Bullying...in Adults

Let me begin by saying that this blog started out as simple class assignment. Every week or so we would be given an assignment that would require us to post a blog on a certain topic. Well, last night while browsing Facebook I came across a page entitled “YOUR TATTOOS MAKE YOU A HORRIBLE MOTHER” and it not only disgusted me, but also made me think about all the trash people put up with on a daily basis.

People think that children and teens are the only ones that get bullied, but this is simply not true. Every day adults are picked on, teased, or bullied in some way, shape, or form. I can say this because a couple of times I have been guilty of it. I see someone and don’t like the way that they act or dress and I immediately judge them. It may not seem like it, but this is a form of bullying, just as leaving people at because they do not fit into your tax bracket (and I see this all the time at my children’s school).

We look at people who are different, whether it is because of money, the way they dress, the color of their skin, their ethnicity, tattoos, sexual preferences, etc. and we judge, or bully, them because they are different. That is exactly what this Facebook page does. It talks about the children of parents with tattoos failing in life simply because their parents have tattoos. I can say without a doubt that this is not true. How do I know? Because both my parents have tattoos. Granted my mother did not get her first until I was 16, but they still have them.

I have watched plenty of people on my father’s side, mostly the boys, go in and out of jail, but I can also say that I do not believe any of it had to do with tattoos, but with the choices that they made. My children, who are 10, 7, and 5, all love my tattoos and are also doing very well in school. Now don’t get me wrong my daughter (10) was in REACH (a gifted/talented program) until I pulled her out because she didn’t like it. She scored in the top 99% of her grade last year on standardized testing, while my 7 year old son is in the top of his class in math (which I suck at), and reading. My 5 year old son is exactly where he is supposed to be for his age and they have done all of this while both their father and myself have tattoos (me more than him).

I cannot say that my children will never be in trouble, no one can say that about their child, as we don’t know the future. What I can say is that any trouble my children may, or may not, get into is because of the choices that they make and not because of choices that I made to ‘draw’ on my skin. We as a society need to stop teaching our children things like this. We teach them that it is good to be unique individuals, then turn around and teach them that they shouldn’t stand out or be different. This is what causes our children to get into trouble, not tattoos.

Society need to catch up with the times and realize that everyone is made differently and that being different should be celebrated not condemned. I want my children to live in a world where they can be free and do what they want, within the parameters of the law, and not be afraid to be judged or bullying because of it. We need to take the time to teach our children that those who cannot accept us for who we do not need to be in our lives. Those are the types of people who need to be cut away because we do not need that negativity in our lives.  So, my plea for you and everyone you know, is to teach your child(ren) that they should not be cookie cutter, but to break the mold and be free.

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/tattoo.moms.are.horrible