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A friend of mine is very upset with their 22 year old son who lives out of State. He came home for a family visit with a number of highly visible Tattoos all over his body. He is quite proud of them but the parents are shocked and saddened.
During their fight about it, the son told the parents that all his friends have Tattoos and all the parents were happy about it. Would you be happy if your Adult Children got a number of highly visible Tattoos?
I wouldn't enjoy seeing my son all tatted up but it would be his choice and I wouldn't get mad. i don't mind a tatto but a person should really think about it before they do something so permanent.
I would be sad for all of the pre-judging of the person and the missed opportunities that are sure to happen, but at 22 a person has freedom of choice.
Personally, I do not care for body art. I have seen so many women be passed over for jobs because they had visible tattoos and did not have the professional appearance that the job required. I think if you have aspirations of working in any type of corporate setting your tattoos should be positioned so that normal office attire will cover them.
If they were stupid, poorly done, or run-of-the-mill tats, I would be dissapointed that they didn't have a little more taste and creativity, but other than that- I really wouldn't care.
If getting tattoes is what they want then that is their choice and their body. I would tell them to keep in mind it will hurt to get it and during the healing process, that tatts are basically for ever, if they get a lot it could prevent them from getting certain jobs, people may look at them differently, and when they are 80 and have sagging skin they won't look so great. If none of that matters to them (and it probably won't at 20), then go for it.
Beings I have a tatto on my left shoulder myself I would be in no position to tell any child of mine not to get one. I love body art but I think it can be overdone. My tatto is in a place that is easily covered even in summer. My tatto is very special to me and it has a special meaning. Anyone over the age of 18 has freedom of choice and I would not presume that I had any right to tell them what to do with their bodies. My son, who is in his twenties has a tattoo on his back and I think it looks great.
My husband has nice tattoos and although I do not and do not fancy them to any high degree and I would not get one done myself, it would be my son's decision. I would only fuss and fight it if it would be if it were to be in a spot that would interfere and be in sight while in the professional working world.
I did the best I could with my two oldest kids that are now adults and they turned out pretty darn good. I always told them that until you turn 18 I am your parent, the day after I can finally be your buddy too. They have been given a lifetime (albeit short) of advice from their parents to this point so now it's time for us to step back and let them live their lives.
Would I be happy? I don't know if "happy" is the right term. I myself have tattoos and have never been congratulated or told by someone that they were "happy" for me. However, I've been complimented on them, I've been told by some people that they don't like them, I've been laughed at (when one artist messed up the first letter of my name on one and I couldn't get it covered for quite a few years...10 to be exact )...and lastly, I've been screamed at and practically beaten over them by my parents (of course, I take into consideration I was only 17 when I got my first one, so they were legit in their anger, plus they came from a time when girls wore poodle skirts, so I suppose they couldn't comprehend seeing their "little girl" with tattoos on her). They eventually got over it when they realized it didn't change who I was. So would I be happy for my child? Well, I wouldn't throw a party and buy gifts. However, would I be upset or angry with my child? No. Well, let me rephrase that. I'd be upset for my child if they didn't think it through a great deal and got something that they realized they don't want on their body permanently. However, whether fortunately or unfortunately depending on how you see it, they can be covered up and, worse case, removed. Everyone interprets tattoos, piercings, etc. differently. Some simply like them, some see it as a form of expression, some do it out of rebellion, the list goes on. Whatever the reason, I would hope my daughter/son would think it through and make the right choice in deciding where to get it, is it a clean place that uses clean needles and other safety precautions, do they have a very good reputation, have they seen this person's work already, etc. Again, NO I would not be angry or upset. Lastly, I believe you indicated that this potential person would be over the age of 18, so technically, it wouldn't be my business anyway.
Ps. Just for the record, my oldest daughter who is still quite a few years away from tattoo or piercing eligibility always tells me she wants one when she's older. Will she actually go through with it? I don't know, but what I tell her is that when she turns 18, I can't make that decision for her, but that she needs to use wisdom and common sense when she makes that decision. I leave it at that because it'll never change my opinion of her as a person or my love for her as my daughter.
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)...and lastly, I've been screamed at and practically beaten over them by my parents (of course, I take into consideration I was only 17 when I got my first one, so they were legit in their anger, plus they came from a time when girls wore poodle skirts, so I suppose they couldn't comprehend seeing their "little girl" with tattoos on her). They eventually got over it when they realized it didn't change who I was. So would I be happy for my child? Well, I wouldn't throw a party and buy gifts. However, would I be upset or angry with my child? No. Well, let me rephrase that. I'd be upset for my child if they didn't think it through a great deal and got something that they realized they don't want on their body permanently. However, whether fortunately or unfortunately depending on how you see it, they can be covered up and, worse case, removed. Everyone interprets tattoos, piercings, etc. differently. Some simply like them, some see it as a form of expression, some do it out of rebellion, the list goes on. Whatever the reason, I would hope my daughter/son would think it through and make the right choice in deciding where to get it, is it a clean place that uses clean needles and other safety precautions, do they have a very good reputation, have they seen this person's work already, etc. Again, NO I would not be angry or upset. Lastly, I believe you indicated that this potential person would be over the age of 18, so technically, it wouldn't be my business anyway.