Tattoos -- Good or Bad?
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (118435)
Gainesville, Florida
December 11, 2015 11:20am CST
My 16-year old daughter, who hates needles, came up to me out of the blue yesterday and told me she wants to get a tattoo! I was quite surprised, and I was pretty sure she was joking with me! But, it turns out she is serious about getting one. She wants to get a spiritual saying, or quote from the Bible, or something to that effect. I can't quite remember exactly what she said she wanted to get tatted, but it was definitely something spiritual.
I'm a person who is still kind of on the fence about tattoos. Some people enjoy covering their body with them; some people like to only get one or two small ones in hidden places on their bodies; still others are against them totally.
I have a small tattoo on my ankle. I don't mind tattoos, but I will never be the type of person who gets covered in them. In fact, I wouldn't mind getting another one someday, maybe on my shoulder or something, but probably not much more than that.
Anyway, back to my daughter. She wants to get a spiritual saying on her chest, toward her left collarbone area. While I'm not opposed to her getting a tattoo, I really would prefer that she pick a different place to get it.
Her mom (my ex-wife) has quite a bit of tattoos all over her body, and she is the one who wants to take my daughter to get one. I'm going to continue to encourage my daughter to pick a different location on her body other than the chest/collarbone area, but I won't oppose her getting one altogether.
What are your thoughts on tattoos?
18 people like this
26 responses
@whiteream (8567)
• United States
11 Dec 15
I have two one on my should and a rose. I don't think there is anything wrong with them. I would never get my whole body covered with them. I think one or two is nice. Maybe you should do what my father did. He wasn't against me getting a tattoo. He just made me wait and think about it. I got my tattoo when I was eighteen. I still wanted after two years. But, I am glad, I waited.
5 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Dec 15
I have nothing against people who cover themselves in tattoos, but it's just not something I would do. I like talking to people about their tattoos, because I believe every tattoo tells a story. I could sit for hours listening to people talk about their tattoos.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Dec 15
My ex-wife and I have split custody of our kids, so this is an instance of knowing when to pick your battles. If I tell my daughter no, she can't go get a tattoo, then she'll just go to her mom for permission (my ex-wife would say yes). I don't want to create that animosity between myself and my daughter, or between my ex-wife and myself. We all get along so well, that I want to ensure I keep the peace between all of us. So, I'll just try to use the art of persuasion to see if I can convince her to wait a little while before getting her tattoo.
7 people like this
@Elizaby (6902)
• Pensacola, Florida
11 Dec 15
@moffittjc If you think waiting to eighteen is a good idea two years away and wife is willing for your daughter to get it now I would suggest that you all agree to a compromise of waiting one year til she is seventeen during which time you go together to check out the different tattoo shops to find the cleanest and to be certain of the tattoo she really wants.
3 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (79706)
• United States
11 Dec 15
I tend to agree that she might want to place it on a different part of her body since she's so young and might regret it later on.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Dec 15
That's what I'm thinking...she's not old enough yet to realize that it may not be the most smart place on her body to put a tattoo. Hopefully, she'll wise up and realize I'm right. It's not like I'm telling her that she can't get a tattoo, I'm just suggesting she pick a more subtle place on her body to get it.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Dec 15
@nanette64 I keep reminding her that many employers don't like visible tattoos on their employees. I hope she takes it to heart.
2 people like this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
11 Dec 15
@moffittjc And remind her that these are forever (unless she wants laser surgery) and that if she does move it elsewhere, she needs to remember that some bosses don't like visible tatts.
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
11 Dec 15
@moffittjc There is always a likelihood of changing your mind after getting a tattoo, which is a little too late.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Dec 15
Yes, I think very similarly to the way you do! I don't mind if other people are covered in them, and some people look great with tattoos, but I just have never had the desire to get a bunch on my own body.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
11 Dec 15
@moffittjc There was one time that I wanted a wolf tattooed on my back, but after the little rose incident; that was that.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Dec 15
I'm not worried that she'll get one that's not tasteful, because she's got a good head on her shoulders. I just think the location she is thinking is not the best one. For one, it would make it hard to hide if she ever needed to wear a dress for a formal occasion or to a job interview. Although tattoos are very popular these days, there are still some people out there that frown upon them. I wouldn't want her to lose opportunities in life because somebody judges her based on seeing a tattoo on her body.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Dec 15
@Cinimin My ex-wife and I got our first tattoos together when we were fresh out of school. It was up in New York City, and hers was a small butterfly tattoo that she got on her right ankle.Although she's added a lot of ink over the years to her arms, shoulders and back, on her legs she still only has that small little butterfly!
