5 Ways To Convince Your Teen Not To Get A Permanent Tattoo
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Convincing your teen of anything that you think is best for them is usually a difficult task. The simple act of forbidding something usually makes them desire the item more. This applies to everything, including tattoos. With tattoos being very popular at this time, convincing your teen not to alter their body permanently will take some clever parenting skills.
Ten Years Later Debate
Ask your teen if they think their tattoo theme is still going to apply to their life down the road. Ask them if they believe that the tattoo they want will impact their future. Could it prevent them from getting a good job or meeting the right partner?
While this type of debate usually just results in them groaning at you or rolling their eyes, these thoughts will stay in the back of their head when they think about this tattoo. In most cases, you need to combine this option with one other from the list to make it most effective.
Infection And Reconstruction
This tactic should scare them into reconsidering their choice. Show them pictures of infected tattoos and explain what type of reconstructive surgery has to be performed to correct the area. Trust me, they won’t want to take anti-inflammatory painkillers forever.
Show them severely scared people who had infected tattoos and had to have plastic surgery. Explain the potential to contract Hepatitis or AIDS from dirty tattoo needles.
Provide A Real Alternative
Tell your teen that you agree with their decision to use body art as a way to express themselves, but that you think temporary tattoos may be a more reasonable action. Explain to them that this will provide them with a way to express themselves, while not permanently attaching that expression to their body.
You can let them know that this alternative also provides them with a way to change their expressions over time as they grow as a person and experience different things.
Cost of Removal
Tell them how expensive it is to have a tattoo removed and how it scars the body. Explain to them that tattoo removal is painful and usually requires several sessions.
Also, explain that these surgeries are not guaranteed to be 100 percent successful. They can end up with a disfigured tattoo on them, which will look way worse.
Offer Matching Tattoos
Embarrass your teen into thinking more seriously about getting a tattoo by telling them that you will get a matching one. This usually makes your teen stop whatever they are planning and run. Whenever a parent wants to become that involved in a teens “personal” life, they usually opt for something else.
In the end, whether you use any of these tips or a method of your own, it is important that you stress to your teen how reckless it is to place permanent, scarring tattoos on their body. Let them know that what seems cool now can really impact their future.
2/2/18 We are adding a small deck to our back porch. They should be done sometime next week, hopefully. I can’t wait for the mud to be gone! Oreo will be sad about that LOL.
Krystle, creator of Home Jobs by MOM, swapped her psychology degree for motherhood adventures. Now in Kentucky with her husband and teenage sons (15 & 19), she balances cooking, DIY projects, and launching her next business venture. Texas-born but Kentucky-living, she’s still sharing her journey as her family grows up.
I just picked up my son from the airport who is a rising senior at college. He said he wants a tattoo of a design he made. My wife and I are not tattoo lovers to say the least. She is a doctor and I am in finance. My son is majoring in Economics and Finance and I am afraid that getting a tattoo will preclude him from getting very far if he wants to work in any capacity in his chosen field. I know that if I had a tattoo at the Fortune 500 company I worked for, well, I wouldn’t even have gotten past the first interview. I know the world is changing and tattoos have realized a resurgence but in a world that is always changing, this permanent attempt at “coolness” might no longer be cool in another 7 months, forget about 70 years!
I totally agree! I was one that never really saw the point in tattoos. I know people want to express themselves, but I think they should do it with something less permanent.
Oh my! obviously whoever wrote this article either doesn’t have a teenager or has a teenager that is easy to scare off. Here is my problem, my son is about to turn 16. And has convinced his mother to give consent for him to get inked. I will give her credit on that she made the deal that he had to have straight A’s in school. the problem is that is easy for him to do. I have been doing everything I can to guide him into not getting a tattoo. I’m absolutely covered in tattoos myself. “so does not help my case in his eyes”. ii have tried to explain to him that when i first meet a person I automatically have to deal with the sterotypes and show that i have never been to prison, do not ride a motorcycle, and do not listen to heavy music. I have also try to explain to him that if i could go back and never get tattoos that i sure would, that if i could get all of them removed that would also be done. I have tried to convince him to wait none of this worked. my question is how do i steer him into getting a tattoo that he will not regret in the future and to get one that is easily covered up. keep in mind my son is so not easily tricked. it has to be his idea.. good luck. i sure would appreciate any ideas
My sister in law fights stereotypes and it’s a struggle for her during job interviews. Tattoos, gauged ears, and colored hair are hard for some people to look past. My best guess is to convince him to get it in a location that is easily covered by clothing. The back is a huge canvas that is covered most of the time. Maybe play up bigger artworks so they HAVE to go on the back? Good luck!
