George1997 asks: How can I persuade my parents to get a piercing?
Hi George1997 –
I’m guessing that you mean that you want to persuade your parents to let you get a piercing. But if I’m wrong and you’re actually wanting to persuade them to get piercings themselves – I’d strongly advise you to give up! If someone doesn’t want something shoved through their skin, it’ll be very hard to change their mind about it! (I can tell you that I hate having anything shoved through my skin, whether it’s a needle from the vet or an angry dog’s fang, and both cases involve me being forced against my will!)
But it sounds like you really want to have one yourself. Well, at least I’m glad you’re saying you want your parents’ permission. There are lots of places where it’s actually a law that a minor has to have parental permission to get a piercing or a tattoo, but regardless of whether that’s true where you are, I think it’s a very good idea to get their okay first.
Now I realize that lots of people love piercings (and tattoos) and see them as very fashionable and cool, while others see them as horrible. This is a hard chasm to bridge, my friend! And of course there are certain religions that prohibit any sort of alteration to the body, which makes it even tougher.
But you have one big advantage on your side: unlike tattoos, piercings can go away over time. The hole in your ear or nose or navel will simply fill in after a while if there’s nothing there. So one argument you could give to your parents (if you think there’s any chance they’ll give in) is that it’s not necessarily permanent.
You see, you, in their eyes, are still their baby! And they will always have trouble seeing you do things that make you less of that wonderful innocent pure perfection they first met. (This is one of the reasons grown-ups cry at weddings so often; as happy an occasion as that day might be, they’re losing that kid they knew too, almost the same as if the child had died!)
So I can’t guarantee that it’ll work, but here’s my advice. Explain to your parents why you want to get the piercing. Then explain that, if you ever change your mind, your body will repair and fill the hole it causes as if it never were there. Then (and this is really important) tell them five great things about the person you’re becoming. Tell them about how well you’re doing in school, about how you’re not doing some of the dangerous things that some of your classmates are into, about the great friends you’re hanging out with, about the good things you’re interested in… In other words, help them get to like the new person you are. And then explain that that really cool person is someone who’d really like a piercing.
And then maybe they’ll agree to it. But if not, don’t be too angry at them. It’s a lot to ask. And of course, once you leave home or reach a certain age, you will have the complete right to get that piercing yourself, without their okay. And it’ll be good that you’ll still have this good relationship with your parents to help you through life till then. Even though you’ll spend a lot of it envying the other kids who have the piercings. (Oh, tell them about that too! That might help!!!)
Good Luck!
Shirelle