Sunday, June 04, 2006

So I finally gave in...

One of the hardest things about being a parent is deciding which battles are worth fighting and for how long. I'm not going to claim to understand the whole desire behind the need for numerous body piercings, yet I did self-tattoo myself much to the chagrin of my mother when I was 16 so I do remember those rebellion days.

(Note to others who decide to consider the self tattoo route, don't forget when doing a tattoo in a mirror that it will be backward...yes, that was not one of my more bright moments back then)

Anyway on to Erin. Letting her get her ears piereced once, then twice because obviously one set of earrings is not enough was easy yet it started us down the adventure of "where will I let her get pierced next". Her older sister Emily was the first to get her belly button pierced, granted Emily was over 18 at the time so that wasn't my decision. Erin was much younger. I didn't see the burning need especially since few people were going to see it anyway given the school dress code. However she earned the money for it herself so I went along. I also met some interesting people at the tattoo/piercing palor that made me realize there are alot more places a person can be pierced than I ever imagined.

Next came the industrial piercing - which is basically two holes in an ear that has a bar going thru one hole to the other. Don't see why that was crucial and that one she decided after a few months she didn't like. Oh well, it was once again her money since I made a decision early on I wasn't going to pay for any of this stuff. (That I have stuck with.)

The past 7 months have been discussions of both a nose piercing and her tongue being pierced. I was totally against both. Even gave her pages of documentation from the American Dental Society on the tongue piercing. Erin will not be 18 until March. So she cannot get anything done without not only my permission but me actually physically being there to document I am her parent and I consent. I stood firm in my anti-tongue, anti-nose piercing stance. My other daughter Megan who is 17 months older than Erin is 18 and she had her tongue pierced two months ago which apparently increased the desire of Erin's desperate need because life just could not go on without her tongue pierced. The almost daily barrage was getting irritating and I knew she was doing it so that in a moment of frustration I would just say "Oh hell just do it". Okay so yesterday I folded in frustration but only on the tongue with a written contract from her that she will not get her nose pierced or ask me for any other piercings. At least until March I'm done with the whole mess and since Miguel was semi supportive of her, I went and signed the permission paperwork but I made him go in with her to watch it. Today she's complaining that it hurts and her tongue is a bit swollen. Gee...who would have thought that would happen....

:-)

10 comments:

Unknown said...

As you can also tell I went back to this format for comments. Haloscan basic accounts does not save comments indefinitely and was really taking forever to update. Not to mention I missed the email feature of knowing when someone had commented.

:-)

Care of Sweety Technician said...

My wife and I are about to take in a 14-year-old foster child whom my wife has been mentoring for the past four years. We have been trying to prepare for how having her living with us will impact us, and her. You've added yet another dimension to what we'll need to consider (we have no children of our own yet)...

We've cleared the chains that carry the cars to the top of the tracks and face the beginning of a fast and winding coaster (faster and with more turns than we could ever imagine), aren't we?...

Unknown said...

Yes, my friend you are ready for chills and thrills and the wonderful teenage drama that accompanies it all. I've been thru the teenage years four times now still once left to go. Thankfully there are more moments of joy than stress but remember you are going to make mistakes and it's okay to make mistakes. Even with going thru it a few times I still mess up and make a wrong decision now and then. I'm just honest about it and we move on from there. I think its awesome that you and your wife are gonig to do that for her. And if you ever think you are going totally crazy? Just contact me, chances are I'll be able to assure you that you might be crazy but you are not alone.

:-)

Tim said...

I was never much fond of the piercings beyond the classic ear-piercing, but then again, I've always been more personally conservative than my own politics. It just always seemed to me that tatoos and odd piercings were akin to self-mutilation. Still, youth is as youth does... and it never changes.

Unknown said...

Having still the tatto that I did when I was 16, I am even more stringently against those until they are old enough to make their own decision. What may seem "cool" on your body at 16 is a bit different at 30 and piercings at least are most times easier to heal than getting rid of a tattoo.

I agree though Tim, this is one of those things I'm more conservative on too.

:-)

Scott G said...

I had both of my ears double pierced and I have a couple ot tattoos. I haven't worn earrings in a while, but I still like my tats. I actually want more, but others in my house are opposed to that plan

Unknown said...

Scott, you are a grown up though so it's a bit different for you. However...let me guess...Lilly is opposed to tattoo's....

:-)

Scott G said...

She is just opposed to more tattoos.

I suppose I was 18 before my first piercing and 26 before I got my tattoos. Now I just need to get muscular shoulders, well at least the right one, so I can show it off.

Hooda Thunkit (Dave Zawodny) said...

Multiple piercings and tattoos, ewww!

I'll leave them to the younger and more adventurous.

They have much more of their lives than I do to regret their decisions.

My two jewelry store/junk shop nieces may not agree with my assessment though :-)

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