Friend's Friend's 1 Year Old Nephew Given Tattoo

[DesignFox]

Well, I'm relieved at least that the story was fake.

But I tend to agree with everyone here that you shouldn't give your kid a body mod until they are old enough to consent.

I knew many young girls who had their ears pierced when they were infants, though. My Dad wouldn't let my Mom take me to get my ears pierced until I was 10. Even then, he wasn't too happy about it, but he was ok with it because at least I had a choice in the matter.

[Sylvia727]

All of the females in my extended family had their ears pierced as an infant. My cousin, myself, and my sister all had our earlobes double-pierced for our sweet sixteens. Assuming my future co-parent's family isn't of a radically climate, I will probably pierce my infant daughters' ears. Because in my family and in our localized subculture, pierced ears are normal, and unpierced ears would make my daughter the weirdo of the family. I know my siblings and cousins will be piercing their daughters' ears. I don't think it will do her/them much, if any, harm and continuing our family traditions and participating in our family's culture will do her/them a lot of good.

However, as far as mainstream culture goes, the child's informed consent is essential, and a child simply isn't able to give consent until a certain age. Ear piercings are relatively unobstructive and can heal over. Even in mainstream culture, a female with single pierced earlobes isn't going to draw second looks. But tattoos? I can't imagine any way of justifying that. Even without the deformity issue, a tattoo is something obvious. No parent should do that.

[IDrinkaRum]

I was 17 when I got my ears pierced. I am the only girl in my family with pierced ears. You'd think I had consorted with the Devil himself in full view of the Pope while wearing absolutely nothing on Easter Sunday if you talked to my mom about it!

I made my own decision about the piercing. I also found out that I'm allergic to nickel. *le sigh* Oh well.

But yeah, my daughter isn't getting her ears pierced until she can tell me that she wants them pierced. She's seen the holes in my ears, and she thinks my ears have been hurt so I don't think she understands the concept yet.

[the_std]

In the tone of this thread, here is an article about ridiculous baby products and, if you go to the second page, voila. Baby tattoos.

[AFPheonix]

You have to be 18 in order to get a tattoo in Oregon regardless of parental consent. I suspect other states may have similar statutes as well.

Having said that, home scratchers are still complete idiots and do occasionally disregard laws that keep kids from getting tattooed, even if they don't want them.

[Rubystars]

I did see a child with a genuine tattoo once on the back of his neck. He looked like he was around 11 or 12 years old. I think his family was from Mexico, so the laws might be different there.

[lovlybones]

here is a situation where a kid was forced to get a tatoo...and the parent will face charges for it

Police in Fresno, Calif., said April 22 they were searching for Enrique Gonzalez. He is accused of holding down his 7-year-old son while another man tattooed a dog paw on the child's belly. The paw is a symbol of the Bulldogs, Fresno's largest street gang. (Aol.com parent criminal cases)

[AFPheonix]

You have to be 18 in order to get a tattoo in Oregon regardless of parental consent. I suspect other states may have similar statutes as well.

Having said that, home scratchers are still complete idiots and do occasionally disregard laws that keep kids from getting tattooed, even if they don't want them.

here is a situation where a kid was forced to get a tatoo...and the parent will face charges for it

Police in Fresno, Calif., said April 22 they were searching for Enrique Gonzalez. He is accused of holding down his 7-year-old son while another man tattooed a dog paw on the child's belly. The paw is a symbol of the Bulldogs, Fresno's largest street gang. (Aol.com parent criminal cases)

Already posted about that.

[lovlybones]

ehh....so sorry

[anriana]

But this thread can still go on. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if people did do it. But the issue still involves piercings with young kids and we know it happens. We've seen it happens. I know people who had their ears pierced when they were only a month old.

That's different; it's so everyone will know the genderless blob is FEMALE and treat it accordingly.

[Lady_Foxfire]

I don't have a problem with having your baby's ears pierced, even though I wouldn't do it myself. Ear piercings are overwhelmingly common, relatively painless, uncontroversial (for the most part), can be adjusted easily to match the person's style (when they get old enough to have their own style), and can be allowed to heal over if the person doesn't want pierced ears.

Tattoos are none of these things.

[AdminAssistant]

That's different; it's so everyone will know the genderless blob is FEMALE and treat it accordingly.

Then tape a pink bow on her head and put her in a pink frilly dress. That should remove all doubt.

[BroomJockey]

Then tape a pink bow

I dunno what kind of tape you use, but in my experience, it comes in two types:

1) Won't stick to skin for more than 5 minutes.
2) removes skin when taken off.

Which is why I vote for staples

[Flyndaran]

I don't have a problem with having your baby's ears pierced, even though I wouldn't do it myself. Ear piercings are overwhelmingly common, relatively painless, uncontroversial (for the most part), can be adjusted easily to match the person's style (when they get old enough to have their own style), and can be allowed to heal over if the person doesn't want pierced ears.
...

I just have a problem with punching holes in children. Call me a radical.

[anriana]

I don't have a problem with having your baby's ears pierced, even though I wouldn't do it myself. Ear piercings are overwhelmingly common, relatively painless, uncontroversial (for the most part), can be adjusted easily to match the person's style (when they get old enough to have their own style), and can be allowed to heal over if the person doesn't want pierced ears.

Tattoos are none of these things.

Maybe earring holes scar over if you remove them within a certain timeframe. I had my lobes pierced as an infant then added one more at 13 and one at 16. When I stopped wearing earrings from ~17-19, the holes I got at 13 and 16 closed up completely but were still visible at a distance. The ones I got as an infant never closed up (when I started wearing earrings again they slid right in) and were just as visible the entire time.