the same markings on their body in 5/10/40 years when they are 18? When I see them on others I don't like them and often they look a bit rubbish even if the artwork was good to begin with. Lots of older people seem to regret them. I am not sure why it is hard to understand feeling sad about a decision you don't agree with by someone you deeply love.

I don't understand the hate for tattoos at all. To me they are an expression of a persons identity much like hairstyle, clothing, piercings etc

And that’s why I dislike them so much. It’s taking you as you are in this moment and freezing it forever on your body. The great think about hairstyles and clothes is you can change them as you evolve and develop.

A tattoo says “this is who I am and who I’ll be forever”, which feels like the action of a child.

Most of my friends over 40 regret their tattoos.

Id never stop my DC from having them, but have genuinely never seen one I like, they are usually poor art, permanently inked.

Because they're ugly and permanent and the quickest way to make yourself look a bit naff (particularly women).

Luckily my DP has one which we all, including him, agree is vile. I'm hoping it will put my DC off ever wanting them.

I find the whole idea of taking a healthy body and damaging it by injecting ink to be really odd and careless.

damaging??

Personally, I wouldn't get a tattoo, as I'd rather spend the money on something else and not keen on pain.

My DH has tattoo's, one was recent addition. I don't like it but it's his body and his choice. The same goes for my adult DD, her body, her choice. I've learnt through experience that negative comments do not achieve anything. Yes, the person making the negative comment gets their opinion across but that's it.

I've also seen some amazing tattoo's some are truly beautiful and have wonderful background stories.

I think there have been some fab tattoos done to diminish surgical scars. I can imagine it feels like a great way to reclaim your body after going through something like that.

In general, though, well thought out, artfully done tattoos can look good - but even so, will they still look good and be wanted in 20-30 years time? Not so sure.

I cringe at some of the crap tattoos college friends got 20 years ago - they must hate them now and will no doubt make their own kids think twice!

I’m glad I never had one - I wouldn’t like the ideas I had aged 20 at my age now.

I don't think you can rarely improve on nature.

The pebbledash analogy is brilliant

Because its personal preference, some people think tatoos are tacky and I would be upset if my daughter had one at say 18 or 19. However late 20's or 30s I'd appreciate that they know their own mind by this age and accept it

Sorry for that awful negative sentence construction - distracted this morning!

I meant to say that I think you can rarely improve on nature.

I wouldn't want my DC's to get tattoos but if they did I'd be accepting.

They are perfect as they are and I don't see the benefit in permanent disfigurement/ self harm.

I think most tattoos are horrible. I also think they look different as you get older, a tattoo on young taut skin looks very different on older skin.

I wanted a smiley and a purple om tattoo when I was 18/19 and deep in to the rave scene. I’m now SO glad I never got them!

Culturally associated with being a criminal where my family originate from.

I never talked to my mum about getting my tattoo, she found it out around 10 month later. I discussed it with. DH because I felt if he really wouldn't like it/was. opposed to it I would think about it again. as. his opinion is important to me.

I hope I raise DD (now 15) that she wouldn't do it drunk or on a dare but like I did, wearing semi-permanent ones for around 6 months to see if a size and location suits and it's what I really want.

Because I've never seen one that actually looks good!

For me it's the permanent aspect which I can't get over. It's like saying "I like this t-shirt today, so I'll wear it for the rest of my life". Also I get irritated by the feeling that a great part of their attraction is to convey that you're an 'edgy', unconventional person, while really they're very mainstream now. But then I roll my eyes when people declare that they're bohemian - it's the posing.

And I find them ugly, personally. I assume the OP is looking for honest responses, so I hope I'm allowed to say that! If my children decided to get tattoos it's their choice, but I wouldn't worry unless it was a big statement tattoo which couldn't be covered.

I think it's really weird how people still get so uptight about something humans have been doing forever.

I know several people who have got them young and regretted them later. I expect that's why.

Took my DC for their first one. They could only have it where it was "hidden" and we chose the style together. I have asked them to not have anymore in a visible place until they are a bit older. I'd like to think they will respect that.

DSS has lots and I really like them, I just hope he won't regret them when he older.

I plan on getting one in a place that means it will rarely be on show, but I won't tell my DF as he really dislikes them, he thinks they look tacky and 'common' and doesn't see the point of them.