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Your kids do not belong in tattoo shops any more than they belong in bars, methadone clinics, or porn shops. And I say this as a heavily tattooed bartender who does not object to the existence of methadone clinics and porn shops. Tattoo parlors are for adults, playgrounds are for children.

I can only hope that you are visiting a tattoo shop where the artists are professionals who are attempting to run their own businesses and profit off of their creativity. A professional can answer questions about blood borne pathogens and autoclave sterilization. If your chosen tattoo artist can't, and is also working out of his garage or a van with no license plates in Wal-Mart's parking lot, you probably need to keep your children away from him. And you probably need to visit more tattoo shops.

With that said, your kids do not belong in professional tattoo shops either. I believe that there's three reasons why parents bring their kids to tattoo shops. One, they haven't considered the fact that the trip is going to be boring for the child and that the child will probably act up. Two, they don't have anybody to supervise the child while they're gone. Three, they want their children to learn about tattoos and body modification in a positive light.

If you don't have anyone that will appropriately supervise your child while you are getting tattooed, then you probably need to look at your priorities as a parent. If you want your children to be open and accepting towards tattooed and modified people then there are other social settings where that can be facilitated such as tattoo conventions, church events, and family reunions. Take your kids to the library and check out some books on the topic. If you have very young children Phil Padwe wrote a book called "Mommy Has A Tattoo" and has also published a coloring book of tattoo designs. If your children are older, you might want to take them to see a performance by The Enigma or The Lizardman. There are also a variety of television shows and documentaries about tattoo artists and tattooed people.

It's not that anything particularly bad or controversial is going on at these shops; it's a liability for the artists. Kids can be loud and that's distracting. You don't want somebody that's permanently embedding ink in to your hide to get distracted and mess up the design. Kids also like to run around and get in to things. This is not only distracting for the artist, it's dangerous. Junior could run in to a tattooist who is working on somebody or stick himself on something out of the biohazardous containers. He could damage shop equipment, supplies, or furniture. You might think that Junior is adorable when he behaves this way, but believe me when I say that your tattoo artist does not share these sentiments. Neither do the other customers in the shop.

The "no kids" rule also includes your teenagers. Most states and local jurisdictions have laws against tattooing minors. Your under-aged teenager's presence could cause problems for your tattoo artist if the health department decides to pop in for a surprise visit, even if the minor is not the one under the needle.

Respect and consideration is a two-way street. I've been in a lot of tattoo shops over the years, and most of the artists working in them are courteous people. Do not take personal offense to their "No Children Allowed" signs. They don't hate your children and they don't hate you for having children; many are parents themselves. They take pride in their work and are trying to make a living.

Learn more about this author, Carrie Burrows.
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