Tell him you’ll help him pick out a design and go with him when he gets it done.

But first, ask him to accompany you while you get a Prince Albert fitted.

We look back at the Victorians and think, how could they wear such stupid hats?
We look back at the Georgians and think, who’d want to wear powdered wigs?
They will look at our time and think, why did they get tattoos?
I blame David Beckham, comprehensive schooling and Channel 4.

Do you look at anyone when you walk down the street? Rebels are the ones without tattoos.

he’s 18, the concept of being 40 is simply incomprehensible to him.

Surely not having one is more rebellious?

I had one done at 15. My mum found out two years later. We didn’t have a close relationship.

Is that you uncle dave? 😀

If the worst thing he does* whilst being 18 is get a tattoo, I think you can be pretty pleased you brought him up well. Stop worrying.

* not that I see anything wrong with tattoos. I mean, why not? I’m trying to decide on one at the moment…

Rachel

my cousin had a bluebird tat now she she’s so fat it looks like a turkey

Its not a full backpiece of Jimmy Saville sat on the Jim’ll Fix It chair he’s having, is it? With everything thats come out over the last few years, I now regret that one

OP,wait till you see it.

Well I’m 38 and I still like my tattoo just fine , not sure I was bothered how it’d look in 20 years time when i got it done and it’ll only look cooler in another 20 years I reckon! , usual STW grumpiness, let him find his own way (and anyway, chicks dig tats, fact !)

If anything just make sure he gets it done at a decent studio, worth paying extra for a good artist and materials

Not sure why you’d be disappointed OP, tattoos are so fashionable that surely you’d have expected it at his age.

Any way see what he wants and at circa £50 an hour tell him he has to pay for it if you’re really against it. And like has been said above, get him to sit on an idea for a while and see if still wants it.

Not everyone regrets their tattoos, it’s usually just the people that get rubbish ones done when pissed or something. I’m 39 and don’t regret mine at all. Inks are much better these days as well so they last better.

+100000

As for when he’s 40, I’m sure he’ll be too busy staring in the mirror wondering how he got old to worry about a tattoo.

Every time I go to the gym (which is most days), I’m still surprised by the fact that everyone under 30 seems to have a tattoo.

When I was young only hookers, criminals and sailors had tattoos….

Research research research, learn what a good tattoo really looks like, be 100% on the subject matter, choose a good artist and let them design it, be prepared to travel, be prepared to wait and expect to pay upwards of £70 per hour or £450 day rates.

I think that’s the line I was given when I was around 15 or so.. it prompted me to go out and get a cheap, shit tattoo in secret the following week..

The only real way around this is to get into it and get matching tattoos.. Traditionally they are tribal symbols, and you don’t get any more tribal than parent and child..

You’d be giving summink (sic) back to the tradition, bonding with yer lad and he’d end up maybe learning something about the history of tattooing and not perhaps ending up with a crap design..

Let him pick to start with but steer him down the road of something with a bit of artistic merit, negotiate, put some thought into your choice and get something that has meaning for both of you.. or get something bespoke.. research styles and then find a good relevant tattooist to do the work, find out about the historical symbolism behind certain designs etc

He might go off it by the time it’s all settled..

But are tattoo’s really forever now? Channel 4 certainly give the impression that if you don’t like it, you just get it lasered off.

Ultimately, its his choice. But make sure its somewhere hideable, chest, upper arms etc. A large, stupid tattoo on his neck won’t help his career.

The best thing you can do is to advise him to find the best artist to fit his needs. Tel him to Do research and make sure hes getting what he wants. If its done well it will look as good in 20 years as when it gets done.

Aside from that its really bugger all to do with you what he does with himself, hes an adult now, deal with it. If it really disappoints you that much then your expectations are clearly unreasonable, not like hes taking up a smack habit now is it?