Today, it has become popular among teenagers to decorate their bodies with tattoos and piercings. And sometimes it becomes an obsession. Many parents When they hear about their child’s desire, they panic. What to do, how to dissuade a teenager from this idea? Today we will talk about how parents should react to this, and how to try to dissuade their child from spoiling his body.

If you find out that your child is going to inflict tattoo or piercing an eyebrow, nose or navel, do not show surprise or anger. Ultimately, this body does not belong to you. A teenager can decide for himself how to improve. However, he must remember reasonable limits.

Possibly a change image It helps the child develop independence and a sense of responsibility for their actions.

Information attack.

If your child stubbornly insists that he needs this change, you can provide him with the following information:

• piercing, like a tattoo, can “grow” over time. This happens as a result of the fact that the skin tends to stretch with age. The image may be deformed to such an extent that it will be unclear what was originally drawn. A beautiful flower on your shoulder can turn into a real monster;
• punctures made in the tongue, navel, nipples, and also on the genitals take a very long time to heal, and if not properly cared for, the wound can get infection, as a result of which dangerous inflammatory processes are possible. The safest places for punctures are the earlobe and nostril;
• if the piercing was done in a good salon and with a thin needle, then in the future after removing the earring, the puncture may heal. However, in most cases it remains hole;
• tattoos and piercings done outside of professional salons can fester, leaving behind terrible scars for life;
• a tattoo requires a permanent care: do not injure the skin at the site where the image is applied, or sunbathe without using cream;
• When getting a tattoo or piercing, in most cases no painkillers are used, so the teenager will feel pain;
• There is only one way to remove a tattoo: cutting off a layer of skin. Of course, after this a scar will form. And some colors cannot be removed at all.

Try to cheat.

You can suggest the teenager do it first body art. Although the child may like it and begin begging for a tattoo with renewed vigor.

Original hairstyle Can also replace piercings or tattoos. Give your daughter red curls and give your son dreadlocks. Perhaps after such a change in style they will forget about their ideas.

Another option is to say that there is no money for a tattoo or piercing yet, so you need to wait. Maybe while you are collecting the required amount, the teenager will already “get over it” and will not want to spoil his body.

But if a teenager does not agree with your opinion in any way, do not leave him alone with his desire. Better go to the salon together and watch the work masters. Ask for a small image and in an inconspicuous place. The main thing is that the master is a professional and uses high-quality paint and disposable tools.

American writer Erma Bombeck once said that children especially need the love of their parents precisely when they do not deserve it. So, the child got a tattoo secretly from you, which led you to a state of aesthetic shock and not only aesthetic! You are terrified and confused. How to react? What to do? After all, a tattoo is for life! What happened to the sweet, affectionate, obedient child?

Nothing special, the child has grown up, and according to psychologists, all teenagers strive for self-expression. And very often this self-expression manifests itself in rather bizarre forms. Your child chose a tattoo, be glad that he did not pierce his tongue, nose or eyebrows. Well, but seriously? How to behave in this case, what do child psychologists advise parents?

Advice from Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, psychologist A.V. Leontyev

• Firstly, parents should not become hysterical and drink liters of valerian.
• There is no need to give meaningless arguments like: “This is for life!”, “A tattoo is a nightmare in old age!”, “Hepatitis is guaranteed for you!” etc. The matter has already been done. Therefore, you need to react calmly. In this case, it’s a good idea to think about the topic: “What did you miss, where did you “pass on”? Why did your child get a tattoo without consulting you? And if he was advised, then why couldn’t you convey your point of view to him? Why did the child move away from you?
• Screaming and swearing are pointless. Such a violent reaction can further alienate the teenager from you. Age is really difficult and there is no point in aggravating the situation.
• Try to find a compromise. Agree with your child that this is the first and last tattoo and until a certain age he will no longer “decorate” his body. In the meantime, you can tell your teenager how to care for a tattoo.

Child psychologist Elena Mitrokhina

Some parents consider tattooing to be an ultra-modern fashion trend, while others are sure that tattoos are a mark of criminals. I would like to immediately note that the art of applying drawings to the body (tattoo) is more than 4000 years old. At least, scientists claim that the age of the mummies found in Egypt, for which there are traces of tattoos, is exactly that much.

Tattoos have served a variety of functions throughout their existence. In each country, painting on the body had its own meaning. For example: in Japan, a tattoo reflected a person’s position in the family, in Ancient Rome - the rank and unit in which a soldier served, in Central Europe a tattoo (in the form of a hexagon) was given to sharpers, in Russia - slaves and convicts were branded. Maybe this is why most parents in our country have such a negative reaction to tattoos. In the West, such “pranks” of a teenager are treated much more calmly.

