by Dissposition

Created on: April 21, 2008

If you were booked for an operation, would you have your child right next to the operating table? If you were going to a bar or a club, where the potential for semi-nudity and "adult-like" atmosphere....would you have your child with you for the several hours you will be in this environment? And most importantly, knowing how inquisitive a child can be....would you willingly bring your child to the sterilization room of any of your local health clinics or hospitals, where potentially contaminated blood (HIV and HEP B/C, Tuberculosis, etc.)and used, dirty instruments are being stored? Now finally on a lighter, but just as important note, if you were having the breaks on your family vehicle done....would you want your child running around and perhaps bumping into or at very least, distracting the person who was fixing your breaks?

I imagine that every one of you would say "NO" to all of the above scenarios. I don't blame you. Why? Well it would be irresponsible and highly dangerous for a child to be in any of my above mentioned potentials.

So as a tattoo artist of over 17 years, my question is "Why?" Why would anyone "want" to bring their child into any of these situations? Regardless of child care, babysitting, whatever....a child should never willingly nor unwillingly be exposed to the very "possibility" of contracting these life threatening diseases, the adult nature of the art, nor should they have to feel the aggressive, distracted and irritated stares, from the "strange person" (tattoo artist) who is doing something that in the child's view, is "hurting" it's mommy or daddy.

We all know how children are, they explore, they play, they pick stuff up and put it in their mouths! Would you want to pick ANYTHING up at a tattoo shop, hospital etc and put it in your mouth? I have worked in one for over half my life, and i can promise you, that as knowledgeable and trained (by:OSHA in "Bloodborne Pathogens and Infection Control" July 2002) as I am....THERE IS NO WAY that I would ever do it!(except for the stuff that comes out of my sterilizer of course!)

So instead of me going on and on about the millions of reasons and possible "harmful" scenarios as to why a child should not EVER be in a tattoo shop, I will finish by saying this. In my 17 years of working in the industry I have seen a decent handful of "respectable" and well behaved children waiting ever so quietly and patiently for their mom or dad while I'm working on them, yet as highly trained as I am, I can sadly say, not me, nor the parents, could ever testify that we know 100% with out a doubt...just what that child was doing while we were busy tattooing...?

Be Responsible.

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