Tattoos

I am raising hippies at my house.

I'm not real sure how that happened because their dad and I are pretty conservative in most ways. I am a little bit of a Jesus freak and I don't really care that much what people think (or I like thinking that's true) but my values are pretty mainstream conservative. That is unless you consider my views on immigration (pro amnesty - I know, I know) and the environment (I think we should take good care of our planet and if corporations won't do so. I think they should be made to do so by government).  If you think that's liberal, then I'm cool with that being liberal.

This is my daughter.

That is a nose ring.  And she wants to dred lock her hair.  We said no to the dreds.  We had to draw the line somewhere.  She plans to get a tattoo and dreds on her 18th birthday.  My husband has encouraged her to do it because he says it will save him a boatload of money that he was planning to pay for college.  I'm not sure what I think about that.  I'd be more on board about the dreds than the tattoos because even if she has to shave her head to get rid of them, it's still not permanent.

I wouldn't get a tattoo for a lot of reasons.  For one thing, I'm a complete wimp and I'm pretty sure that would HURT! I don't even eat spicy food because of my moral conviction that if it hurts you shouldn't eat it.  This conviction includes activities.  In general the 'no pain, no gain' crowd and I don't hang out.  Also, I am old enough to remember how many favorite colors, quotes, shapes, and sayings I have had in my forty plus years.  I'm so glad those things weren't indelibly printed on my body.  I like being free to change my mind.  To me a tattoo limits my freedom of choice.

My daughter wants to get the globe printed on her back.  It's actually quite a lovely tattoo, as those things go . . .

But I'm not convinced she will always want that showing through her t-shirts and her formal dresses. I might have wanted it on my back at one stage or another but not now and guess what? It would still be there!

I think it's likely that tattoos are just a way for adolescents to say "I'm different than you" to their parents.    If that is the case, I got that message a LONG time ago.  She definitely is different from me in so many wonderful ways.  Time will tell if tattoos will be one of those ways.  I hope not, but at some point it will be her decision and if she goes ahead with putting permanent art on her body, I might even think it's pretty.