Piercing or spanking? (get your mind out of the gutter)

[Chickenstuff]

Okay. I was talking to someone I work with about her new piercing and it reminded me of something I witnessed. I was at the tattoo place while my sisters were getting their tattoos. I was in the waiting room while Dave was getting things set up. A lady walks in (can you say suburbs?) with a whole gaggle of teenage girls. The guy at the counter asks how he can help her. She says that her 16 year old daughter wants to get a tattoo and her 14 year old daughter wants a belly button piercing. He explains to her that the 16 year old will not get tattooed there as they do no one under 18. She gets frustrated and asks if that is the rule everywhere. He replies "unfortunately, no". She keeps at the guy for a little bit and then her and the 14 year old get into an argument about where the girl's ID is or some such nonsense and the mother ends up smacking the girl on the ass. Now I have nothing against tattoos (I have one myself) or piercings (wouldn't mind a nosering) but a) if a girl is young enough to get spanked, is she old enough for a belly button ring? b) what kind of mother takes her 14 year old for a reason to show off her stomach and her 16 year old for a permanent tattoo? Maybe I'm just old, but I would not take my child in for a life altering thing such as a tattoo before she was 18. I'd probably even encourage her to wait longer. Not so much a sucky customer as a stupid one I guess.

[Spiffy McMoron]

b) what kind of mother takes her 14 year old for a reason to show off her stomach and her 16 year old for a permanent tattoo?

I'm not sure, but I was classmates with a girl in high school whose parents got her a tattoo when she was 16/17. It was a very well-respected family, and the girl was very smart and hard working. I think she said that they could have only one for free, and they could get any design they wanted within reason. I think she had an anklet of flowers, if I remember right. Their son would also get one, but he hadn't last time I talked to him.

Anyways, a lot of parents would do this so their children (daughters, in this case) will seem "cooler" and be more accepted. Parents living vicariously through the children, perhaps?

[Hempress]

I think I would let my children (well, child as of now) get them done because I know what kind of a teenager I was. My parents wouldn't let me so you know what I did? I did them myself. Very dangerous and I'm lucky I didn't get tetanus or something since I never sterilized anything. I'd much rather let my son get it done professionally than behind my back with a safety pin and a gel pen. I have two tattoos done that way that I did when I was 14.

[rdp78]

Well, if I ever have kids (big if because after working in retail I'm not sure if ever want to have children) and when they ask for a tattoo I would let them have a tempory one. I would also tell them it's against the law for anyone under 18 to get a real tattoo and so when they are over 18 they can get one as long as they put some thought into it.

Piercing is another story because I would defiantly let my little girl get her ears pierced and well, her brother will have wait till they are in their teens to get an ear pierced. Any other body part I will let them have fake piercing and let them wear it just give it a fell. If they want another ear piercing I might let them have it depending their age and if they gave it some thought to it.

Speaking of tattoos has anyone seen this commercial for this cell phone company (I'm not sure which one) and anyway there this guy getting a tattoo. The tattoo is a heart with his name, girlfriend's name and then has "True Love" or something like it across the heart. Anyway his girlfriend calls him will getting his tattoo and she breaks up with him but she still wants to be friends. So now the word "Love" is crossed out and "Friends" is written underneath.

[AFpheonix]

Meh. They can wait until they're out of my house if they want to get something like that done. My house, my money paying for them, my rules.

There's a lady I know from the barn who went with one of her daughters (when she was about 14-15) to a piercing place and both got their tongues pierced. Honestly, who would let their teenaged girl get a tongue piercing, especially knowing what they're used for? Gah.

[NightAngel]

My oldest is 15 and he has wanted a tat since he was about 2 years old. I have told him many times that when he is of legal age to make that decision himself without me being there then he can do as he pleases.

Once when he was little he gave himself one with colorful magic markers. His entire face. As it wore away it looked progressively like a large bruise covering his face. It was SO EMBARASSING!

