It’s time to rethink ink! Gone are the days when tattoos were reserved for subculture - now many moms and dads are sporting tattoos and making their own personal statements with body art that has meaning. We asked YMC members to share their tattoos that represented their children and the stories behind the tattoos are just as beautiful as the art itself.
When my son was four, he drew me a picture that I absolutely loved. I folded it up and carried it around in my wallet to show off to people. I was an active blood donor so the thought of getting a tattoo was far from my mind. When I finally decided to get my first tattoo, of course I chose to have that picture that I had been carrying in my wallet for 12 years as my first one.
Gord H.
I wanted Oliver to know he could search me out from across a crowded room, and when I cross my heart with my arm (right), he'd feel that I've got his back and he has my heart.
Andrea E.
My tattoo serves as a reminder to continue my writing, to live "right now" and the ellipsis represents my daughter, my son, and the baby we lost between them.
Alexandria D.
I have a full arm sleeve that represents my children. I have two children (half sisters) who I adopted as well as two of my own. After the adoption was finalized (after waiting 6 years), I had all four children's names tattooed from shoulder to shoulder on my back - this means I always carry them on my shoulders through life.
Back in March, the father of my children and I parted ways, and I found out I was sick. I wanted a sleeve to represent my kids and how much they mean to me. I started off by getting "Ohana" which is from the movie my kids love to death Lilo & Stitch on my inside forearm. "Ohana" means family and nobody gets left behind, which my kids know off by heart. The next session was four beautiful hibiscus flowers and their shading. After that, the following session was adding vines, shading the vines and colouring the lowest flower on my arm which represents my youngest (my only boy). Finally came the colouring for the other three flowers and vines.
Each one of my four flowers represents one of my kids. One colour is their choice, the other colour represents the month they were born in. The last session of my sleeve was the inside of my upper arm where I have the Robert Munsch poem "I'll love you forever." This poem is on the wall in each of my kids rooms. We recite it usually before bedtime. My kids helped to create my sleeve picking the colours, and what meant most to us would forever be on my arm. When I finished my sleeve, my 5 year-old daughter drew a picture of me. One arm was a stick, the other two ovals with flowers inside of them to represent my sleeve. My children are proud to have a Mother with a sleeve that is all about them. They tell people what Ohana means, which flower is theirs, who wrote the "I'll love you forever" poem, and recite it to them. When my kids look at me, I'm not a tattooed freak, but a Mom that loves them beyond the moon and stars, and a hero who will always protect them.
Tania F.
I have two tattoos... One is three blue hearts between my shoulder blades to represent my three boys. The second is on my right foot and is my boys names surrounded by vines and three little blue flowers. I got them at age 35/36 when I knew exactly what I wanted. My boys think it is cool that both their parents have their names permanently tattooed on their bodies!
Danielle H.
We have one child and she is my world. Her name is Magnolia, and shortly after she was born, I had a magnolia flower tattooed on my wrist. I look at it many times a day and it makes me smile because it makes me think of her! She is six now, and still sometimes asks if my tattoo will ever wash off!
Marika C.
A close friend of mine designed the tattoo for me to represent my three kids...they got to choose the colours they wanted for their star...the stars are different sizes to represent their ages...the vines are all connected to spell out "love" and the orchids are there because, well, I love orchids. The friend of mine who designed the tattoo then put me in touch with a tattoo artist he knew and I was on a waiting list for six months because the tattoo artist is so amazing that a lot of people want him to do their tattoos! It was well worth the wait...I am so happy with the finished result!!
Sharon P.
I have two tattoos for my son Keegan. The first goes down the side of my leg, which flows onto the top and side of my foot. The water/shark themed tattoo may not be someone's first choice, but it was for me because of how my son was and still is such a water baby. It also represents how if he ever feels misunderstood, he'll know he is intelligent, important, and able to do anything with his inner strength. The roman numerals on my foot are his birthday, and it represents more than just his birthday. It represents the day I found my own inner strength to become a mother and do anything that is needed to take care of my son.
The second tattoo for my son is a simple puzzle piece to represent his Autism and how my love will never change for him is shown with the heart inside.
I love my son more than there are waves in the ocean or stars in the sky, and before I know it, he will have his whole life represented on my leg. But for now I have these two tattoos to always show off the great pride and love I have for my son.
Dianne B.
The tattoo artist designed it for me; I wanted an infinity symbol to symbolize my eternal and unconditional love for my two daughters and I also wanted their names incorporated in the design somehow. It was not what I had initially come to the artist with, but I love it even more because it's personal and unique to us.
Cathy J.
My boys are both December babies. I wanted something to represent them, but not their names or birth dates. I decided on snowflakes - each one different and unique and it also represents the season they were born. The hands were added to represent me: holding them and helping them when they are little, and then letting them go when they're older. I got this 7 or 8 years ago on my back right shoulder blade and I still love it!
Melanie B.
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