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Paisley

Paisley

USA
September 2006

APR 05, 2009 07:47 PM

So I was browsing FML this evening and came across this one:

FML said:
Today, I was riding my bike and stopped at a street light. A little girl looked at me, then asked her mother, "Mommy, why does that girl have a ring through her nose?" Her mother then replied, "Because her parents don't love her." FML.


This got me thinking, because I have a nose piercing and a healthy relationship with my parents. I was also a camp counselor for a while and had to figure out how to explain to kids why I decided to put a piece of metal through a hole I had made in part of me.

So I was wondering, what do you tell kids who ask about your various body modifications?

StarBelliedBoy

StarBelliedBoy

Philadelphia, PA
December 2003

APR 05, 2009 08:40 PM

I'm pretty sure 90% of the stories on that site are fake.

Paisley

Paisley

USA
September 2006

APR 05, 2009 08:48 PM

Yeah, but the point still stands. Little kids ask about piercings, tattoos, etc., and it's not always easy to just say "well I like it..."

turin

turin

Denver, CO
October 2003

APR 05, 2009 08:51 PM

I say "my parents didn't love me."

Shal

Shal

Los Angeles, CA
October 2002

APR 05, 2009 08:53 PM

Paisley said:
Yeah, but the point still stands. Little kids ask about piercings, tattoos, etc., and it's not always easy to just say "well I like it..."



Why isn't it that easy? Kids accept things way more than you seem to think they do -- is it the parent's reaction you're actually thinking of?

Paisley

Paisley

USA
September 2006

APR 05, 2009 08:57 PM

Maybe I've just run into persistent kids. It's not that they're not accepting, they just seem to keep asking "but why?" Except that one camper whose dad had full sleeves, she seemed to get it. wink

DevilsReject

DevilsReject

Cleveland, OH
February 2007

APR 05, 2009 09:02 PM

I have gotten this out of my curious 9-year old. I am the only person in my family with tattoos and piercings. She asks why i have tattoos and piercings.

My answer:

"i like it"

Kids are smarter than most people give them credit. In so much kids are generally much easier to deal with. They aren't old enough to understand stereotypes and other such things, their minds are still somewhat clean of those things. It's the parents reaction that usually come up with ridiculous answers about the person's history.

Tallboy66

Tallboy66

Chicago, IL
January 2005

APR 05, 2009 09:58 PM

About a week after my nose was pierced I picked up my nephew and he asks while grabbing it "what's that" blackeyed biggrin tongue

nymphetalona

nymphetalona

Australia
November 2007

APR 05, 2009 10:09 PM

DevilsReject said:
Kids are smarter than most people give them credit. In so much kids are generally much easier to deal with. They aren't old enough to understand stereotypes and other such things, their minds are still somewhat clean of those things. It's the parents reaction that usually come up with ridiculous answers about the person's history.



This.
I work with children, and it's not them you have to be concerned about, it's the parents.

BrisusCheez

BrisusCheez

HOPEFUL

Wexford, PA

APR 05, 2009 10:14 PM

I work with kids all the time and I only hear two things in general:

"Did that hurt?"

or

"Cool."

I agree that kids are pretty open and smart, they don't care so much about what is on the outside, just if you care about them and are a good person to be around. I've been lucky I guess, I've never had problems with facial piercings and working with kids!

reprobate

reprobate

New Orleans, LA
December 2002

APR 05, 2009 10:36 PM

Paisley said:
Maybe I've just run into persistent kids. It's not that they're not accepting, they just seem to keep asking "but why?" Except that one camper whose dad had full sleeves, she seemed to get it. wink



That's what kids do. It's not about acceptance, it's about learning about the world. Kid's ask "But why?" about everything. Caterpillars, bridges, song lyrics...

PixieBelle

PixieBelle

Netherlands
October 2005

APR 06, 2009 07:40 AM

Then there is the kid of a good friend of mine who's mummy and daddy and all of their close circle of friends have tattoos and piercings as daddy is a tattooist.
One day we had a gathering of friends and he got so upset when one of the guests had no piercings or tattoos and no one could explain, in a way he could understand, why the person in question had nothing to show. I've never seen a kid so upset.
Kids will always question what is outside of their norm, it's how they learn and develop. I love it, when kids don't question, I start to worry.

Manda

Manda

SUICIDEGIRL

Antarctica

APR 06, 2009 09:53 AM

I always made a connection to something that they were more familiar with.

"You know how you/your mom/Susie/Billy have earrings in your ears? Well, it's a similar piece of jewelry." And proceed to tell them when they're older, they can decide if they want to have them, too.

This was at a child development center. On a military base. I was lucky, the biggest thing I had to deal with from the parents (regarding my appearance) was them thinking I was 16 and taking care of their 5 year old. I was 21/22.

clioandeu

clioandeu

Arcata, CA
March 2007

APR 06, 2009 10:59 AM

Manda said:
I always made a connection to something that they were more familiar with.