What can we say, but in recent years the tattoo industry has been developing at a truly unprecedented pace. Of course, tattoos are one of the ways of self-expression. The teenager thus tries to identify his inner self.

I don’t know whether this will reassure parents whose child has a tattoo on their body, but I can’t help but say that most often tattoos are done by people with great ambitions. Among the owners of this unique decoration there are many creative and talented people.

American psychologist K. Machover

If the tattoo has already been applied, then parents can only try to understand what their child wanted to convey to society. Psychologist K. Machover, having analyzed the personalities of the individuals and the nature of the drawings they chose, came to the following conclusions:

• A tattoo depicting a face speaks of preoccupation with one’s appearance and relationships with other people.
• Running man - the owner of such a tattoo has a desire to run away or hide from something or someone.
• A walking person expresses confidence, conviction in something.
• Dragons - the desire to stand out from the crowd
• Aggressive tattoos – complexes, lack of self-confidence and strength, spiritual and psychological weakness.

This theory is quite controversial; many psychologists fundamentally disagree with it. But K. Machover emphasizes that not only the drawing itself plays an important role in diagnosis, but also the place chosen by the person to place the tattoo. On the Internet, parents who are interested in this theory will be able to find a more detailed description of the findings of an American psychologist about how a person’s character and his personality can be recognized by a tattoo.

Psychologist, Candidate of Sciences Solovyova E.V.

There is no doubt that it is quite difficult to control the lives of teenagers. Therefore, the situation with tattoos is quite common. What should parents do if a tattoo already “decorates” their child’s body?

• Carefully examine the drawing, ask the teenager what this tattoo means?
• You need to speak calmly. If during a conversation the child flares up and goes into another room, you should not be offended and get into a “pose.” You need to wait half an hour and continue the conversation.
• Try to explain to the teenager the reason why he reacts so violently to everything and commits rash acts. Talk about the hormonal changes that occur in his body.
• In adolescence, children are very sensitive to the shortcomings of their appearance. Even those that are visible only to them. Therefore, parents should draw the teenager’s attention to his attractive features and try to convey to him the idea that there are no people without shortcomings.
• If the conversation did not work out, but only aggravated the conflict, you should seek help from a professional child psychologist.

How to dissuade a child from getting a tattoo, what arguments can convince him?

1. Your child thinks that a tattoo is very “fashionable” and “stylish”. They adorn the entire body of his idol. And he (she) dreams of being like him (her). In this case, it won’t hurt to remind the child that quite recently striped trousers were in fashion, which he laughs at now. You can throw away your trousers, but you will have to “wear” the tattoo for the rest of your life. Fashion will go away, but the tattoo will remain.
2. Being like everyone else or mindlessly imitating your idol is stupid. A person is only a person who has individuality. Fashion is a capricious lady. And she ridicules everything that is not fashionable now. In ten to twenty years, a tattoo will become a reason for ridicule. By the way, there are already a lot of methods for removing tattoos. All of them are not cheap and not painless. So is it worth enduring the pain of drawing a picture, and then spending money and nerve cells to remove it? You can be “cool” without body art.
3. Ask your child what kind of design he wants to apply? Infinity sign, Yang or Yin, crown, owl, dragon? But this is completely unoriginal! Not only that, it's tasteless! Try to convince your child that such tattoos will not give him “individuality.” And in the future they may even interfere with career growth.
4. You can try to influence the teenager and, on the other hand, talk about possible medical problems. These arguments (especially for girls) often become decisive. Remind your child that AIDS, hepatitis, and allergic reactions to low-quality ink have not been canceled. In any salon where tattooing is done, there is an impressive list of contraindications under which this procedure is not recommended.
5. Among other things, a tattoo requires not only careful care, but also periodic updating. Otherwise, the drawing will very quickly lose its attractiveness. Voice over to your child a picture when, at the age of 60-70, he goes to a tattoo parlor to correct the drawing of a dragon or a kitten’s face, which has turned into the “face” of an incomprehensible creature. Laugh together. Humor is a unique tool that helps reduce even teenage aggression.
6. You can try to find a compromise and agree with the teenager that he will first get a temporary tattoo. A temporary “tattoo” can be made even at home using transfer drawings. By the way, today there are temporary colored and even metal tattoos on sale. Some sets include really good drawings, created by well-known artists. A stylish “pseudo tattoo” is a great option for teenagers, because they look like the real thing. Such designs can be applied and removed without any problems. Temporary tattoos are an ideal way for a kind of testing. Perhaps, by showing your friends and loved ones the tattoo and wearing this “decoration” for a while, your child will calm down and forget about the tattoo forever.

