A Ten Year Old Got Some Fresh Ink and It Could Happen In MI Too!

Kids are always wanting something. Toys, video games, and tattoos? I am not talking the air brushed kind you get at festivals. We are talking the real deal here. In one case, a mom from New York got her son an arm sleeve. Not a cool video game character. Full blown sleeve. You can get details about that here.

A tattoo is a BIG deal. You don't make that choice lightly. You have to make sure you still won't mind looking at that body art down the road. You can probably ask that guy who got that Tasmanian devil back in 97 and he will be able to tell you more about tattoo regret. I am a guardian of a boy who just turned 18 this past August. Despite some of his friends having ink, we made him wait. We also helped him choose something that he could hide under a short sleeved shirt. Even with parental consent, ten is a bit too young. Actually, it is a lot too young. So there is no chance what happened in New York could happen here right? Wrong.

Most states are 18 or older to get tattoos. A few states will allow 16 with parental consent and one goes as low as 14! So what about Michigan? In Michigan, there is no specific age for getting a tattoo. This is according to  Mich. Comp. Laws § 333.13102.

There are a few guidelines. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. The adult must have a valid id and present the minor's birth certificate. So despite the fact that giving a kid a tattoo is morally questionable, it is possible here.

I love tattoos. I put a lot of time and money into my arm sleeve. Make sure you are getting exactly what you want. Timeless is a good thing when it comes to permanent ink. I am not going to tell anyone how to parent. I will offer a suggestion though. If your kid is pre-teen and wants some fresh ink, offer up a new toy instead.