<p>Read John Irving's Until I Find You for all you ever wanted to know about the tatoo trade. It's fascinating and almost medieval.</p>
<p>Kat became a very $$$ tattoo artist at 24.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.katvond.net/bio.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.katvond.net/bio.html</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.myspace.com/katvond%5B/url%5D">http://www.myspace.com/katvond</a></p>
<p>having watched both tatoo parlor reality shows, those guys that do well are artists- they understand color, and shading, and proportion, etc, and one kid had to tatoo himself as part of the internship thing at the shop...kind of weird</p>
<p>I think a compromise is that she finish HS, no need to graduate early, and then she can apply...if she is unwilling to do that....</p>
<p>and how is she paying for tat school?</p>
<p>in the end it is her decision, but once she goes there, if she has no talent, she will be kind of stuck</p>
<p>can she draw, has she studied art, etc....if those have been her passions for awhile, then okay, but if it is because the BF is pushing it, well, she is going to do what she is going to do</p>
<p>you can say you will house and feed her while she is in school and WORKING, not just hanging out....that is what I would do...if she was working fulltime and really trying, then cool, but if she isn't and isn't even trying to, well, she could try it on her own</p>
<p>She just missed the last International Conference:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.tattoosbyrick.com/conv_12.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.tattoosbyrick.com/conv_12.php</a></p>
<p>But maybe she can do junior year abroad (in New Zealand or American Samoa!)</p>
<p>
[quote]
She also has a boyfriend that has no possibility of college, academically or financially.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Oh that just says it all, really. I am not claiming to be physic or anything, but the boyfriend might desire to keep her at his level. No offense or anything. </p>
<p>Is there anything pertaining to her "scene" that she could get into over where you live? Maybe she needs something wholesome to "take her out of herself" for a while. By wholesome I mean using whatever ability she has as of right now to help others. For example, she could volunteer to do something art related at the Boys and Girls Club or something of that nature. </p>
<p>If she does not want to just plainly graduate high school and go on to College as of right now, then you guys still have room to guide her towards what she really needs to do. And, in my opinion, what she needs to do does not involve doing tattoos if her mommy and daddy have things organized enough where she can go to College.</p>
<p>I have vibes that there are things you guys could do now which will turn her around. Grade 11 is still kinda young. </p>
<p>When I was in grade 11, I wanted to be America's Next Top Model. Well, that was before it dawned on me that I would have to loose over twenty pounds, what with all the models my height (five foot eleven) weighing all of 120 lbs. Eating well and being a more sporty gal won out on that! </p>
<p>Gosh I bet your daughter will realize really soon that earning her higher education will win out over whatever she and her boyfriend are thinking up while in grade 11. Darn, I bet most everyone on this board had the odd thought or two about their future while in grade 11 or what have you.</p>
<p>I'm with those that advise humoring her while encouraging her to keep her options open -- she should continue with a college prep academic track and keep her grades up in case she wants to go to college later; encourage (but don't force) her to apply to some colleges as well -- but given her willingness to be a tattoo artist, there is no reason to get stressed out about selective college admissions - your in-state public university options will do. </p>
<p>My daughter, who is now at an extremely selective college, spent a good part of her senior year fantasizing about quitting school and moving to Boston to live with her boyfriend, where he would finish school and she would get a job waitressing to support him. I cheerfully played along, musing on the fun and exciting world of waiting on tables. I did make it clear that I wouldn't support her financially in the endeavor... but she could probably make a lot in tips, right?</p>
<p>Which brings me to another point/suggestion: if your daughter seems serious about that, then sit her down and have a matter of fact discussion of finances, including not only what your boundaries are in terms of financial support, but time-frame as far as a college education --- after all, some of us would like to retire eventually, and we can't be expected to subsidize a delayed college education at, say, 2012 tuition rates. My son quit college after 2 years; we had "the talk" -- he did not get financial support from me because he was out of school, and by the time he returned to school, he had passed the 5-year window during which my offer of support with tuition expired. So he's paying his own way now. </p>
<p>It can be tough going, but sometimes kids need to learn the hard way -- and in some cases it works out for the best. Students who enter college later often are more serious about their studies and focused than youngsters away from home for the first time, who are more greatly tempted to explore their new-found freedom. The older students have a been-there/done-that attitude toward drunken reveling, and more disciplined approach to work.</p>
<p>I have a friend who wants to be a tattoo artist...she's applying to art schools. I think her mom was hoping that if she threw her weight behind the idea, the actual reality of what it takes to succeed would push my friend back into a "normal" job (oh, I can't just leave school and be a bum on the beach? Eh, screw being a tattoo artist!). Instead, she seems really into it...I think it was actually a great compromise. Should the tattoo thing not work out, maybe she'll be the next great painter ;).</p>
<p>Okay, I'm feeling a bit calmer today.</p>
<p>She looked at a few college brochures with me last night. She found one with a "pretty" campus, and another that doesn't require freshman to live in the dorm. Both are good academically. The "pretty" one would actually be a bit of a reach for her. The dorm thing actually seems to be a big issue for her. She seems to freak out at the concept of sharing a room and bathroom with somebody. Considering she is the world's biggest slob, I don't know what she is afraid of.</p>
<p>She is talented at art. I actually helped her research art/graphic design programs for a while. She decided they were too much art, and started to lean towards advertising as a major before this tattoo thing came up again.</p>
<p>I think she understands the internship required to be a tattoo artist, and doesn't expect to be fully trained in a two week course. She has told me that having to tattoo yourself is a common requirement. </p>
<p>If she ends up being a tattoo artist, so be it. I just want her to have every opportunity in life. I have never heard anybody say they regret getting a college degree. And I fully expect her to come home with a tattoo first semester. At least it would distract me from looking at what she has done to her earlobes.</p>
<p>Perhaps if she can actually make a bit of money doing tatoo work - which seems unlikely for the first year or so-she could make enough money to cover the difference between a double and a single doom room.
Consider showing her the beautiful tatoos done on the chests of women with mastectomies. Show her tatoos on unattractive old men?<br>
I could see my 17 yr old with visions of good looking, cool young folks, not tatooing a 60 year old man or woman. (g) Remind her a lifetime of tattooing ugly little devils, armed service emblems and etc on drunk men is not such a fun time. Letting her apprentice is probably reality enough.
btw there we just saw a tatoo parlor in an upscale mall. Not sure which one, but local north Jersey.</p>
<p>calmom, I love your description of playing along. My freshman son continues to fantasize about taking a semester off and touring with his band. </p>
<p>I listen, and occasionally throw things in like "I wonder what happens to your health insurance if you're not a full time student", and ""I guess you'll need to talk to our mechanic to see if the van will pull a trailer"</p>
<p>Who knows? Maybe he'll pull it off! But humoring him seems to be the best way of handling it for now.</p>
<p>Lots of colleges have single rooms. </p>
<p>When my son took a semester off, we found that a lot depended on timing. The health insurance questionaire that asked "are you a student?" came in Septemeber, so he was okay for the spring semester. The car insurance discount questionaire came in December (still a student) and July (going to be a full-time student in the fall), so we got through with the opposite of a Catch-22. If he'd taken the fall semester off instead, we'd have been in deep yogurt.</p>