My son is changing.

[BarbBarb]

Hi everyone. my son is 22 and I have been noticing a lot of changes in his interests. my and DH were hoping he would go down the dependable sensible type. But he seems to be keen on the arts. He's been talking about starting a podcast with his friends and he's stopped cutting his hair and is getting a ridiculous mullet to go alongside a wispy mustache which looks so untidy. The other day he tried to show me a video of Ed Sheeran where Ed Sheeran was showing off all his tattoos. I am just worried that the artistic life is a struggle and certainly don't want him getting a Tattoo he used to be such a sensible boy. Am I over reacting?

Just be glad he hasn't gone into life sciences, aerospace or car manufacturing, because the creative industries add more to the UK economy than those areas combined.

It’s his life and actually, if he’s got a good podcast going then he’s not necessarily going to “struggle”.

I can tell you’re pretty old - the world you were raised in doesn’t exist anymore. People are making money in and different ways.

Tattoos are not a taboo anymore. I only wish I was brave enough to get some because I would love to get a full sleeve of jellyfish and other sea creatures. I am currently rocking pink hair and I work in a corporate environment.

The world has moved on.

He's interested in starting a podcast, he hasn't run away to join the circus. Yes, you're overreacting. Let him be artistic if that's where his interests lie. He'll be fine.

Exactly this. I wasn't even living anywhere near them.

Has OP been back? Sounds like a fake post to me.

I love the idea that Ed Sheeran is the poster child of the rock and roll lifestyle 😁

no offence to him, he seems a decent bloke, but Keith Richards or Sid Vicious he is not 😎

also, my dad had long hair and a droopy moustache as a teenager in about 1972 - it was barely shocking to his parents THEN. Have you been hibernating since 1936? 😁

I did get my hands on some of his Tingly Ted once at a very reduced price.

Even that was tame.

Perfectly pleasant.

But tame.

Has he never tried anything new out before. 15 yo ds has experimented with several different hairstyles, fashions and music genres already. He recently went through a phase of wanting to become a rapper hut thankfully has realised he has little talent in that area and could make more money in a profession. I doubt he is done exploring yet. I think you need to let your son explore his interests and let him find who he wants to be.

Cut the cord op!

Haha this is hilarious 😂a mullet! The horror! Didn't you try anything in your early 20s OP?

The arts are an interesting, fulfilling, exciting way to spend your life. Maybe you should try it!

You might get used to the look. My 18 yo used to have a standard issue teenage style fade and projecting fringe which I actually quite liked , but for reasons known only to himself he now has a pudding bowl and a wispy beard. He now looks like a Muslim convert/ Amish ( he is neither, AFAIK). Ive got used to it.

I was thinking Franz Kafka too when I saw the thread title.

“…were hoping he would go down the dependable sensible type. But he seems to be keen on the arts.”

As a person with a career in “the arts” I am here to say that this is really insulting.

How about supporting him instead of judging him for what makes him happy.

An acquaintance of mine went to Art College, then 'ran away' to the circus and lived in a lorry.
They eventually settled down, did further studying and then embarked on a respectable career (which used their art skills) and was very respected in their field. Their parents just rolled with it at the time. I know for a fact that my own parents would have has kittens if it had been one of my siblings!

There’s so much more to a career in the Arts than being an artist struggling in a garret though . Look around you, pretty much everything you see has been designed by someone. My daughter and several friends work in the creative industries, she earns very well and has a fascinating job.

Oh no! Not an Ed Sheeran video 😭 you’re going to lose him to hard drugs for sure.

Watch out OP. One day it's Ed Sheeran, the next it's heroin.

Not really sure how a couple of tattoos makes someone not sensible. Some of the highest level CEO’s in the company I worked for had a fair few of them. As long as they’re not offensive or super vulgar then it’s not really an issue these days, especially if covered.

This

I did a Fine Art degree and ended up in a very well paying career! A lot of graduate programs nowadays want any bachelors at a 2:1 or higher, so I used my, as some people described, ‘useless’ arts degree to get into one of these graduate programs, then moved up into senior management by 31. So definitely loads of options for them with their arts degree 😊

He is NOT a boy, he is a man. You will drive him away if you keep referring to his personal hair and moustache choices as ridiculous. Haven’t you seen the glorious Benson Boone? Your son sounds great!

Does he have a real job, or is he planning on dossing about living off your cash or taxpayer’s dime in the pursuit of ‘arts’:

Most people who think they are arty farty are usually deluded and have 0 artistic flair or ability to sell any of their talents.

Leave him be to find out things for himself. My eldest was an out and out rebel, sleeve tattoos, piercings etc. he’s now a dentist!
There is no harm in exploring a creative side. Better now than a 40 year old midlife crisis. Chill

Ideally he’d be driving a Volvo and working in an insurance firm by 22. Perhaps you could take him to M&S and get him kitted out in some nice slacks and short sleeve shirts.