Most modern parents understand the problem of adolescence and try to minimize its symptoms. Believe it or not, they can do it! Somehow they keep differences with their teenage child to a minimum. Do you also want to be among the “advanced”? Then this article is for you! Today we will talk about how to find a common language with a teenager, how to rid him of constant laziness, how to avoid smoking and how to dissuade a child from getting a tattoo.

So, how to solve the most common problems with a teenage child?

If you hear the words “I don’t want”, “I won’t” from your child more often than any others, if he does only what he considers necessary, then you should learn to communicate with him correctly!

In order for your child to comply with your request, create a situation where he cannot do otherwise. For example, you want him to heat up food and eat, but the teenager refuses. Don't start a fight! There is no need to run, pour a full plate and place it in front of the computer, just so that the child eats. Just wait. Whether a couple of minutes or several hours will pass, it doesn’t matter. But the child will feel hungry, remember your words and eat himself, and there will be peace and quiet in the house.

If a teenager asks you to do something, not because he himself cannot, but because he does not want to, do not give in to provocations. Show that you are very tired or have a lot to do. This technique will work more effectively than notations!

Are you worried that your child will follow the example of his older friends and start smoking? Be careful! It is very important for you not to miss this educational moment and save your child from a bad habit.

It’s quite easy to notice that a teenager has started smoking – the smell will give it away. In some cases, children are inattentive and leave cigarettes or lighters in their pockets. Don't even think about checking them! Act wiser. Arrange a shared weekend with your child, for example, an outing to the country. If during the day he looks for reasons to leave your sight and runs away under any pretext, then, unfortunately, there really is a problem.

It is absolutely impossible to fight teenage smoking using prohibitions! Understand that behind the child’s need to smoke lies a desire to feel like an adult. Help him find another way to assert himself, and the problem will disappear by itself. But first, honestly admit that you heard the smell and know that he is smoking.

Please note that if a mother or father smokes in the family, then explaining to the child all the negative consequences of this habit is stupid. It’s better to invite him to quit smoking together. Lead by example.

The second option is for a non-smoking family. Let your child smoke. Give him money for cigarettes. But at the same time, throw the same amount into the piggy bank every day. After a month, take out the money and offer your child to buy something with it. Just give him a choice: money for a gift or for cigarettes. What does he want more, buy the desired item or smoke for another month? At the same time, be sure to drop the phrase “you now have to make an adult choice.”

The third option is the most effective. A teenage girl who smokes should be taken to a good beauty salon, where a professional cosmetologist, a complete stranger, will tell her how smoking affects her face, hair and hands.

It’s better to go to sports competitions with your son. Let him see for himself whether truly successful and mature men smoke? Or do these people have a completely different lifestyle? It is very important not to impose your own opinion. The teenager must make the decision himself.

Does your child want a tattoo? Solving this problem is very simple. The main thing is, don’t start dissuading him. Offer to look at the sketches together. Tell him a fascinating story about how you once wanted to get a tattoo yourself, but then a terrible thing happened!...

For example, you once saw a beautiful woman on the beach who had some strange mark on her side. It turns out that she got a tattoo when she was a teenager, and as she grew up, the design stretched out. Let's say this didn't scare you too much. But then something worse happened! You saw how unfortunate a tattoo made at an early age looked on the neck of an elderly woman! And you didn't want to.

Invite your child to look at photos of people with bad tattoos. Tell him how glad you are that you didn’t make such a mistake when you were young. Emphasize that it is better to get a tattoo after growth has stopped. Faced with your understanding and not your condemnation, the child will probably agree to wait. Over time, he will outgrow this desire.

Whatever happens, stop arguing with your child! Yes, you are parents. Yes, you are older and wiser. Yes, adolescence is difficult. But remember yourself in these years! Do you think you were good at being a good girl? You are wrong! Not a single family has been able to avoid conflicts with teenagers. Believe me, a little effort and patience on your part will not only get rid of quarrels and save nerve cells, but will also help you become a close friend to your child.

A teenager really wants to be the most fashionable! © Shutterstock

Often the desire to decorate oneself with tattoos and piercings for a teenager becomes a real obsession. The parents are simply shocked. No one knows where to run or what to do. And the moment of applying the desired drawing by your dearest child is getting closer.

If you find out that your son or daughter has decided to get a piercing or tattoo, don't show surprise and certainly don't get angry. After all, it is his body and he has the right to improve it as he pleases. Within reasonable limits, of course.

Or maybe a change of image will instill in a teenager independence and a sense of responsibility for his actions, who knows.

