Tattoos and Parents

Q: I think tattoos are cool, but my parents hate them. We fight over this constantly. I want to be my own person, but my parents won’t let me get a tattoo. It makes me really angry. What should I do?

A: Okay, I’m a teen who also at one time wanted a tattoo. I also went through the fights with my parents about the tattoo. They kept asking me a question (and I think that it has finally sunk in), “How would I feel about being 60-years old and have my grandchildren ask me about the tattoo on my back that I got when I was 18?” Plus, most people who have tattoos regret ever getting them and blame it on a stage they went through as a teen.

There are many ways of expressing yourself that don’t involve something as permanent as a tattoo. Think of alternatives. A compromise may be a henna tattoo. They last for about 2 weeks and you can get them re-applied, but they aren’t permanent.

Ashley