Giving Your 3 Year Old A Tatoo???
By LadyMarissa
@LadyMarissa (12148)
United States
April 6, 2011 5:24pm CST
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/19566431/detail.html
Almost 2 years ago a 24 year old Georgia dad got drunk & had the letters"DB" tattooed on his son's shoulder blade. The DB stood for "Daddy's Boy". He was turned in to the police by the Department of Family & Children's Services for abusing his son. This case just went to court & the Dad was given 12 months probation & a $300 fine. When I first started reading about this I thought...how stupid, he should be put away. Of course I hadn't gotten to the part that said what the tattoo was. Now I'm thinking...yes, he used bad judgment, but was it really so bad??? Should it even be a police matter??? If he had taken his daughter & had her ears pierced, nobody would have said a word!!! So, now I'm asking...what do you think about this situation??? 
5 people like this
19 responses
@tiffnkeat (1673)
• Singapore
7 Apr 11
This is so sad. How could a 3 y.o handle the needle of the tattoo? It also goes to show the terrible effects of being drunk. So for those who drink, learn from this lesson and moderate you intake or avoid it at all cost.
Now the boy is marked or rather scarred for life. This is indeed depressing. What will they think of next?
2 people like this
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
7 Apr 11
It is VERY sad!!! I got my tattoo back in 1973 & I didn't find it painful or I wouldn't have gotten it. Maybe I'm wrong, but I would think it is even less painful now as they should have better equipment!!!
The one thing I have noticed in life is that it is impossible for me to learn from your mistakes or you to learn from mine. We seem to be destined for our own tragedies before we learn a thing. Any drunk reading this would just think...I would NEVER do anything that stupid!!! When in truth, NO drunk thinks rationally while intoxicated!!!
I don't feel this child has to be marked for life as he will have the option to have the tattoo removed when he is older. I actually feel he is being damaged more by his Dad being prosecuted than if he had simply been left alone!!!
With this being my second discussion on a parent neglecting their 3 year old, I'm fearful of what will be the next thing thought of might be!!!!
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
7 Apr 11
Tattoos are a status symbol that we wear. they should be a decision of a consenting adult. Giving a child a tattoo at such an early age is a decision of the parent and not the child. that is something a child will have to continue to live with. the choice should have been theirs to make. waiting until they were older is a wiser decision for the parent.@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
7 Apr 11
I TOTALLY agree with you!!! I think the Dad was an idiot for giving the child a tattoo. I think a parent is an idiot for piercing a baby's ears!!! I believe in BOTH instances that the parent should WAIT & let the child decide for themselves when they are mature enough to make a rational decision!!! With the progress made in tattoo removal it is almost nothing to have it done. A laser beam fades out the color over several treatments. So if this child doesn't like the tattoo as he grows up, it can be removed without him being further traumatized. However, if he appreciates it for how hid Dad had meant it, then there was NO abuse!!! I really feel MORE damage is being done by the authorities & those telling the child what a bad thing Daddy did to him. I know I resent my tax dollars being wasted on trying to prosecute a man who only ended up with a slap on the wrist. Obviously, the authorities didn't have a solid case to prove abuse!!! Actually, I'm feeling abused by those who are supposed to be protecting me!!!!
1 person likes this
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
7 Apr 11
I think it's a little much for a kid that young but at least it wasn't something bad. He didn't even put the full words, just the initials. And you are right, people take their infants and small children to get their ears pierced all the time and nothing is ever said. I waited till my daughter was old enough to ask me to get her ears pierced before I took her. I guess if you are a family that enjoys tattoos it is only natural you would be okay with your children getting one, but I think he should have waited till his child was old enough to ask for it.
2 people like this
@shaggin (71671)
• United States
7 Apr 11
I think that is horrible that he would do that to a child. They should grow up and then when they are old enough decide if they want to mark their bodies with tattoos. The father shouldnt have done that to the child. I dont like when parents pierce their childrens ears either. I got mine done when I was 5. I begged my mom to let me get them done then when I saw my sister having hers done I cried and said I didnt want mine done. She made me anyway since I had bugged her so much about it. I wont allow my daughter to get her ears pierced until shes much older. My friend never was allowed to pierce her ears and right after turning 18 she went and had them done.
