Breeders accused of tattooing six kids

Trench Reynolds

Mother Accused of Tattooing Children Talks to Eyewitness News:

Jo-Jo Marsh of Chattanooga County, Georgia is accused of tattooing her own children. Marsh and her husband, Jacob Bartels, allegedly tattooed their six of their seven children with a tattoo gun and a guitar string used as a needle.

Marsh says it’s not that bad really…

“We were making it look like it was a cross,” said Jo-Jo Marsh, “so the kids could have something they could say it was.”

“We didn’t even break the skin barely,” said Marsh, “they are very tiny, just through a few layers, on the top, they will fade away, that’s how minuscule this is.”

We asked Marsh if she knew it was illegal to tattoo children in the state of Georgia.

“Oh God no,” she responded, “that’s why I was tripping so hard, that’s why I was so upset.”

When has it ever been legal in modern history to tattoo a minor? The youngest they tattooed was 10 years old. Why don’t you get them all Prince Alberts or clitoris piercings while you’re at it?

Nothing like branding your kid to be a pole dancer or landscaper for life.

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Tags: Chattanooga County, georgia, Jacob Bartels, Jo-Jo Marsh, tattoo

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 5th, 2010 at 2:04 amand is filed under . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

nie

what they did is wrong, but it CHATTOOGA COUNTY, not Chattanooga
nunya

these are cool parents, everyone who thinks otherwise is a lame ass bitch
- http://badbreeders.net/ April
  
  I hope you don’t have children, fucktard.
- ihavekids2
  
  So tattooing minors is OK? Let’s hope your mother tattooed the word “dipshit” on your forehead in childhood so you won’t have to ever open your mouth for people to know what you are.
Tylina

This story is bugging me big time. I got my first tattoo when I was 13 years old and it was bigger then a cross on my hand, I had 3 tattoos before the age of 18 and none of them done professionally. In this case the parents knew what they were doing, knew what was safe and what wasn’t. What would have happened if the parents refused and the children went out and let a friend do it, or did it themselves? It’s not like these kids were 3 and 4. one is 17! yeah one was 10 which sounds too young to make that kind of decision however I was thinking about it and 13 isn’t too far off from 10. I know my 9 year old asks for a tattoo all the time and his ideas of what he wants aren’t random trendy things (like a tweety bird on a hip or tigger bouncing on an arm) they are amazing deep artistic thoughtful things so I don’t think 10 is really all that young. I hope they give these parents their kids back soon and drop the whole thing.
Tylina

This story is bugging me big time. I got my first tattoo when I was 13 years old and it was bigger then a cross on my hand, I had 3 tattoos before the age of 18 and none of them done professionally. In this case the parents knew what they were doing, knew what was safe and what wasn’t. What would have happened if the parents refused and the children went out and let a friend do it, or did it themselves? It’s not like these kids were 3 and 4. one is 17! yeah one was 10 which sounds too young to make that kind of decision however I was thinking about it and 13 isn’t too far off from 10. I know my 9 year old asks for a tattoo all the time and his ideas of what he wants aren’t random trendy things (like a tweety bird on a hip or tigger bouncing on an arm) they are amazing deep artistic thoughtful things so I don’t think 10 is really all that young. I hope they give these parents their kids back soon and drop the whole thing.
Lucy Neon

“That’s why I was tripping so hard”.

Classic.
Lucy Neon

“That’s why I was tripping so hard”.

Classic.
Mare

Truman Capote said that there was one common denominator in all the murderers and criminals he interviewed or wrote about or met… not race, not class… TATTOOS. That said, I work in a library and have a wrist tattoo. Still, tattoos are considered generally dodgy in the corporate world. I have not pierced either of my daughter’s ears. They will ask when they are older. Still, I know in some cultures (Latino, Indian) it is expected, so I don’t criticize that choice. Tattooing a child, however…
It is child abuse to maim a child, as this woman has done – ignorance is no excuse.
Mare

Truman Capote said that there was one common denominator in all the murderers and criminals he interviewed or wrote about or met… not race, not class… TATTOOS. That said, I work in a library and have a wrist tattoo. Still, tattoos are considered generally dodgy in the corporate world. I have not pierced either of my daughter’s ears. They will ask when they are older. Still, I know in some cultures (Latino, Indian) it is expected, so I don’t criticize that choice. Tattooing a child, however…
It is child abuse to maim a child, as this woman has done – ignorance is no excuse.
LisaAnn