I am so not looking forward to having this conversation with my little girl. Hopefully, she will not want one since neither mommy or daddy has one. Here is to hoping I own’t need these tips.
I raised 4 sons who never tattooed or pierced. One of them really wanted to when he was 16. I told him when he was completely self supporting, living on his own, paying his own car insurance, cell phone bill, health insurance, tuition etc he could do whatever he wants but as long as we are paying his bills he couldn’t. He worked all through high school and college but he certainly did not make enough as a waiter to live on his own the way he did here-(nice house in nice neighborhood, a used car to drive, well educated). He is 33 and a very successful person now. He lives better than we ever did and he still does not have a tattoo or a piercing. Neither does his wife. My dad had them from being in the Coast Guard during WWII. They are UGLY when one gets old and skin loses it’s suppleness. I remember when I was raising my children I heard “your children will have many friends throughout their lives. They only have 2 parents”. I was not friends with my children. I parented them. Now that they are adults we are friends but I parented them because I was older and knew better. Our society wants to be cool with our kids-to be their friends. Set limits and boundaries. Once they are self supporting adults they can do whatever they want.
My mom gave permission for me to get a tattoo when I was 17, but then I got into a car wreck when it snowed. I got grounded and couldn’t get the tattoo. I’m so glad I didn’t. It was of a rose wrapped around a sword. Talk about incredibly cheesy… so glad I don’t have to live with that regret.
I’m surprised you didn’t go get it once you were of age. I have never had the yearning for a tattoo. If I ever did get one though it would have to be in spots that can be covered up. It can be hard for people with tattoos to get a job and not to mention you don’t see many old people sporting them once they start wrinkling.
I have three daughters and all three have tattoos and piercings. One has stretched ear lobes. None of your tips worked for me which can be frustrating. At least they thought it out for months before they choose a particular tattoo.
Yeah, everyone has their own tastes. My SIL has the stretched ears too. One is infected now though so she has to let it heal before restretching it. Ouch.
I think the last paragraph is a bit harsh “In the end, whether you use any of these tips or a method of your own, it is important that you stress to your teen how reckless it is to place permanent, scarring tattoos on their body.”
I have many tattoos and, although I agree that we should stress to our children that they must think long and hard on whether they want a tattoo for life and what design they would like, it is in no ways always reckless to do even as a teenager. I had my first tattoo at 19 and, in order to make sure I would continue to love the tattoo, I simply placed a photo of it in my room so that everyday for a year I would wake up and see it. I figured that if, after a year, I still wanted it, then I was good to go. And, I still love that tattoo a decade later.
Sometimes teenagers make smart decisions. We should give them some credit. And, I think it’s better they logically think about a tattoo than to simply scare them out of their own decision to change their own body.
I’m sorry! I am sure Melanie didn’t mean it that way. I agree it is something that one needs to think about long and hard about. I feel if an adult wants to get a tattoo it is their choice. It’s their body. They have to live with it not you. I do not have one personally but my SIL has tons. And I LOVE her. We all are unique and like different things. To each their own I say 🙂
I tried these things to stop my daughter getting a tattoo, she now has 11 of them so that is how good they worked but she is a stubborn headstrong person
Personally, I think if someone is going to get a tattoo they will get one whether you want them to or not. Once they are an adult it’s their choice what they do to their body.
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Video Games Your Children Should Be Playing
Chris Flanagan
I just picked up my son from the airport who is a rising senior at college. He said he wants a tattoo of a design he made. My wife and I are not tattoo lovers to say the least. She is a doctor and I am in finance. My son is majoring in Economics and Finance and I am afraid that getting a tattoo will preclude him from getting very far if he wants to work in any capacity in his chosen field. I know that if I had a tattoo at the Fortune 500 company I worked for, well, I wouldn’t even have gotten past the first interview. I know the world is changing and tattoos have realized a resurgence but in a world that is always changing, this permanent attempt at “coolness” might no longer be cool in another 7 months, forget about 70 years!
Home Jobs By Mom
I totally agree! I was one that never really saw the point in tattoos. I know people want to express themselves, but I think they should do it with something less permanent.
Jeffrey
I KNEW A 7TH GRADER WHOL COULD HAVE USED THIS INFORMATION.
Home Jobs By Mom
Ohhh 7th grade is really young for a tattoo!!
Denise Low
My son got a small tattoo when he went to college. It wasn’t anywhere you could see. So I was happy about that at least.
Home Jobs By Mom
What is his tattoo of?