After that he and I came to a compromise and he has been the king of the temporary tatoo since he was about 3 or 4. It's been fun actually... he and I pick them out together- we get the nice ones that last a couple of weeks- then we put them on eachother's arms. It's really a fun bit of quality time that we enjoy to this day.

Yet another weird family tradition brought to you by NightAngel.

[Hempress]

Honestly, who would let their teenaged girl get a tongue piercing, especially knowing what they're used for? Gah.

Not all of us have our tongue pierced for sexual reasons, thanks. I got mine done because I like how it looks. And I was a virgin (in all meanings of the word) when I got mine.

[Boozy]

I'd be more likely to let my kid get a piercing than a tattoo. Piercings can be removed and they'll eventually close up, but tattoos are forever.
I *shudder* to think of what horrendous thing I'd have engraved on my butt right now if it hadn't been for that "Not under 18 rule."
Possibilities from my high school days, if I recall correctly, included "AC/DC Forever", or the Aerosmith logo.

[Gurndigarn]

I'd be more likely to let my kid get a piercing than a tattoo. Piercings can be removed and they'll eventually close up, but tattoos are forever.
I *shudder* to think of what horrendous thing I'd have engraved on my butt right now if it hadn't been for that "Not under 18 rule."
Possibilities from my high school days, if I recall correctly, included "AC/DC Forever", or the Aerosmith logo.

And probably faded to an ugly blue, as well.

[Silvercat]

Not all of us have our tongue pierced for sexual reasons, thanks. I got mine done because I like how it looks. And I was a virgin (in all meanings of the word) when I got mine.

Seriously. Back when I was working at a Christian camp every summer one of the other counselors had gotten a tongue piercing earlier that year. She was a year younger than me (I think she was 17). The Camp Director mentioned the dress coad during the morning meeting, and specifically mentioned tongue piercings and how they can be sexual, and how that was an image we didn't want to project.

I think just about all of the sane younger staff were rolling their eyes. (Just to be clear, a LOT of our staff and campers had gone to Christian schools, only had Christian friends, etc, and were very conservative. I don't think most of them were quite fundamentalist crazy, but that's neither here nor there.) Also keep in mind that I worked in a sex shop - well, it was shipping for online sex shops and one of the big sellers at the time was a vibrator type thing you could use with a tongue piercing. But I STILL knew it could just be a fashion thing.

Anyway, the counselor with the piercing was rather annoyed and somewhat hurt. She was one of the toughest people I know (I think that was the year where she ended up pulling cactus spines out of her own leg) but sensitive.

Um, so basically, why do people always jump to the sexual reason for anything? (Oh, you're asexual? You must have been molested. No, no I wasn't. I'm just not interested.)

[AFpheonix]

I'm sorry if I offended, it wasn't intentional. I dislike tongue rings for multiple reasons (dental damage, and higher risk of heart valve infections that have been linked to them, etc.).
Mostly I'm flabergasted at this woman, this is just but one incident in a long line of things where she treats her daughters more like friends than her children, and then wonders why they act up so badly.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Not all of us have our tongue pierced for sexual reasons, thanks. I got mine done because I like how it looks. And I was a virgin (in all meanings of the word) when I got mine.

While I have no doubt that that is true, the suggestion the stud makes in everyone's mind is still there. Sad, but true. As such, there's no way, no how, no no NO would I let my grossly underage daughter have that done.

[Severen13]

I got my first tattoo at 19 just to piss my parents off. They didn't want me to get one, but I was of legal age. Ha Ha. It's a nice rose and I have no regrets. And now (age 33) I have a total of four (one more than my dad).

[Department stores *sigh*]

if i ever have a daughter there is one thing i will guerentee she will not get under my roof.

NO TOUNGE RINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sofar]

I'm totally straight-laced, you know, real button-down, man. Exceptin' my long hair, of course, I'm a total square. But . . . I've always wanted a nose ring. Anyway, it's important to rebel against one's parents, and if your parents are always letting you do all the stuff you want to do then how are you going to do that?