Discouraging a teenager from piercings and tattoos: information attack

There is something your stubborn person who has decided to embellish himself needs to know. Namely:

Piercings, like tattoos, tend to “grow” when the skin stretches with age. The drawing can be deformed beyond recognition, and the charming girl on your shoulder will turn into a real witch;

Punctures in the tongue, navel, nipples and genitals take a long time to heal; the safest places are the earlobe and nostril;

If the piercing is done with a thin needle in a salon, then in adulthood, if you remove the needle, the puncture site will heal. If, of course, you are very lucky;

Tattoos and piercings, especially those made by non-professionals, often fester, and the scars remain forever. To be convincing, you can show a photo;

You must constantly monitor your tattoo: you cannot sunbathe without cream and it is very undesirable to injure the skin;

When applying a tattoo and when piercing, they can cause an infection even in the salon, and it will also be very painful, because, as a rule, pain relief is not given for such procedures;

You can remove a tattoo by cutting off a layer of skin, which will leave a scar, and some colors are not removed at all and remain forever.

We use cunning if a teenager wants a piercing or tattoo

Although, of course, there is a danger that the child will like to walk around painted and will insist even more actively on getting a tattoo.

You can try replacing your piercing or tattoo with an unusual hairstyle.

Perhaps the teenager will agree to dreadlocks or green curls. And then, you see, he will forget about piercings and tattoos.

You can offer the teenager a deferment. Like, let’s get a tattoo or piercing, but in a good salon, and for this we’ll save up some money until our next birthday. Maybe your fashionista will find other ways to express himself during this time.

In any case, do not leave your teenager alone with a burning desire to get a tattoo or piercing.

It’s better to go to a good salon together and first get a small tattoo in a not very noticeable place. Otherwise, you never know what folk craftsmen can pin in a secluded place for a bottle of beer.

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The master is not a psychologist and he cannot (and should not) understand the client’s motives. He's just doing his job, so don't count on him to dissuade, say, a 17-year-old guy who looks like he's in his 20s from getting a thoughtless tattoo.

At a young age, any event seems significant, and you want to perpetuate it. But a tattoo is for life. So parents will have to be psychologists.

He thinks that tattoos are “fashionable” or “cool”. Fashion comes and goes, but our skin remains with us. Remind your teenager that those “ugly” pants that he is now embarrassed to wear were once in fashion.

Saw it from a friend or celebrity. Explain to your child that this idea, in fact, belongs to another person. And you can only be truly “cool” with your own point of view.

In the name of love. Help your teenager declare his love in a humane way: give him two tickets to the theater (although a rock concert would probably be more appropriate). Advise you to write a poem to the object of your love and emphasize that anyone can sit with a tattoo artist, but spending a whole week writing a confession is something few people can handle.

"I just want!" Tell your son or daughter that nothing good will come from “I just want, but I don’t know what” - such a tattoo will quickly get boring. Usually in such cases they make the sign of infinity, yin and yang, clover, crown, owl, inscriptions, and so on - this is not only unoriginal, but terribly tasteless.

“I will become special!” This is what many minors think. Confirm his hopes: “Yes, of course, you will immediately become special: a teacher at the university will see you as a “rebel,” and in the future the employer will prefer someone less “artistic.” What if your girlfriend/boyfriend is not happy with this tattoo?

Health problems. There is a whole list of medical contraindications to getting a tattoo, including skin, blood, systemic diseases, immune problems, and so on. Is your teenager being stubborn? Warn: “Only nurses at the hospital will notice your tattoo, but they are unlikely to be impressed - they haven’t seen anything like that.”

Yes, and as for health: be sure to explain to your child what he can expect in underground salons (and a teenager simply won’t have enough money for a decent one) - the risk of transmitting dangerous diseases through a needle and serious inflammatory processes. And this is all - in addition to ugly cheap drawings made by non-professionals who are used to copying hackneyed motifs.

Be warned that it is very difficult to get rid of a boring “clumsy” tattoo in the future: it is a long and expensive laser removal and, most often, followed by covering it with another design.

So, you have voiced all your reasons to your stubborn child, but your son or daughter still wants at least a “tiny tattoo” - do not rush to swear at the child. Right now he needs your help most.

Invite your child to get a temporary tattoo at a salon, such as with henna. Or even at home with the help of fashionable transferable tattoos. There are high chances that during their testing the desire to get a real tattoo will disappear naturally.

Fashionable alternative: temporary tattoo at home

And most importantly, people of all ages like them. They are very easy to apply (just like transfer stickers) and easy to remove with hand sanitizer, baby oil or wet wipes.

That is why every time you can dream up to your heart’s content and choose the most suitable motif in style, make a bright accent, emphasize a certain cut or element of clothing.