1 person likes this
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
7 Apr 11
I agree it was a terrible thing to do to a child!!! I also think it is terrible to pierce the ears of a young child!!! I was told I had to wait until I was 18 to have my ears pierced; but I decided I was ready at 16 to have it done. Afterall, what could they do but yell at me??? Once the holes were there, they were there!!! Personally, I think a child should be between 13 & 16 before they get either a tattoo or piercing as they should be old enough & responsible enough to take care of the healing process themselves!!!
@tlb0822 (1410)
• United States
6 Apr 11
Wow. This is very interesting. When I first started reading this I thought oh my goodness this dad is a mad man, and should defiantly be going to jail for this. My first thoughts are that the boy did not have a choicee in the matter and will now have to live with this tattoo for the rest of his life. Then I start thinking, well I get my girls ears pierced when they are little, and they really don't have a choice in the matter either. So its kind of a back and forth thing for me. Then I start thinking of it this way. A tattoo is absolutley permanent unless it is removed by a laser or it is covered up with another tattoo. Getting a childs ears pierced is not permanent. Piercings can close up on there own if the child decides they no longer want there ears pierced. I defiantly think that what the father did is wrong, and that there should be some questioning in his ability to be a parent and the decsions that he is making for his child. A mean first a tattoo, then what could be next.
2 people like this
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
6 Apr 11
I agree with most of what you're saying. Except....piercing do tighten up, but the hole remains. My aunt had her ears pierced & wore the earrings for about 2 years. Then she quit wearing them for about 20 years when she decided she wanted to wear them again. It took me less than 2 minutes to find the hole & insert the new earrings. Yes, it wasn't a gaping hole, but the hole was still there & I could easily see where it was!!! Yes, the Dad has terrible judgment & I am concerned for the child. On the other side, I've known plenty parents who at 24 made a lot of bad decisions & who at closer to 30 were great parents. If the authorities were so concerned why didn't they just take the child away from the Dad??? Now the judge wasn't too concerned as he only handed out a 12 month probation along with $300 fine. So, that leads me to believe the judge didn't see it to be so bad either. Hell, it cost more than $300 to prosecute the case!!! I don't live in Rome Georgia, but I do live in Georgia & what I'm really seeing right now is our tax dollars being wasted on BS!!! Nothing I've read says how big the letters were. I got a tattoo about 35 years ago & it has almost completely faded out over time. If this child really hates his tattoo he could have it removed. With the parents he has, my guess is he'll be getting his own tattoos & tattoos that are much worse than a "DB". My ex had his first wife's name tattooed on his wrist & it didn't take that much to cover it up!!! I think Children Services should keep an eye on this family, but to waste the time & money that has already been wasted seems ridiculous to me!!!!
1 person likes this
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
7 Apr 11
I would NOT give my child a tattoo either & I think this Dad was most definitely WRONG for doing such to his child!!! Still I think it was a total waste of taxpayer money to go through the expense of prosecuting this man especially when the prosecutor had NOT done his job properly & couldn't get a conviction!!!!
1 person likes this
@youless (112140)
• Guangzhou, China
7 Apr 11
It is wrong to give a tattoo to a child. This is so bad and I think the punishment for this parent is fine. As it is painful to have the tattoo. You can imagine how terrible this three year old child felt when he had the tattoo. Especially it is too difficult to remove the tattoo. Perhaps this child doesn't like it at all. It is a torture. As to the ears pierced, I also think it is wrong. Why not wait for the child to grow up and make a decision to have it or not?
I love China
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
7 Apr 11
I think the Dad was an idiot for tattooing the child. Still I resent the waste of taxpayer dollars just for the Dad to receive a slap on the wrist!!! And I agree that piercing a baby's ears is totally wrong in itself!!!!
@dreamy1 (3811)
• United States
7 Apr 11
That's horrible. That's bordering abuse to me. If he gets drunk and does that what's not to stop him from getting drunk and doing other things to the poor child. He should have tattooed himself not a poor three year old who had no choice in the matter. It's one think to get a tattoo as an adult but it's another to have one forced on you.