@JudyEv (325720)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Dec 15
I guess being that much older I don't like them much particularly on young girls. I sometimes wonder what all these tattoos will look like when people are in nursing homes. But then everyone will have them and it won't be a big deal then either. For my kids, I'd be asking them to wait six months maybe and if they still wanted one, I wouldn't oppose it. Not that they're now likely to ask me at 41 and 43!
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Dec 15
I do appreciate that she came to me first to let me know she wanted to get one, so that's a good thing, I guess. She could have just done it and told me about it afterward!
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Dec 15
@JudyEv I could imagine that tattoo removal is becoming big business, since getting tattoos is very popular now. People can't really seem to fathom the idea of permanency, so they don't think it's a big deal to get a tattoo. Then 10, 15, 20 years later, they wish they had never gotten the tattoo and want it removed!
3 people like this
@JudyEv (325720)
• Rockingham, Australia
12 Dec 15
@moffittjc For sure - and plenty would have gone ahead without asking I guess. But it's a very permanent thing isn't it? I understand one of the growth markets is tattoo removal.
1 person likes this
@VivaLaDani13 (60337)
• Perth, Australia
26 Feb 17
@moffittjc ooooh I didn't know you had a little tattoo. Nice little nugget of information about you.
I personally wouldn't ever want to get one. 1: Because I guarantee I would regret it or change my mind about the pic / saying and possibly even the location I picked. I'm very picky and indecisive at times. And 2: I hate pain.
As for others, I like looking at the art and finding out what it means to the person.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Feb 17
I would love to get a few more tattoos, but I am not in any hurry to do so. Maybe someday I'll add one or two more, but nothing major. Just small ones that can be easily covered if necessary.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Feb 17
@VivaLaDani13 It depends on the area of the body you get the tattoo on. But for the most part, I didn't think it hurt that bad at all.
1 person likes this
@VivaLaDani13 (60337)
• Perth, Australia
27 Feb 17
@moffittjc Does it hurt a lot?
1 person likes this
@pumpkinjam (8540)
• United Kingdom
12 Dec 15
I'm not a fan of them myself but I do know a lot of people who have them. Some are covered in them, some have one or two. But I do know a few people who have regretted having them, and at least one person who has more than one but said she wouldn't have had the others had she not had the first (if that makes sense). I also think that 16 is too young for a tattoo, and that it's sensible of you to persuade her to pick a different place on her body if she insists on having one.
There's one more point I want to make though - if she's getting a Bible quote, doesn't it say something against tattoos in the Bible? So, depending on her religious viewpoint, she might want to check that she's not going against her own faith.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458006)
• Switzerland
12 Dec 15
@moffittjc If she hates needles and cannot stand the pain, it's possible that she will decide to stop. She should at least try first on a hidden area.
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Dec 15
@LadyDuck I was thinking the same thing! I was thinking that she'd start the tattoo, and then decide she can't stand the pain, and then stop. She'd then have a partial tattoo! lol
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Dec 15
I'm trying my best to convince her not to get any tattoo, let alone one near her collarbone.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
11 Dec 15
I don't know why people who won't get a flu shot due to what's potentially in them will get ink inserted into their skin...makes no sense to me.
I am not a fan and thank God my husband isn't either.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
11 Dec 15
@moffittjc Maybe you need to take her to a tat place and let her observe what it's like? Then do a cosmetic surgeon so he can explain the pain of having them removed....hum????
