Why Your Teenager Should Get a Tattoo
Benefits
1) Helps teenagers get over loss. A senior art major and tattoo artist in training, Matt Kerly, who is a student at Eastern Carolina University, had this to say about one of the best positive reasons to get a tattoo. He stated that often a tattoo reminded the teen of a loved one or a loss, helping them to get over their negative reaction. It also can help the teen to ' keep in touch' with someone who is far away, perhaps a Father they only see during the summer. ( http://media.www.theeasterncarolinian.com)
2) Covers a noticeable scar. Ask a teen who has been in an accident, if they would prefer a scar or a tattoo. I have a friend ,although she is older, who had arthritis surgery. The surgeon did a terrible job on the scar, and my friend was tired of looking at it. So she had a vine with roses tattooed over the scar. Now the scar is not visible. The tattoo parlor I took my daughter too, Jimmy's Ink in Jacksonville, Florida even had a page with tattoos of before with scars, and after with the scars covered. They all were wonderfully done.
3) Teaches responsibility. If a parent is prone to let their teenager get a tattoo, their should not only be restrictions, but it should be something that she should have to work for, or something on a special occasion. One friend of mine made her daughter get straight A's all year in order to get the tattoo. The child received straight A's, got her tattoo, and is still on the A honor role. As for our daughter, all she had to do was turn 16. We did explain that this was the only one, and as an adult she could get all she wanted, but to remember where they were and what they were, if she ever wanted a respectable job.
4) Art expression. My daughter attended a performing arts high school in Jacksonville, Florida called Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. She has several friends that created their own tattoo design , actually for a class grade, then took the design to the tattoo parlor and were then ' inked'. Nothing like carrying your art on your own body!!
5) Expression of religious faith. This is one of the main reasons that our daughter decided to get a tattoo. She knows that whatever you tattoo on yourself, is something that you should have with you for life, such as a child's name or lifelong hobby. She said that her faith and love for God would never go away, and she wanted to demonstrate that with a religious tattoo. She decided on a heart with an anchor in it. The impetus for the tattoo design came from Hebrews 6:19 which says "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." She said that you can't draw a soul, so an anatomical human heart was the next best thing. In recent years, tattoo parlors have seen an increase in Evangelical young adults, wanting to get a tattoo as an expression of faith. (Boston Globe; May 31st, 2001 edition: Article: Pierced, Tattooed and Responsible)
Letting your teenager get a tattoo depends not only depends on your own views and beliefs as a parent, but also on your own teenager. Is she mature enough, is this a passing fad, and will she know how to properly take care of it afterwards? But if you are on the fence as to whether you should let your child get a tattoo, maybe one of the reasons here will help you make your decision.
Published by Dahloan Hembree
Ms Hembree is a certified Special Education, Reading and Pre K through 3rd grade teacher. She has taught for ten years. Prior to that, she was a Youth Counselor for six years with a non profit agency. Mrs. H... View profile
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9 Comments
Post a Commentmy mom won't let me get one and I've showed her this :L
I agree 100%.
Her choice of media aside, I praise her choice of message. From what I've seen of her, she is one who brings honour to her father and mother on earth, and to her Heavenly Father as well.
I can't say I approve of tatoos, but it is not my body and she is not my daughter. Y'all have done well in rearing a fine young lady.
Oh to not a good idea. First of all my 17 year old is more mature than most 50 year olds I know. She wanted a heart with an anchor to represent a Bible text. She said God would be with her always. Now that's one wise teenager. Hebrews 6:19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.
Oh to not a good idea. First of all my 17 year old is more mature than most 50 year olds I know. She wanted a heart with an anchor to represent a Bible text. She said God would be with her always. Now that's one wise teenager. Hebrews 6:19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.
This author did had a call from the Wall Street journal about this article. They thought it was neat that I was ' even ' minded about a tattoo. Think the proble is, people don't let their children express themselves. YOu'd think a tatto was evil according to some of the comments here.
I am the author, not signed in to my account, b ut can't believe some comments. Having a tatoo isn't mutlilating your body. I guess too I'm blssed, my daughter is mature way beyond her years and monitors her own behavior, so a tatoo was no issue. I have 3 kids, and each is different, She monitors her own behavior and has since a little thing. We have never had to correct her, little alone punish her, so why not reward her Christian behavior with a Christian tattoo that she designed and wanted? It is a real heart with an anchor. The verse is in Hebrews, " We have an anchor in our soul of this hope of salvation." As u can't tattoo a soul, she chose a heart which really is our soul. She decided her tatoo should be something she will carry with her always, and she said her salvation ahd love of Jesus Christ will always be there. Sometimes as parents, allowing our children to express themselves is not such a bad idea. A year later, she has asked to get aq matching Christian tattoo on the ot
In an effort to control our 15 year-old son (and assert our boundaries) we said "NO" to his tattoo request. It became sort of an obsession with him, and eventually he discovered how to make his own tattoo gun (thanks, Crest Spinbrush) and he has started a VERY UGLY and crooked prison-looking tattoo on his arm. It would be better to see a professional and do this thing properly, but my husband is not in agreement...so the tension is thick in our home. The fact of the matter is that our son will have to live with all of the choices he makes, whether they be good or bad. It is too bad that as parents we tend to take all of their decisions so personally.
There are so many ways to express yourself without mutilating your body permanently, that I find inadequate to let a youngster decide on the matter. As they don't have the ability to decide if they will get married with their current boyfriend and most probable will change their minds on the LOVE they feel for them, and move on to the next boyfriend, there is a good chance of getting a change of heart about that tattoo too, that you, as an adult, allowed your teenager to get. Bad decision overall at such an early stage in life. Let your teenager learn about making mistakes and assume responsibilities with less permanent things. Be creative and regain control over your children,