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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be annoyed ds spent afternoon in tattoo parlour?

61 replies

amateurmum · 18/07/2009 20:39

After tennis session this morning, ds aged 8 was invited to go to friend's house to play. Friend's mum said she had some shopping to do first and would take boys with her.

Picked ds up this afternoon and he told me that after supermarket, he and friend joined friend's stepfather at tattoo place and waited while tattoo was finished.

Don't really know why this upsets me - but do feel this is rather unsuitable activity for play date!

OP posts:
MollieOolala · 18/07/2009 20:48

I thought you had to be above a certain age to go into a tattoo parlour. You certainly have to be above 18 to have a chav stamp.

Completely inappropriate activity for a playdate and if it happened to my ds I would say something.

hercules1 · 18/07/2009 20:49

Yabu. Wouldnt bother me in the slightest and I dont like tattoos.

nappyaddict · 18/07/2009 21:00

It's not like he saw the tatoo being done.

Disenchanted3 · 18/07/2009 21:02

If it were a reputable shop he would not have been allowed in really.

Mamazon · 18/07/2009 21:02

not the greatest sort of play date activity but doubt he would have come to any harm

PrammyMammy · 18/07/2009 21:07

I thought you had to be over 16 to step into a tattoo parlor?
I doubt he was under threat though, he was probably bored after he flicked through the various dragon images.
Yanbu to be annoyed but it's not too bad.

A chav stamp?? Hmm okay then lol, i have a tattoo and have never ever been referred to as a chav before.

Original poster
amateurmum · 18/07/2009 21:07

No, he didn't see it being done. Honestly, Hercules and nappyaddict, wouldn't it bother you a bit?

I am fairly careful where I take my children but scrupulously careful when other children are involved and would never take a child's friend to anywhere not completely wholesome!

(Am aware though, never having been into tattoo place myself, they may be completely salubrious and not at all what I am imagining.)

OP posts:
paisleyleaf · 18/07/2009 21:13

I think there's a waiting area much like the dentist in many, and not all black walls with death metal music

nappyaddict · 18/07/2009 21:13

A while ago you could get tatoos done at my local shopping centre in a temporary tent thing.

nappyaddict · 18/07/2009 21:15

What other places are unsuitable then for playdates?

I've taken DS and his friend to the pub before. Some people would probably think that was unsuitable.

pointydog · 18/07/2009 21:15

He didn't see itbeing done? Oh.

It would possibly be quite interesting for chat around the table. But maybe not if he saw nothing. Were the customers interesting>?

Disenchanted3 · 18/07/2009 21:15

Chav stamp

Original poster
amateurmum · 18/07/2009 21:18

DS was very admiring of tattoo (skull apparently). Didn't really quiz him on experience though. Firstly, I was quite taken aback and secondly didn't want him to think it was a big deal.

OP posts:
harleyd · 18/07/2009 21:20

surprised he was allowed in
but cant see what your problem is

PrammyMammy · 18/07/2009 21:22

Nappy, there was a stall doing tattoos in our shopping center a few years ago too, all the equipment and the bed were on view and when someone was having a tat they just pulled a curtain around. Forgot about that.

FlappyTheBat · 18/07/2009 21:27

So, you think that a tattoo parlour isn't a wholesome place and this opinion is based on what?

You admitted you had never stepped foot in one.

I took my friends dd to one recently as she wanted to get a piercing done - yes, children under the age of 16 are allowed in tattoo parlours. You have to be 18 to be tattooed but the same age restriction does not apply for piercings.

The staff were so professional and took pride in what they do.

I had a good look at the type of tattoos that they do as I am very keen to have one and was very impressed with what I saw.

Not all tattoos have to be "love" & "hate" in thick blue ink across the knuckles, nor are they "chav stamps" and not are all tattoo parlours dens of iniquity!

Original poster
amateurmum · 18/07/2009 21:36

FlappyTheBat - I am aware that not all tattoos are offensive! Have no objection to adults deciding to decorate their body however they choose.

DS however, is 8, and I'm not sure I want tattoos promoted to him.

Nappyaddict - would have been fine with playdates at some pubs, horrified by playdates at others. Perhaps there are nice and not-so-nice tattoo places as well? Still not sure I want my 8 year old going to one, however tasteful.

OP posts:
LuluMaman · 18/07/2009 21:41

but seeing a tattoo parlour and spending some time in one, is not promoting tattoos

unless the chap had your DS in the room whilst he was doing the tattoo and saying, 'do this ,it's reeeeeealllllly cool'

he is 8

he has 10 years before he can legally have a tattoo

over th course of those 10 years, he will be exposed to a lot more things,some good , some bad, you have to teach him what is right, wrong, moral ,immoral etc

just seeing a tattoo parlour or spending time in one is not promoting it, just as spending time in a pub is not promoting alcoholism

we all have choices to make and it is up to us as parents to educate our children, rather than having a black/white mindset about things , such as tattoos are only horrible/lower class/bad

lal123 · 18/07/2009 21:41

why is it unwholesome? Its hardly a lapdancing club???

ingles2 · 18/07/2009 21:43

oh come on,.. seriously who here would have a child over for a playdate and then get them to sit in a tattoo parlour????
you just wouldn't! I'd be really if someone took my 8 yr old to sit in a tattoo parlour

FlappyTheBat · 18/07/2009 21:47

Tattoos aren't done in front of people in the waiting room, most tattoo images that are seen in parlours are just drawings or are actually kept in folders.

So at the age of 8, I doubt your ds would have realised what they actually were.

The term "chav stamps" or "tramp stamps" is used to describe a specific tattoo and it's location, not all tattoos will have this derogatory term used.

PrammyMammy · 18/07/2009 21:47

What exactly is it you don't like?
Even if he did catch a glance of the tattoo being done, you don't see any needles or anything, it just looks like a big buzzing pen. It's all pretty tidy and there is no brutality involved.

ingles2 · 18/07/2009 21:49

eh???
but why would you invite a chid over to play and then take them?
I just don't get it... they think they're coming to play...

LuluMaman · 18/07/2009 21:52

yes i do agree that taking children on a playdate and then going shopping with them and taking them to a tattoo parlour afterwards is not a great playdate, but i don;t think it is a terrible den of iniquity that the boys were taken to

FlappyTheBat · 18/07/2009 21:54

So, if the mum picked them up and said, "I need to go to the hairdressers for about 20-30mins" then this would have been ok?

Both places have about the same amount of entertainment for 8 year old boys, ie none, but I'm sure if it had been a hairdresser or barbers, then this thread would never have been started.