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Dec 15
@AbbyGreenhill I think she's already been to a tattoo parlor with her mom, since my ex-wife has quite a few tattoos now. I'll have to ask her to be sure, but I do think she's been. And it's a good idea to speak to a doctor about what it takes to remove them!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Dec 15
Yes, and my daughter is like that! She won't get the flu shot each year, because she doesn't like needles, so instead she gets the flu mist. But, if she won't even get a flu shot, what makes her think she can tolerate a needle pricking her thousands of times when she gets a tattoo?
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
12 Dec 15
I am afraid I am very anti tattoos. My daughter had a massive one on her lower back and then had her daughters name put on the back of her neck. I asked her what she would do if she had 11 kids would she tattoo them all the way down her back. It was the same as body piercing she wanted a navel piercing which I was very anti about. She rang me from Mauritius one day saying dad I had better warn you what I have done. I told her if you have had a belly button piercing I will be really angry....No she said. I have had my nose pierced! GRRRR. I guess I am just an old fuddy duddy but I have seen patients who regretted having tats and then expect the NHS to pick up the tab to have them removed which I am totally against.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Dec 15
@nanette64 I think I agree with you. I am not a fan of piercings at all. Although, it is easier to remove piercings and hide the evidence than it is to cover and/or remove tattoos. But regardless, I still don't like piercings.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
12 Dec 15
I think I'm more against piercings than I am tattoos @garymarsh6 . And it's one thing to just have 1 piercing, but several in the same area drive me nuts.
@MarshaMusselman (38652)
• Midland, Michigan
29 Mar 16
I, personally, would never like a tattoo, but some are cute if done in moderation. My daughter after she turned eighteen got a couple done over a few years time. She doesn't like needles or pain either, and had a hard time getting her ears pierced. Her first one was on her upper back/shoulder area and said, God Connected. Later she had a similar one done along with her sister and friend. Similar to what the other girls picked out. It was two hearts of different colors. One got it on their shin, another on their back and I don't remember where the friend put hers.
I don't know whether on the front of the chest would be the best place either, especially for a first one. It would be hard to relax while it's being done.
Btw, I saw this post while looking for one that I accidentally deleted the notification. It was something to do with the shoulder. Good luck with your daughter. You may want to ask what the saying is she wants for some might be Godly, while others might be spiritual but of a different type.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Mar 16
She has decided to hold off for now on getting a tattoo (thank goodness). The saying she eventually wants to get is a scripture quote out of the Bible.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Apr 16
@MarshaMusselman Trust me, I was very vocal about my opposition to the location she chose. Fortunately, she made a wise decision to hold off on getting one.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38652)
• Midland, Michigan
30 Mar 16
@moffittjc That she wants a scripture, is great, but the location is what I'd question for a first time tattoo.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Feb 17
I agree with you! I don't think people should cover their bodies with tattoos. To me it is disrespectful to their own body when they do that
1 person likes this
@shshiju (10342)
• Cochin, India
27 Feb 17
@moffittjc Yes But I think detachable tattoo is welcoming one.
1 person likes this
@T_gray (7774)
• Salina, Kansas
12 Dec 15
I like tattoos, I think they are an expression of oneself. I'm not sure how I feel about getting them at that age although I got my first one at that age. I wasn't under parent supervision so mine looks like crap and I regret it other then the memories.
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Dec 15
There's no doubt that the spiritual saying she wants to get tattooed on her is an expression of herself. She has a strong faith in God. I just would rather her get it in a different location on her body than the spot she is thinking about getting it in.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Dec 15
@T_gray My ex-wife is the one encouraging her to get the tattoo! lol
1 person likes this
@T_gray (7774)
• Salina, Kansas
12 Dec 15
@moffittjc yeah I can see that.... Have you told her and her mom this? Maybe you can get her mom on your side?
@JESSY3236 (18923)
• United States
2 Feb 16
My mother has alot of tattoos. When I was ten, I told her that I want to get a tattoo when I get at the age of 18. I hate needles too. I did get a tattoo when I was 21. And I got another one a few years later. The tattoos are on my thigh and back. Your daughter need to pick an area where she can cover it up.
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Feb 16
So if you don't mind sharing, what are the tattoo designs you have on your thigh and back?
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Feb 16
@JESSY3236 I think I remember you writing about your tattoos on Bubblews!
