Tongue piercing deal

[Whistlin'Dixie]

Thanks all, I appreciate the input! I think I'll probably take her up on it.
She's a smart kid, and for the most part has her head on straight. She
knows that when I make a deal I stick to it, so if she doesn't make the
grade she won't press the issue. I've found that if I am fair, open minded
and consistent, she is much more likely to share her inner thoughts and
experiences with me. This gives me more insight into things that could
become real problems for her, and makes her more likely to listen to
my objections on the important things in life. I guess the real crux is
determining what those important things really are.

Turtle

I like your comments.
I have 4 sons, one 22, the rest teens.
I have used your rationale with all of them, and find it works well, even though each one is very different from their brothers.
My eldest came home from college with a pierced tongue.
So what?
He no longer wears the stud, (broke up with that particular girl friend) and is none the worse for wear.
He doesn't have a tattoo, but what if he did?
I have had a tattoo since I was a 20-something ~ at least it is in a place covered by clothing, and no I have never regretted the tattoo, in fact I have always liked it. In the realm of things, a piercing is much more benign, take out the stud and it's gone. What about a tattoo? I have seen elderly women (pt's of mine) with tattoos on their wrinkly arms, etc. and no it is not attractive even if it once was when they were young. Tat ink discolors, your skin ages, and no, you are not likely to go through the expense and time involved in having it removed.
(Sorry for the little rant, I am very tired of seeing highly visible, unattractive tattoos on young people who will likely be entirely different individuals with entirely different lifestyles 20 years from now. )
So if all your daughter wants is a tongue piercing and is willing to discuss it with you, and study hard into the bargain, then I think your decision is a good one.
M

edited to say that despite my feelings about tattoos, my sons have the right to have tattoos too. Their opinions don't have to be the same as mine.

[Joseph E. Smith]

Tatoos and piercings are all fine and good... even better when the individual getting them are mature enough to decide to get 'em and maintain 'em properly. That age could be 10, or it could be 65+.

But while a child is in the care of their parents or guardians, they ought to abide the by the rules set down for them... and parents ought to stick to their guns, enforce these rules and not give in... what kind of message does that send to the kid?

[jbarter]

Hmm.....I wonder what Amar was rebelling against.

[Tyler]

Hmm.....I wonder what Amar was rebelling against.

I think he saw too many red kitties, and decided the world needed a pink kitty!

[Turtle]

Tatoos and piercings are all fine and good... even better when the individual getting them are mature enough to decide to get 'em and maintain 'em properly. That age could be 10, or it could be 65+.

But while a child is in the care of their parents or guardians, they ought to abide the by the rules set down for them... and parents ought to stick to their guns, enforce these rules and not give in... what kind of message does that send to the kid?

I agree, if a rule has been established then it should not be compromised,
however, this was a new situation and therefore open for discussion.

[Whistlin'Dixie]

Tatoos and piercings are all fine and good... even better when the individual getting them are mature enough to decide to get 'em and maintain 'em properly. That age could be 10, or it could be 65+.

But while a child is in the care of their parents or guardians, they ought to abide the by the rules set down for them... and parents ought to stick to their guns, enforce these rules and not give in... what kind of message does that send to the kid?

I agree, if a rule has been established then it should not be compromised,
however, this was a new situation and therefore open for discussion.

And it sounds like the discussion was reasonable.

M

[Tony]

Nearly everyone I've seen/heard with a tounge piercing has a pronounced lisp from it.

[Tyler]

Nearly everyone I've seen/heard with a tounge piercing has a pronounced lisp from it.

All you have to do is learn to talk with it in....
it's not hard.

[Wanderer]

If prisoners were given tongue piercings when they were incarcerated, we'd call it cruel and unusual punishment.

I'm just puzzled by this, and it's been nagging at me since I read it. The implication seems to be "piercings are bad..after all we wouldn't force prisoners to do it". I don't mind people having an opinion that tattoos or piercings are good or bad...that's their perogative. I just don't see how the prisoner argument logically follows.