1 person likes this
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
7 Apr 11
I think the child should have been removed from the home to where he is NO longer under the care of this man!!! I, in NO way, think the Dad had the right to have the child tattooed. I just object to the wasting of tax dollars with the expense of prosecuting this man for 2 years only to give him a slap on the wrist!!!
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
7 Apr 11
I think that there is a double standard in respect of ear piercing. Something that should be a personal choice not a parental one. But are you seriously saying that you can find this action acceptable LadyM? This imbecile caused his son deliberate and lasting harm and should feel the wrath of the law. A child has no choice and it is the parent's responsibility to raise them properly and humanely. I don't follow your logic. "Nice" tattoos are acceptable? The boy had no choice and whatever the father's sentiment he should know better. I would not have a tattoo as an adult, but I have that choice. A 3 year old does not and should be protected from the drunken excesses of his father. The person making the tattoo should be jailed for child abuse too. Here you have to be over 18 to be given one and that strikes me as too young!
1 person likes this
@se7enthbird (8307)
• Philippines
6 Apr 11
this is insane. the news said that the boy screamed for him to stop. my child does not scream during a shot he only cries. but imagine giving a boy a tattoo thats like a million of shots. even grown up complains pain when they got their tattoo, what more to a three year old. how can a person do that to a child. do you have to put DB just to tell everybody that your child is daddy's boy. love him and take care of him then that proves the world that he is DB. my son is DB and i would never ever do that to him.
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
6 Apr 11
I think the Dad was an idiot!!! However, I still don't think he should have been arrested!!! I think maybe the child should have been removed from the home; but 2 years of expenses prosecuting this man to only get a return of $300 is criminal. I see it as tax dollars wasted!!!!
1 person likes this
@payout (3794)
• United States
6 Apr 11
Hey ladymarissa
Good topic, and very good question. I think yes the father yes he had bad judgement. But you make a good point there girls and boys sometimes get th ears pierced as a little child baby sometimes. And nothing is sad and it is consider to be just an or al thing. But I guess getting tattoo just does seem a little more extreme. Both getting your ears pierced and getting a tattoo requires parents approval and parent must be there... So if you think about it maybe the court took it a little tooo serious.
1 person likes this
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
6 Apr 11
The Dad exhibited TERRIBLE judgment!!!! However, I've NEVER known a drunk with good judgment!!! Does that mean every drunk Dad with bad judgment should be arrested??? No...don't think so!!! If they felt the situation was so bad, they should have immediately removed the child from the home!!! If the Dad abused the child so bad, why was there only a $300 fine??? I don't think the courts saw it as bad either!!! Has this been waste of time & money??? YES!!!!
2 people like this
@HelloMickey (1655)
• Hong Kong
7 Apr 11
I can't accept that a Dad gives a tattoo to his three year old son, just don't like tattoo and of course it should not be given to a kid.
1 person likes this
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
7 Apr 11
I like tattoos & I think the Dad was wrong giving this child a tattoo. Still I think he should NOT have been arrested I really resent my tax dollars being used for frivolous prosecutions!!!
@iva75cpb (729)
• Bulgaria
7 Apr 11
I think it's stupid. Not the tattoo itself, I like tattoos, but making a tattoo on a 3-year old. At this age the child isn't able to distinguish whether it's right or wrong, besides, such an issue like a tattoo must be the child choice. And such a choice the child can reasonablly make and comprehend not untill at least 15 years of age. I'm not sure about the police matter, it seems a bit overreacted but what the Child Services could have done was at least make a warning and fine for the father. Taking away the child would be overreaction, too.