Thomas
Oh my! obviously whoever wrote this article either doesn’t have a teenager or has a teenager that is easy to scare off. Here is my problem, my son is about to turn 16. And has convinced his mother to give consent for him to get inked. I will give her credit on that she made the deal that he had to have straight A’s in school. the problem is that is easy for him to do. I have been doing everything I can to guide him into not getting a tattoo. I’m absolutely covered in tattoos myself. “so does not help my case in his eyes”. ii have tried to explain to him that when i first meet a person I automatically have to deal with the sterotypes and show that i have never been to prison, do not ride a motorcycle, and do not listen to heavy music. I have also try to explain to him that if i could go back and never get tattoos that i sure would, that if i could get all of them removed that would also be done. I have tried to convince him to wait none of this worked. my question is how do i steer him into getting a tattoo that he will not regret in the future and to get one that is easily covered up. keep in mind my son is so not easily tricked. it has to be his idea.. good luck. i sure would appreciate any ideas
Krystle
My sister in law fights stereotypes and it’s a struggle for her during job interviews. Tattoos, gauged ears, and colored hair are hard for some people to look past. My best guess is to convince him to get it in a location that is easily covered by clothing. The back is a huge canvas that is covered most of the time. Maybe play up bigger artworks so they HAVE to go on the back? Good luck!
Helen
I am so not looking forward to having this conversation with my little girl. Hopefully, she will not want one since neither mommy or daddy has one. Here is to hoping I own’t need these tips.
Rosanne
I raised 4 sons who never tattooed or pierced. One of them really wanted to when he was 16. I told him when he was completely self supporting, living on his own, paying his own car insurance, cell phone bill, health insurance, tuition etc he could do whatever he wants but as long as we are paying his bills he couldn’t. He worked all through high school and college but he certainly did not make enough as a waiter to live on his own the way he did here-(nice house in nice neighborhood, a used car to drive, well educated). He is 33 and a very successful person now. He lives better than we ever did and he still does not have a tattoo or a piercing. Neither does his wife. My dad had them from being in the Coast Guard during WWII. They are UGLY when one gets old and skin loses it’s suppleness. I remember when I was raising my children I heard “your children will have many friends throughout their lives. They only have 2 parents”. I was not friends with my children. I parented them. Now that they are adults we are friends but I parented them because I was older and knew better. Our society wants to be cool with our kids-to be their friends. Set limits and boundaries. Once they are self supporting adults they can do whatever they want.
Jeri
My mom gave permission for me to get a tattoo when I was 17, but then I got into a car wreck when it snowed. I got grounded and couldn’t get the tattoo. I’m so glad I didn’t. It was of a rose wrapped around a sword. Talk about incredibly cheesy… so glad I don’t have to live with that regret.
Krystle
I’m surprised you didn’t go get it once you were of age. I have never had the yearning for a tattoo. If I ever did get one though it would have to be in spots that can be covered up. It can be hard for people with tattoos to get a job and not to mention you don’t see many old people sporting them once they start wrinkling.
Arleen
I am totally against tattoos. I think they still have a stigma.
Krystle
I personally wouldn’t get one either. And would prefer my children not to be covered in them but if they are adults I really can’t do much about it.
Darlene
I have three daughters and all three have tattoos and piercings. One has stretched ear lobes. None of your tips worked for me which can be frustrating. At least they thought it out for months before they choose a particular tattoo.
Krystle
Yeah, everyone has their own tastes. My SIL has the stretched ears too. One is infected now though so she has to let it heal before restretching it. Ouch.
Nichole
I think the last paragraph is a bit harsh “In the end, whether you use any of these tips or a method of your own, it is important that you stress to your teen how reckless it is to place permanent, scarring tattoos on their body.”
I have many tattoos and, although I agree that we should stress to our children that they must think long and hard on whether they want a tattoo for life and what design they would like, it is in no ways always reckless to do even as a teenager. I had my first tattoo at 19 and, in order to make sure I would continue to love the tattoo, I simply placed a photo of it in my room so that everyday for a year I would wake up and see it. I figured that if, after a year, I still wanted it, then I was good to go. And, I still love that tattoo a decade later.
Sometimes teenagers make smart decisions. We should give them some credit. And, I think it’s better they logically think about a tattoo than to simply scare them out of their own decision to change their own body.
Krystle
I’m sorry! I am sure Melanie didn’t mean it that way. I agree it is something that one needs to think about long and hard about. I feel if an adult wants to get a tattoo it is their choice. It’s their body. They have to live with it not you. I do not have one personally but my SIL has tons. And I LOVE her. We all are unique and like different things. To each their own I say 🙂
Jo-Anne
I tried these things to stop my daughter getting a tattoo, she now has 11 of them so that is how good they worked but she is a stubborn headstrong person
Krystle
Personally, I think if someone is going to get a tattoo they will get one whether you want them to or not. Once they are an adult it’s their choice what they do to their body.