Different Strategies and Tactics to Use to Convince Your Parents
At A Glance Author Allie Contact [email protected] When N/A The following is a documentation of what worked for me. Everyone's parents are different, some easier or harder to convince. If the piercing you want is important to you, anything's worth a shot. I hope this editorial helps you!
"Anti-tragus piercing" will be used as an example in the appropriate guidelines/suggestions.
1. Research
If you are well educated about the piercing of your desire, (in this case, the anti-tragus piercing) it will be much easier to assuage the fears of your parents. Taking the time to research it will show them that you know exactly what you're getting into. You'll be knowledgeable about the risks involved, and parents are more likely to listen to a kid that knows what they're talking about. Researching will show your parents what a mature and secure individual you are. (Hopefully.) It will also show your parents how much time you're willing to devote to such a "worthless cause". They'll see how important it is to you.
A great way to present your research is in an easy-to-read essay. Don't fill it up with useless facts, only put information that pertains to the anti-tragus.
You can start it out with a definition taken straight from BME's encyclopedia http://encyc.bmezine.com/ :
"An anti-tragus piercing is an ear piercing done through the ridge of cartilage immediately above the earlobe (and "across from" the tragus)."
This will start this essay easily � it gets straight to the point, and your parents know just what they're dealing with. You'd hate to make them read 4 pages of carefully typed work only to ask, "What's an anti-tragus?" Another great thing to add is a picture. http://www.bmezine.com/ Visual aid can help immensely.
Lastly, check out http://www.bmezine.com/qod3/index.html for questions people have already asked. You could easily copy/paste them quickly. The answers are extremely helpful, and could possibly answer a few questions you had. This page also answers many questions: http://www.rabbithole.org/faqpage.html
2. Responsibility
You need to convince your parents that you'll follow through with the appropriate after-care. Even if your grades or chores have nothing to do with how well you'd clean your ears, your parents don't know � or don't want to know that. Parents like to use excuses, and low grades could very well be a reason they use. If the piercing is worth it to you, pick up the slack and they'll be more likely to say yes. I'm not saying that good grades warrant an automatic yes � it just helps your chances.
Another good angle � explain the pros of your parents saying yes. Saying "yes" would mean you'd be able to benefit from a quality-piercing studio. Heaven forbid you should have to do the piercing yourself, or *gasp* do it somewhere sketchy without a parent's signature. You'd hate to be driven to such extremes, and isn't it wonderful you have parents that will help you out?
3. Familiarize
By now, (if you've done your research) your parents don't know a third of what you know about piercings. You need to give them a little while to gain as much information as you have. Also, they're probably not used to the idea of you sticking metal through your flesh � this too, could take a little time. Parents need time to change old views and assumptions, there was a time when piercings weren't so.... mainstream. It's quite possible that your parents see piercings (and tattoos) fit for delinquents and criminals. It's your job to help your parents understand that times have changed.
This link to BME's Q&A for parents would be a great thing to copy/paste onto your essay. For many parents, body modification is a gray area and these simple questions and answers are very helpful. http://www.bmezine.com/par-faq.html
4. Money
Believe it or not, your parents might not want to shell out $45 for a piercing � a piercing they didn't want you to get in the first place. Paying for it yourself (or at least offering) shows your responsibility and commitment to the piercing. Also, this makes the situation more favorable for your parents. Simply signing an official form is preferable to signing AND paying.
5. Patience
Patience, they say, is a virtue. Prove to your parents that this is a piercing you'll want all your life, a piercing you don't mind waiting for. Bugging them 24/7 about what you want could work, but it's not likely. Even if it did work, I'm sure your parents wouldn't think any better of the piercing � or you. If your parents still stubbornly say "no", you'd better just wait. You'll be 18 soon enough. They could even change their mind before then, after seeing how maturely you've been acting. (Not pestering them goes a long way.)
Who knows, by 18 you might not even want your piercing anymore.
Yeah, right.