I personally believe that a child's body belongs to themself, and we shouldn't be doing anything to alter it without their knowledge and consent (with the exception of medically necessary procedures).

Any future sons of ours will absolutely not be circumsized as infants (jeanne, I was completely thinking this too when I saw the OP). Fortunately it is not so mainstream anymore.... where we live in Canada, only 30% of baby boys are circ'd.

As for our baby girl, I suspect we will be getting her ears pierced at some point, but only when she wants it done. I was 8 when I got mine, and for me it was a pretty good age. I had been pestering my mom for about a month so it was definitely my decision, and I was old enough to understand that it was going to hurt. I was also old enough to understand how to take care of them, and although my mom supervised to make sure I was doing it right, it was my responsibility to clean and turn them everyday until they healed.

I don't agree with people piercing their baby girls' ears, but if she ever decides not to wear earings at least she can take them out. Doesn't quite work that way with a foreskin.

As for tattoos.... I don't have a huge problem with them once people are old enough to make an intelligent decision. I don't think I would pay for it either. My advice to them would be to settle on a design, and live with it for a while. Like a good year. And if you still love it after a year, then think about getting a tattoo. I had a bunch of friends in high school who went out the day they turned 18 and got whatever they could afford on the wall in the lobby of the tattoo shop. I can only imagine how they feel about them now.