I loved tattoos ever since I got my first one back in college (sorry, mom), but after having kids, I was all about searching for unique tattoo ideas for parents. For me, it was about honoring the journey of becoming a mom, as well as keeping a little part of my kids with me as I know that all too soon they’ll be grown up and not up my arm pit every five seconds. Ha.
Turns out, I’m not the only one with unique tattoos that celebrate parenthood. I hit up a bunch of my friends — online and offline — who generously offered to share their tattoo ideas right here.
So, whether you just love looking at tattoos or you’re looking for some inspiration for your own tattoo, take a peek at these 12 unique tattoo ideas for parents.
Related: Cool temporary tattoos that look totally real
Kid name tattoos
With the names of his son (in Mark Twain’s handwriting, actually), and the tree honoring his wife, I love how Charlie from How to Be a Dad took the fairly common concept of tattooing your kid’s name on your arm and turned it up a notch. Also, placement is everything.
I’m obsessed with how our friend Yvonne‘s kid name tattoo. Isn’t it gorgeous? Like Charlie’s tattoo, this name arrow tattoo showcases her kids’ names, but at a very cool new level.
Jason’s ocean wave tattoo is a very subtle way to incorporate your kids’ names into a tattoo idea for parents. If you look very closely, you can see Zoe and Lucas spelled out in the waves.
Baby feet tattoos
To honor her son who was born very premature, Laura from Adventures in Juggling had a tattoo of tiny baby feet inked on her chest. What’s really wonderful: these are the actual size of his feet when he was born.
Related: Wear your favorite book on your sleeve with these cool temporary tattoos
Kids’ art tattoos
You can always look at your kid’s own art pads for inspiration, which is exactly what Mike at Puzzling Posts did. He’s got a bunch of adorable kid art drawing tattoos on his arms. That is a whole new take on a mermaid tattoo!
I recently had my own daughter’s amazing artwork tattooed on my forearm. (She’s 12 — pretty great, right?) It turned out that this was just a scribble she had done on a napkin, but it spoke to me, so I brought it to a local tattoo artist who created a fantastic interpretation. I’m so happy with the result.
Kid’s nickname tattoos
Jenn‘s daughter’s nickname is Magpie so to honor her, she had this gorgeous magpie tattooed on her back. It’s such a lovely way to honor your parenting journey in a subtle way. Well, granted this is one fabulously big tattoo, but you get the idea.
Symbolic tattoos
My friend Chris from Sea Black Prints has this amazing tattoo sleeve created in honor of his family. He’s the ship, and his three girls are represented by the birds. Not seen: The message in a bottle for his wife.
This gorgeous butterfly, moth and ladybug tattoo on mom Joanne actually represents her daughter’s aspirations to become an entomologist. And hey, even if she changes her mind, this beautiful tattoo is timeless.
Kid’s (or parent’s) Handwriting tattoos
So, this tattoo is actually courtesy of the adult daughter of our friend Kelly, from Mocha Momma, but the concept is fantastic for parents too. This is actually her mom’s own handwriting with a song lyric that Kelly used to sing to her as a baby. I also love the idea of having your child write something, their own name perhaps?, and having that tattooed on you.
Best friend tattoos
If your kids are old enough, I’m digging the concept of best friend tattoos. Mir (from Woulda Coulda Shoulda)and her teen got these semicolon tattoos together — a symbol of the movement that’s dedicated to the love of support of those struggling with mental illness — and they’re lovely.
Related: Beautiful custom braille jewelry – Understatement is always in style
Kid initial tattoos
One of my favorite tattoo ideas for parents is this braille tattoo on my wrist. Each braille letter represents the first initial of each of my four kids. I think it’s a small, subtle way to pay homage to my children, and I’ve received tons of compliments when people realize just what it is.
Got cool tattoo ideas for parents? Have your own tattoo honoring your kids? Leave a link or description in the comments! We’d love to hear about it.
Love all these ideas! I recently go the constellations for my kid’s zodiac symbols on my wrists. Aries for my oldest, Gemini for my youngest. It’s subtle, but I love that I can see them every day, and I’ve gotten a lot of compliments.
Love the braille letters and kid art ideas also!
I really want to get a tattoo that is 6+6+12
6 is the day I was born
6 is the day my husband was born
and 12 is the day my son was born.
so 6+6=12
I just need to work up the courage… 🙂
I had played in live bands for the majority of my adult life when my son was born. It took a long time to come up with my idea, but I have the fret board of a 4 string bass with my son’s name as inlays tattooed on my lower arm.
I really wish this didn’t have my old watermark on the photos, but I had my artist draw up a visual from a poem that reminds me of my kids. I love it.
https://www.caffeineandcabernet.com/2014/05/i-carry-your-heart-tree-tattoo/
I have an outline of a cat on my wrist. It symbolizes my sons first actual word (aside from mama and dada). It’s a subtle way to remember that exciting milestone!
I had my now almost 9yr old sign his name on a piece of paper as he completed 1st grade, then had that tattooed on my left calf.
When boy 2 finishes 1st grade next year, I’ll get his signature on my right calf.
Then, as they graduate from high school, I’ll get their new signatures below the earlier ones.
I want to get each if my girls birth flowers on the inside of my wrist. Olivia was born in September and Ruby was born in February.
Ive got my babygirls hand on my heart
My initials are PB and my wife is J. Want to do 2 halves of a pb&j sandwich holding hands and then kids represented as peanuts (boys or berries (girls). So far just one little guy but would add more as we he more kids
I will be getting the children’s miracle network balloon with my daughters name in the middle.
I also will be getting the simba symbol (the one rafeki paints on the wall) with my son’s birthday bc he loves the lion king, he is a leo and I love the lion King too.
I love all these ideas!
After my son had his 3rd open heart surgery at the age of 2 1/2, I got his during surgery heartbeat tattooed across my heart. I also have his name within a Celtic knot (his name is Celtic meaning warrior) on my shoulder. I was going to get a tattoo for my stepdaughter as well, but per her request we are getting matching ones for her 18th birthday. My husband has their names tattooed on his arms just below the elbow on the inner forearm.
my daughter had open heart surgery at 2 1/2 weeks old and has had a cath procedure this past June (she’s now 2). I recently got a tattoo of a cartoon version of her with our two rotties flanking her <3 When she is older I am sure we will get matching surgery tattoos as I had open heart surgery as an infant too. Hope your son is doing well!
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