If your teenage son or daughter has recently approached you and mentioned that he or she wanted a tattoo, you could be wondering how to handle the situation. Of course, every family is different, but these are a few tips that can help steer you in the right direction.

Find Out About State Laws

First of all, you will want to look into the state laws in your area. All of the states in the United States require that a person be at least 18 years of age in order to get a tattoo on his or her own. However, some states do allow parents to give permission for their teens to get a tattoo when they are under 18. Make sure that you do your research about your state laws to determine whether or not it's even an option for your teen to get a tattoo and to find out what you should do if you support the idea. If not, you may want to talk to your teen about waiting until he or she is a legal adult to get a tattoo.

Help Your Teen Make a Responsible Decision

If your teen is set on the idea of getting a tattoo, you may want to talk to him or her about making responsible decisions about this. For example, you may want to talk to your teen about the effects that a visible tattoo can have on things like him or her getting a job. You may also want to talk to him or her about the potential repercussions of getting a vulgar or otherwise controversial tattoo. Even though you might not be planning to try to discourage your teen from getting a tattoo at all, you may want to take steps to help him or her choose to get one in a responsible way.

Shop Around for a Safe Tattoo Shop

If your teen is going to be getting tattooed, safety should be a top priority. Help your teen do his or her research to find a safe and reputable tattoo shop in your area, and talk to him or her about red flags to look for when getting tattooed, such as non-sterile equipment.

For some people, the idea of their teenager getting a tattoo can be a nightmare. However, if you handle the situation properly, you might find that it's actually not quite as bad as you think it will be.