Many things people choose to do things that would be considered "cruel and unusual" if people were forced to do them. Tattoos, if forced on a prisoner by the state, would likely qualify. Yet, there's no doubt that many (if not most) prisoners choose to get tattoos done by their fellow inmates.

Tattoos are clearly "seedy" to some people, though, and thus a bad example. So consider this: Bungee jumping...can you imagine the outcry if we tied small-time burglars to a harness, and threw them off of a bridge as punishment, and a certain percentage died every year because of the practice? And yet, people pay good money to do this in the civilian world. Skydiving? Same thing. I can imagine the judge: "Traffic ticket, eh? ok..give the man a parachute, and throw him out at 25,000 feet." Thrill rides at a theme park? Same thing: "Shoplifter eh..ok, into the Barrel of Monkeys...3 minutes at 3 Gs rotation..that'll learn ya." Each of these scenarios would likely raise a huge stink if forced upon prisoners, and yet most people would not consider skydiving, bungee jumping, or thrill rides inherently bad (dumb maybe...but that's a different argument).

I just can't see the logic of the comparison.

[Tyler]

If prisoners were given tongue piercings when they were incarcerated, we'd call it cruel and unusual punishment.

I'm just puzzled by this, and it's been nagging at me since I read it. The implication seems to be "piercings are bad..after all we wouldn't force prisoners to do it". I don't mind people having an opinion that tattoos or piercings are good or bad...that's their perogative. I just don't see how the prisoner argument logically follows.

Many things people choose to do things that would be considered "cruel and unusual" if people were forced to do them. Tattoos, if forced on a prisoner by the state, would likely qualify. Yet, there's no doubt that many (if not most) prisoners choose to get tattoos done by their fellow inmates.

Tattoos are clearly "seedy" to some people, though, and thus a bad example. So consider this: Bungee jumping...can you imagine the outcry if we tied small-time burglars to a harness, and threw them off of a bridge as punishment, and a certain percentage died every year because of the practice? And yet, people pay good money to do this in the civilian world. Skydiving? Same thing. I can imagine the judge: "Traffic ticket, eh? ok..give the man a parachute, and throw him out at 25,000 feet." Thrill rides at a theme park? Same thing: "Shoplifter eh..ok, into the Barrel of Monkeys...3 minutes at 3 Gs rotation..that'll learn ya." Each of these scenarios would likely raise a huge stink if forced upon prisoners, and yet most people would not consider skydiving, bungee jumping, or thrill rides inherently bad (dumb maybe...but that's a different argument).

I just can't see the logic of the comparison.

When I worked at the prison, I knew tons of inmates that would line up for free piercings!

[TomB]

My rule of thumb is that if I want a tattoo, I have to choose a design one year in advance. If I still want it, then I probably will always want it.

I can't think of a single design I might have wanted at 20 that I would still want at 50.

This very thought crossed my mind yesterday as I saw a woman with some very fresh tattos. There's lots of body art I can appreciate, but it's hard to imagine anyone's taste staying that fixed. I guess we'll get to find out.

As a general observation, tattos and piercings aren't for me (he said a littel whistfully) but I imagine they are mostly healthy. We don't have kids so it's not something I've had to deal with personally. The kids I find a little creepy are the ones who become totally immersed in the 60s - tie-die lovers listening to the Beatles. It seems you're not really rebelling if you're living out your parents or grandparents youth.

I'm 51 and thinking about getting a tatto0, but I'm worried that I might not still want it when I'm 90

[Tyler]

No regrets Tom, just do it!
In fact, maybe you could get a tatoo of a Mad Magazine Fold-in so that when your skin is wrinkled and loose enough you can fold it under to reveal a whole new tatoo!

[TomB]

No regrets Tom, just do it!
In fact, maybe you could get a tatoo of a Mad Magazine Fold-in so that when your skin is wrinkled and loose enough you can fold it under to reveal a whole new tatoo!

I used to love Mad Magazine.

If I got a tattoo, it would be of Kokopelli