Life’s Funny Sometimes . . .
Posted: Friday, May 28, 2010
by Brianna Popsickle
Remember me? Brianna Popsicke. I'm the woman who wrote How to Talk Your Teenager Out of Getting a Tattoo. Just because my advice didn't work for me, didn't mean it couldn't work for you.
I'll come clean. My son actually had two tattoos at the time I wrote the article. Just after it was published, he informed his father and I, via email, that he had another. The subject line read: To you and dad, from your loving son,' our first clue something was up.
You might wonder why a nineteen-year old would care if he made us happy. Well that's just the kind of guy he is. He cares what we think, he just doesn't always agree.
His first tattoo was a reflection of his love of art. His talent as an artist was undeniable from the time he could hold a pencil. It took a little persuading, but we gave him our blessing. The second tattoo was a reflection of his love for music. He's a wicked guitar player and can pound out any song on the piano. This time it took a little more persuasion, especially with his father.
The third tattoo he designed himself. He explained since his dad and I, and his sister, have been the most influential people in his life, he wanted a tattoo that represented each of our best traits. He had it placed on his forearm where he'd be reminded of his sister's strength, my compassion, and his father's drive. He said no matter how many miles apart we might be the tattoo would keep us close.
How can you argue with that? Who would want to?
I grew up the norm', if there is such a thing, in the typical Leave it to Beaver household. As a teen, I never considered smoking, drinking or heaven forbid, a tattoo. The youngest of three sisters, we each got jobs, married, bought a house, had a family and are living happily ever after, well, somewhat.
Do I expect my children to follow that so-called normal' predictable path?
No. Not if it isn't what they want to do with their life, key words being their life'. I want them to follow their passions, and if that means taking a risk or straying from the norm', so be it.
I had to remind myself of that the other day, when my son announced he'd been accepted into an apprenticeship program at, you guessed it, a tattoo parlour. The news didn't shock me, but the cost did. He has to pay them, work for free, and purchase his own equipment. Summers were usually spent earning money for university. He's going into his third year of an Art History degree.
When my husband and I expressed our concerns, he explained he'd spoken to the manager at the store where he'd worked the past three summers, and arranged to work evening shifts so he could apprentice during the day. He'd been responsible enough to cover the bases, so he had our support.
I'll be honest, when I think of tattoo parlours I think of long-haired, heavily tattooed men working in a seedy environment with the occasional drug deal going down. My son doesn't fit that mold. He's squeaky clean, preppy almost, dead set against smoking anything, and drinks very little. But he happens to be an amazing, crazy talented artist, who is fascinated at the thought of having his art permanently inked on people.
He's already in week three of his apprenticeship, reading all he can on tattooing procedures, cleaning, (it's an absolute sterile environment), sketching tattoos and observing other artists. He's come home with some interesting stories; like the forty-year old woman who came in to have her nipple rings redone, and the teenage girl whose tongue was severely infected from a tongue ring she got elsewhere. (Thank goodness piercing is not his thing.) It's been an education for all of us and it just keeps getting better.
He came home the other day saying, "I found out I get benefits with this job!"
Our ears perked up.
"My boss says I can get any tattoo I want for free. I could get tattooed from head to toe if I wanted!"
Life's funny sometimes isn't it? I must be getting old, but when I think of benefits' I still think dental, medical maybe.
I'm happy to say my son's assured us he's not interested in any additional tattoos . . . at the moment.
I must admit, I've become more aware of tattoos especially at the gym. It's led to discussions with terrific people I may never have approached, had my son not become interested in tattooing. I've come to appreciate it as an art form, and if the right tattoo is placed in just the right spot, on the right person, it can actually be pretty hot.
As for my preconceived notion of what a tattoo parlour looks like and the artists within, I've had my eyes opened. Although my son's boss has hair to his waist, is fully tattooed, and goes by the name Wolf, he's the nicest family guy you could meet. A reminder to practice what we preach; never judge a book by it's cover, lesson learned.
I'm proud and impressed my son's following his passion while finishing his degree and keeping his options open. He's developing his God given talent, what could be wrong with that?
I'm confident he'll continue to make decisions that are right for him, just as I've made a decision recently that I think is right for me. I'm going to be his first client. Why not? After all I am his biggest fan!
Now all I have to decide is what tiny tattoo to get, and where. Oh, and how to break it to my eighty-year old parents. I may not be a kid anymore, but like my son, I care what my parents think, I just don't always agree . . .
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Top-level comments on this article: (7 total)This article has left me feeling very warm and happy, Brianna. You're a really great mother, it's wonderful that you can let your son be in the way that you do.I love your punch line!Honestly Jennifer, my children have been easy on me, but thank you, I'll take the compliment! :) I'm glad you enjoyed reading it!
brainna,i wish news-writers wrote with the same clarity as you do! we would all be better informed.i had discussions w/ my students about careers. when i asked why they wanted to become filmakers they answered, 'to become rich and famous'. i don't know about the famous part but i told them if they wanted to be rich, go into 'tattoo removal'.-that's where the money will be in the future!Funny you should say that Bing. My husband suggested my daughter go into the tattoo removal business and keep it all in the family. She wasn't too keen on the idea though. :) Thanks for reading!
brianna, sorry i didn't log on for above-bing
What a cool mom you are, Brianna! I'm sure there are many, many parents who would not be able to see this as you do. I applaud you! Thanks for sharing.Thanks Joyce! I've never thought of myself as cool. Cool wannabe maybe. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Grrrrrreat! Brianna- You have that spark in you that makes you different- in an interesting and delightful way- You have a touch of the rebel- looks like your son inherited that- Lots of luck with the TAT- Always- EllaThank you Ella. The rebel in me seems to be surfacing more these days as I slowly emerge from my suburban prison. :)
I don't understand why parents are so against their childeren getting tatto's. My mother tried very hard to talk me out of my first but as long as it is in good taste I don't see the issueI think parents see how others judge people and realize that right or wrong, their child could be labeled or treated unfairly for something as simple as having a tattoo. Also, parents know that decisions we make when we're young may be ones we regret later, and for the most part tattoos are permanent. I'm sure your mother had your best interest at heart when she tried to talk you out of it. Was she okay with it once you had it? I agree with you in that I don't have a problem with them if they are in good taste. The problem? Everyone's taste is different. But in the end what it comes down to really is we shouldn't judge others. Like I said in my article, Wolf wasn't the nicest famiy guy, and based strictly on appearance it's not what you would imagine. Thanks for reading and commenting Adrian, I appreciate it!
Love it. I was in the same position with my daughter, gifted, intelligent and seriously responsible. The shock horror of tounge peirecing came, I would not relent, then belly peircing, I relented, nearly passed out watching it, but had to agree it looked pretty, and then came the tattoo. Art it is, it is roses and vines from hers ribs to her waist, Just the one, in the right place, is beautiful. I tried to suggest I might have one and was scolded as though I was the child and my daughter was the parent. Sometime, we just can't win.!!. . . and sometimes even when we win, we lose! Isn't it funny when they turn the tables on you and make you feel like the child? Thanks for reading and commenting Jill. And thank you for joining my fan club, I appreciate it!
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