"You know how you/your mom/Susie/Billy have earrings in your ears? Well, it's a similar piece of jewelry." And proceed to tell them when they're older, they can decide if they want to have them, too.

This was at a child development center. On a military base. I was lucky, the biggest thing I had to deal with from the parents (regarding my appearance) was them thinking I was 16 and taking care of their 5 year old. I was 21/22.



The earring comparison is exactly how I handle questions at the preschool that I work at. "Some people think it looks pretty to have things in your ears, and some think it looks pretty to put things in lips/noses/etc." And luckily our staff is fairly diverse in terms of personal style. Mohawks, dreadlocks, piecings, and tattoos adorn half of our staff.

But really, they only notice piercings (or any other deviation from the societal norms) for a few minutes anyway. Kids I have been with for three years will suddenly take a good look at me and ask me about them for the first time, or I get the same kids asking me the same questions weekly. It's all about what they may repeat to their families at home, so you have to make sure that you stress the age requirements for piercings.

Paisley

Paisley

USA
September 2006

APR 06, 2009 11:02 AM

PixieBelle said:
Then there is the kid of a good friend of mine who's mummy and daddy and all of their close circle of friends have tattoos and piercings as daddy is a tattooist.
One day we had a gathering of friends and he got so upset when one of the guests had no piercings or tattoos and no one could explain, in a way he could understand, why the person in question had nothing to show. I've never seen a kid so upset.


Hahaha, that is fantastic. (Not the upset part, obviously, but the cause.)

Cosi

Cosi

I'm lost
December 2006

APR 06, 2009 03:36 PM

I have been a nanny with 2 different families, the kids were all under 5.

The kids were really cute about my piercing and tattoos. They always asked me who drew them, and how long they would stay. The 5 year old I took care of most recently would tell me at least once a week that "I was the silliest adult she knew, because serious adults don't put sparkly things on their faces." She was talking about my monroe piercing.

She would also draw on her arms and tummy, and lift up her shirt and show her parents that she had tattoos like me.

He parents didn't mind at all...in fact they especially wanted me to tell her how much it hurt, to try and discourage her from getting them before she was old enough! Haha.

In short, I just tell kids the truth. They think it's funny and silly, they love it. I really don't see the problem.

_Holden_

_Holden_

Denver, CO
December 2006

APR 06, 2009 03:44 PM

I volunteer at a head start where the kids are three and four. They always ask me about my two piercings and stretched ears even though I don't think any of them are super noticeable. I always tell them that I like them and I think they look nice and then I try to change the subject. It's something that's hard to explain to the kids.

FrankMask

FrankMask

Saint Paul, MN
June 2003

APR 06, 2009 04:34 PM

Kids are fun. Parents are frequently horrifying.

Back when I had a mane I would occasionally here a high pitched voice

"Mom, look at that really tall girl!"

"That's a boy, dear"

Dryad

Dryad

Asheville, NC
July 2008

APR 06, 2009 04:51 PM

I agree that the kids don't have any preconceived notions. When I lived in NYC, random kids would see me on the subway or whatever and ask "what's that?" and I would say, it's a faerie, they're flowers, whatever. They just liked that I had pretty pictures, and that made me happy about my pretty pictures too.

motorfirebox

motorfirebox

Pittsburgh, PA
March 2004

APR 06, 2009 05:04 PM

FrankMask said:
Kids are fun. Parents are frequently horrifying.

Back when I had a mane I would occasionally here a high pitched voice

"Mom, look at that really tall girl!"

"That's a boy, dear"


i used to get that, back before i cut my hair. apparently, i have a really nice ass.

MistressMissy

mistressmissy

Grand Rapids, MI
March 2003

APR 06, 2009 06:19 PM

I get that question pretty often at work. I tell the kids, I can't wear earrings, so I got rings in other places instead.
I do have my ears pierced, but because of an allergy, I can't wear anything other than pure gold, which I hate. I got tattoos on my ears instead.

Exning

Exning

SUICIDEGIRL

California, USA

APR 07, 2009 12:25 AM

I tell kids im secretly the devil

motorfirebox

motorfirebox

Pittsburgh, PA
March 2004

APR 07, 2009 04:42 PM

Exning said:
I tell kids im secretly the devil


wait, that's supposed to be a secret? tongue

_TAKK_

_TAKK_

Hightstown, NJ
April 2007

APR 07, 2009 07:29 PM

Children are way smarter than we give them credit for. They are full of basic logic and untainted judgement.

They completely understand doing something that you like, and appreciate without fear of what other people around you think.

I have been asked many times and i put it to them in as simple a way as i can so they can understand,

"Because it makes me happy and my parents said i could" biggrin