In Your Face
My son started playing basketball this week through a parks and rec program. So far, after three practices, he's loving it. His coaches are very knowledgeable about the sport and extremely patient while teaching ten antsy second graders. The coaches are also pierced. A lot. All over the place.
I don't get body piercings. Okay, I can see the appeal of dangling shiny objects from your ears... But nose and eyebrow rings confound me, while tongue studs and lip rings just downright scare me. I don't even want to know about piercings further south.
My son asked me why someone would want to poke holes in their face and I didn't have an answer for him except "It's just something some people like to do when they're older." That didn't satisfy him because it isn't really an answer. To be honest, I have no idea why a person would want to walk around with a steel spike in their tongue.
I won't allow my children to pierce anything on their body until they're 18 years old. By then I hope they're smart enough to either not do it or to at least give me a good answer as to why.
I don't get body piercings. Okay, I can see the appeal of dangling shiny objects from your ears... But nose and eyebrow rings confound me, while tongue studs and lip rings just downright scare me. I don't even want to know about piercings further south.
My son asked me why someone would want to poke holes in their face and I didn't have an answer for him except "It's just something some people like to do when they're older." That didn't satisfy him because it isn't really an answer. To be honest, I have no idea why a person would want to walk around with a steel spike in their tongue.
I won't allow my children to pierce anything on their body until they're 18 years old. By then I hope they're smart enough to either not do it or to at least give me a good answer as to why.
Permalink posted by Idaho Dad at 1:28 AM
17 Comments:
I think it's just one of those things we'll never understand and just have to accept...
As a guy, a vast majority of what I've done can be explained by 'just because'.
As a father, that excuse doesn't cover holes in my son's face. Okay, fine. I pierced my ear in college. But that's it!
I try to be understanding as a person, but I'm with Phil on this one. No facial or body piercings on my beautiful kids until they're 18, but preferably never.
That excludes the two earings my wife snuck onto Lael's ears. Seth will have to wait until he's 18 if he wants his ears pierced.
Btw, we were at a restaurant recently where a few teens looked like they had been attacked by a 60-unit hole punch. I'm just glad Seth didn't ask about them. But he will, soon.
I'm equally strict about tattoos, which bug me to no end. I just don't understand why people don't use erasable ink.
Oh yeah, my son's coaches have tattoos too. Forgot about that for all the metal things sticking out of their face.
This is a good opportunity to teach my kids about not judging a book by its cover. I had seen one of these coaches, the mom, at our local school during pick-up time and had always thought her to be rather bizarre-looking. Not only is she heavily pierced, but she also has dreadlocks. But after a few basketball practices I have learned that she's a patient and smart woman, something I never would have guessed by her outward appearance.
I don't know if this will work as an answer but you could tell your son that people like to express themselves in different ways (such as tatoo's and piercings) you could use wearing a hat as a comparison. Some people like to wear hats, some don't, some people like to wear funny straw hats while some people prefer baseball caps and others prefer knit hats. Some people just think it's cool or fun or makes them unique (if they understand the concept of unique) to have piercings.
I think it is a way of kids rebelling and breaking away; the more they can horrify us, the better...I hate the colored hair, but, at least, that isn't permanent. I can't imagine how one eats with a tongue piercing or endures a cold with a nose piercing. I am glad the worst thing kids did when mine went to school was having to have designer jeans and nikes. I hate these baggy clothes too. Used to be, the tighter the better.
You need to find a way to express your feelings about body piercing through your description of it. Just saying it's something that older people do is way to open-ended.
I can think of three or four ways that are non-judgemental but still get across the idea that perhaps it's not the thing that you would recommend.
I try not to judge a book by its cover.
My parents let me get my left ear pierce in 4th grade.
I wore it for a year and haven't worn it since. Every so often I'll throw in something for a laugh, like some huge girly earring of Kat's. That also helps to keep it open a bit so it doesn't close all the way and I end up going through skin - ouch!
Nevertheless, getting pierced for some people is just a look. For others, the pain is gratifying (that happens with me and tattoos).
For others - they don't have a reason.
I also don't think they should have to have one.
Well said Sam. I'll allow my kids to get their ears pierced (boy or girl) but as for tattoos and other piercings they'll have to wait until 18 because I want them mature enough to make decisions about their bodies (although 18 usually isn't mature enough either.)
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hahah. . .
you guys make me laugh. what is the deal about piercings? tattoos? i don't know. i like 'em. i'm pierced and tattooed. i want to get my trages pierced (both of them)and a labret piercing. also, i am looking at a new tattoo for the upper middle of my back. there is (imho) a time where it becomes too much. i agree.
my daughter has her ears pierced and i want my other one to have hers done too, but she is still too young. my son, well, i want him to make the decision on if he wants to or not.
Granati,
What's trages?
I should clarify that I treat anyone with tattoos and piercings equal to anyone else. Once my kids are of age, they can do what they want.
More or less. That's a joke folks!
bre...
it's the cartilage that is in front of the opening to your ear canal. it's what you have to move when you are cleaning out your ears (hahah).
whoops. spelled it wrong. tragus
click on that and it should take you to an image of a tragus piercing...
I'm only 21, but I don't understand it either. I do have 4 piercings, 2 in each ear. I know some people may have a problem with more than 1 piercing in each ear, but to me it doesn't look tacky or stupid. This is it though, no more in the ears, or anywhere else.
I had almost forgotten about my "year with a navel ring" until I read this post. I'm not entirely sure why I got it, but I think maybe a guy I liked might have said something about them looking cool. Yeah, pretty stupid, but I was young and thought why not. I ended up taking it out within a year because it was always red and irritated, despite the special care I gave to it many times a day. So instead of looking "cool" it looked pretty sore and painful and I didn't end up attracting the sort of attention I wanted. And since having two kids I've got a permanent divet there to remind me of the whole, silly thing.
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