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
7 Apr 11
The Dad did show EXTREMELY poor judgment in giving his son the tattoo!!! I agree that 3 years old is waaaayyy too young to be given one. By the time this child reaches 15, Dad might not want him to get a tattoo & would be forbidding him to get one. I know the things that I thought was funny & acceptable when I was 20 I find to be appalling now that I'm 60. We ALL grow in our beliefs & the things we are willing to do as we mature!!! I got a tattoo when I was 23 years old. Now that I'm 60 I would NOT get one!!! Fortunately, even at 23, I was smart enough to know that I wasn't going to want it to be shown as I got older & I had it put in a place that was prominent at 23 & NOBODY even sees now that I'm 60!!! I worked with a girl who had her boyfriend's name tattooed across her chest in large letters only to break up with him 3 weeks later. Back then it was very difficult & extremely expensive to have one removed. We've gone our separate ways since then, but I can still imagine her embarrassment every time she opens her coat...or the difficulty she has in buying tops that keeps her tatt covered so nobody can see it!!! So, I think ALL parents should forgo their own desires & let their child choose for themselves when they are old enough!!!!
1 person likes this
@sweetme329 (500)
• Australia
7 Apr 11
OMG! I can hardly believe what i am hearing at the moment. Tattoo on an three old and that too by his own dad. I felt very annoyed when i went through the first four lines of the discussion and thought it is absolutely right for the father to be taken to the jail.
But then came your contribution to this case that should that dad really be punished. The thing in this case is not only about tattoo but also that the dad was drunk. Next time, the dad might have his boy's whole body tattooed when he is drunk... It is completely insane how the dad acted...Unbelievable. He deserved the punishment.
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
7 Apr 11
I think the punishment should have been the child removed from the home permanently...not wasting tax dollars only to have the Dad receive a slap on the wrist!!! Now he is out of jail & can return home to live with the boy & continue to get drunk & have more tattoos put on the child. Maybe he has learned from this experience. Maybe as he's gotten older, he no longer thinks the same way. I think he was stupid to even think of tattooing the boy, but I stand by my thoughts that jailing him was a waste of time & tax dollars!!! I know a lot of drunks who don't make the appropriate decision for their child & they aren't sitting in jail!!! This child deserves better parents, but we don't get to determine the parents a child is born to!!! How would you like it if the government decided they didn't like something you felt was totally normal for your child & took 2 years out of your life with your family??? Now days it doesn't take much to turn everybody against you!!!!
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
7 Apr 11
Many societies use tattooing, ear piercing and other body mutilation to mark puberty (sadly, this also includes circumcision, which is totally unnecessary except in a very few males, though the custom here seems to be due to a misplaced sen...se of hygiene and it is usually done soon after birth)
I can accept and understand these customs, to a certain extent. The markings are worn with pride as a social symbol which means that a particular stage in life has been reached.
In our Western society, tattooing and ear piercing are mostly symbols of nothing except vanity. They have lost any significance that they may have once had and I think that they are totally abhorrent, though I will accept that what people do to their own bodies, once they have reached a reasonable age of consent, is their own business.
I believe that it should be against the law for anyone to mutilate any child. Yes, I think that this particular incident SHOULD be a criminal offence and a police matter!
1 person likes this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
8 Apr 11
I know exactly where you are coming from on both things in this discussion. I do think that a piercing could close itself back up though and it seems to be a tradition for little girls. I just do not think it is right to put ink in a person without them wanting it there though. That could leave a scar to remove later on.
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
8 Apr 11
He permanently scarred his son's body and he has no right to do that. Tattoos hurt, what do you think that poor boy went through to satisfy his father's vanity? I feel the same way about piercing children's ears. Everyone should have a say about what they do to their body or what is done to them if it's not a medical necessity. To scar a child's body or pierce it when they aren't old enough to make their own decision is obscene, cruel and only to satisfy the vanity of the parents.
@dodo19 (47121)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
1 Aug 11
I honestly I can't believe that a father would do that to his son. Ear piercing is one thing, but a tattoo? Really? It's really stupid. He certainly used bad judgment. I do have to somewhat question his ability as a parent, as I am sure others might have done as well. So, I would certainly feel more comfortable for Child's services to keep an eye on the boy and the father. At least for a little while. Just to make sure nothing like this happens again, and that it was just a one time thing. Just to make sure that the child's life is not in danger, or anything like that.
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
7 Apr 11
I find it to be a tragic choice & I agree that it wasn't abuse!!! The child has a dumb azz for a Dad & there are a LOT of dumb azz parents out there who never get hauled off to jail!!!!