@JESSY3236 (18923)
• United States
4 Feb 16
@moffittjc I have unicorn on my thigh and an angel near a moon. I wanted to also get a snake with sword wrapped around, but I couldn't find any good pictures of one, but I found earrings instead.
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Dec 15
I agree that tattoos are much more accepted in today's culture, but there are still many employers who frown upon visible tattoos on their employees' bodies. I just want my daughter to have every chance she can get to have employment opportunities after she gets out of school, so I don't want her to be disqualified from even one potential employer if it can be avoided.
1 person likes this
@Plethos (13560)
• United States
11 Dec 15
i dont have any tattoos because im afraid of needles and hepatitis C. i find tattoos distracting most of the time. many times ive looked at a pretty girl and lost interest when i saw a big "out of place" and "trendy" looking tattoo. to me, a tattoo should be personal and with deep meaning. not like a tramp stamp thats trendy looking.
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 Dec 15
I dated a girl a few years ago who had a tramp stamp, and it really bothered me. She was such a sweetheart though, and she regretted getting. She said it was a stupid decision she made when she graduated high school. But that is exactly the point I'm trying to get across to my daughter, that it may be something you want now, but years from now it could be something you regret.
1 person likes this
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
12 Dec 15
make her wait until she's 18 at a minimum.
most uk shops wont do an under 18 tattoo.
some will do a 16+ with a parent present but personally I'd not want an under 18 to get one.
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
12 Dec 15
i've been down and looked at other comments.
I dont know the legalities in the US and realise with your system it depends on the state where you live.
Personally if i had a kid (i dont) i'd absolutely not let him/her have a tattoo until they are 18...if I had joint custody a tattoo would require my permission until theyre 18 irrelevant of what my ex said...obviously that may not be the same in the US.
@QualityCheck1 (8)
• United States
12 Dec 15
Okay, I read it somewhere but now I can't find it. Someone commented on encouraging her to move the location of the tattoo for future employment opportunities. I agree if there's the possibility of it showing in the workplace with something she would wear, it would definitely need to be located somewhere else. I think the majority of workplaces do not want tattoos showing during work hours and she will not want this to be a hindrance to herself. However, at her age I don't know if she is thinking about such things as employment for the future, having to work for a living. If she understands this at all though I would think this would be a very good argument.
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
13 Dec 15
She's never even had a job before, so she totally does not understand the concept of modesty in the workplace! I just plan to keep talking to her about it in a non-judgmental way and see if it sinks in.
1 person likes this
@everybodylovespizza (84)
• United States
2 Feb 16
i love tattoos! i have a few of them and 2 of them are really silly. I got them with 2 of my friends but i chose locations where one tattoo is completely hidden (my inner lip) and I have the other one on my ankle. It's really small and i got it there with the intentions of one day covering it up. That being said, I have two other tattoos that mean a lot to me and are in much more visible places and are much larger on my body. what i chose to do with both of those tattoos is i made a picture of what i wanted them to look like and looked at the picture every day for 6 months. after looking at it every day for 6 months and realized i loved them as much as i did the day i started looking at them... that's when i made the appointment to get them done.
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Feb 16
That's pretty cool that you didn't rush out and get those bigger tattoos on impulse, that you instead took your time, thought it through, and then made sure it was what you wanted. I can respect that. You put a lot of thought into it. I feel bad for people who rush out and get tattoos without ever considering the implications or the lasting effects. Then years later, they either spend tons of money removing them, or are embarrassed to have them. People often don't realize exactly what the word "forever" means when getting tattoos!
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Feb 16
@everybodylovespizza I agree! If it's small, or in a place that can be easily concealed, I think that it would be fun to get one on impulse! I also love how every tattoo tells a story, no matter how large or small, or how hidden or obvious the ink is on your body! It certainly makes for great conversation, and can also be a good excuse to go up and start a conversation with someone that you otherwise may not have talked to!
@everybodylovespizza (84)
• United States
2 Feb 16
@moffittjc exactly! But if it's something really small then I think it's ok to get it on an impulse. Why not? It's fun and if it's so small and easily coverable might as well have a little bit of fun