I got one tattoo before I had 2 kids, and it hasn’t faded or stretched (my shoulder survived the pregnancies well). I tattoo my 4 year old and 2 year old all the time. My baby even says ‘ow’ when I use the wet rag to apply them. When they are 18 they can pierce or tattoo anything they want, but until then they get stick on earrings and temporary tattoos.
LisaAnn

I got one tattoo before I had 2 kids, and it hasn’t faded or stretched (my shoulder survived the pregnancies well). I tattoo my 4 year old and 2 year old all the time. My baby even says ‘ow’ when I use the wet rag to apply them. When they are 18 they can pierce or tattoo anything they want, but until then they get stick on earrings and temporary tattoos.
http://www.myspace.com/aprilamber April

Temporary tattoos ROCK!! I use them when my hubby wants to play “dirty little biker slut wife”….

(just kidding) I could NEVER pull off the biker slut thing. But I CAN pull off the kinky little minx that bites and scratches thing… RAWR!!!
http://www.myspace.com/aprilamber April

Temporary tattoos ROCK!! I use them when my hubby wants to play “dirty little biker slut wife”….

(just kidding) I could NEVER pull off the biker slut thing. But I CAN pull off the kinky little minx that bites and scratches thing… RAWR!!!
http://badbreeders.net claw

Hey,
I just want to say that these parents were really stupid for tattooing their kids. My husband is a tattoo artist and we have two kids ages 13 and 8 and both my kids know that they should never ask for a real tattoo because their bodies have not finished growing, and to get a tattoo before your body stops growing is stupid. What happened to temporary tattoos? This makes my kids “want” of a tattoo satisfied and does not leave them perminatly marked for life. I personally have no problem with people that have tattoos I have a few myself, but to tattoo a kid at the age of 10 is just plain stupid. Get a grip people, Have you ever had a tattoo? They are not exactly painless. Yeah a 10 year old will think its cool, but its there forever. My suggestion to you is if your 10 year old wants a tattoo, go to your local pharmacy and buy some temporary tattoos!
- Jenn from NM
  
  Just be careful, and make sure you’re not getting them one of the problematic black henna ones (I know not exactly the same as the ones you are talking about, but henna would fall into the category of temporary, since it fades away over a matter of weeks). And by that, i mean the ones that have the stuff in them that has caused children to scar. I love the little wet them, and bam, you have a nifty looking picture on your skin for a few hours, although my son scrapes them off, lol.
http://badbreeders.net/ claw

Hey,
I just want to say that these parents were really stupid for tattooing their kids. My husband is a tattoo artist and we have two kids ages 13 and 8 and both my kids know that they should never ask for a real tattoo because their bodies have not finished growing, and to get a tattoo before your body stops growing is stupid. What happened to temporary tattoos? This makes my kids “want” of a tattoo satisfied and does not leave them perminatly marked for life. I personally have no problem with people that have tattoos I have a few myself, but to tattoo a kid at the age of 10 is just plain stupid. Get a grip people, Have you ever had a tattoo? They are not exactly painless. Yeah a 10 year old will think its cool, but its there forever. My suggestion to you is if your 10 year old wants a tattoo, go to your local pharmacy and buy some temporary tattoos!
- Jenn from NM
  
  Just be careful, and make sure you’re not getting them one of the problematic black henna ones (I know not exactly the same as the ones you are talking about, but henna would fall into the category of temporary, since it fades away over a matter of weeks). And by that, i mean the ones that have the stuff in them that has caused children to scar. I love the little wet them, and bam, you have a nifty looking picture on your skin for a few hours, although my son scrapes them off, lol.
pissed off

You’re stereotyping. I happen to have a full sleeve of tattoos, as well as various other….I’m not a landscaper nor I am a pole dancer. I am in fact a very successful photographer who makes 6 figures. So please think before you generalize.
- Morrigan
  
  generalizations suck, i agree. as a tattoo aficionado i personally don’t see a thing wrong with them on adults….on kids…well that’s just wrong. i do know, though, for a fact that there are many more businesses that will not hire if there are visible tattoos. they wont tell you that that is not the reason you aren’t getting the job, because they cant, but that’s usually the reason. it doesn’t matter how acceptable it has become in society, the stigmata is there and there isn’t much that can be done. i worked for the employment security office in my state for four years obtaining employment for persons on welfare and i know how hard it is. my advice to anyone thinking about it make sure it is something that you will love when you are ninety as much as you will love it today…only kids and parents names on your body…and personally, get it where you can cover it if need be or show it off when you want to. i would get more if i could but being a diabetic im too afraid that i would not heal well and end up in the hospital. now, if anyone knows an artist that works on dentures…that i can do…lol
- jj
  
  Lighten up. Alot of people on here, myself included, have tats and I’m hardly a stripper and I make my teenager do the yard work.
- http://www.myspace.com/aprilamber April
  
  Meh! You all have to remember that there was a time when only low life criminals and white trash rockers sported tattoos. Some people forget that it is NOW a form of art and self expression. Ignore the stereotypes.
- Kathy
  
  So, I have to get a tattoo before I can become a successful stripper or landscaper? Bummer, I’ll have to stick to the “geek work” I do now. Ah, don’t be put off by the stereotyping. There’s a lot of that on here. Now, if you’re tatted up, living in a trailer with a pitbull or two, own a snake, and live within the boundaries of WV, you’re in real trouble.
  - http://parentsbehavingbadly.com Trench Reynolds
    
    Oklahoma is starting to replace WV as may favorite state to pick on.
- heatherbelle
  
  I completely agree! I come to this website daily, and was kind of shocked when i saw that. I have 5 tattoos and my husband has 13. Neither of us work in the “entertainment” industry or the landscaping business.
pissed off

You’re stereotyping. I happen to have a full sleeve of tattoos, as well as various other….I’m not a landscaper nor I am a pole dancer. I am in fact a very successful photographer who makes 6 figures. So please think before you generalize.
- Morrigan Reighn
  
  generalizations suck, i agree. as a tattoo aficionado i personally don’t see a thing wrong with them on adults….on kids…well that’s just wrong. i do know, though, for a fact that there are many more businesses that will not hire if there are visible tattoos. they wont tell you that that is not the reason you aren’t getting the job, because they cant, but that’s usually the reason. it doesn’t matter how acceptable it has become in society, the stigmata is there and there isn’t much that can be done. i worked for the employment security office in my state for four years obtaining employment for persons on welfare and i know how hard it is. my advice to anyone thinking about it make sure it is something that you will love when you are ninety as much as you will love it today…only kids and parents names on your body…and personally, get it where you can cover it if need be or show it off when you want to. i would get more if i could but being a diabetic im too afraid that i would not heal well and end up in the hospital. now, if anyone knows an artist that works on dentures…that i can do…lol
- jj
  
  Lighten up. Alot of people on here, myself included, have tats and I’m hardly a stripper and I make my teenager do the yard work.
- http://www.myspace.com/aprilamber April
  
  Meh! You all have to remember that there was a time when only low life criminals and white trash rockers sported tattoos. Some people forget that it is NOW a form of art and self expression. Ignore the stereotypes.
- Kathy
  
  So, I have to get a tattoo before I can become a successful stripper or landscaper? Bummer, I’ll have to stick to the “geek work” I do now. Ah, don’t be put off by the stereotyping. There’s a lot of that on here. Now, if you’re tatted up, living in a trailer with a pitbull or two, own a snake, and live within the boundaries of WV, you’re in real trouble.
  - http://thetrenchcoat.com Trench Reynolds
    
    Oklahoma is starting to replace WV as may favorite state to pick on.
- heatherbelle
  
  I completely agree! I come to this website daily, and was kind of shocked when i saw that. I have 5 tattoos and my husband has 13. Neither of us work in the “entertainment” industry or the landscaping business.
Soobs

Okay, I have one tattoo, that I received when I was 40. When my 16 yr old asks when he can get one, I tell him, “when you’re 40.” End of story.

At least if she had tattooed her kids numbers 1-6, it would have made more sense. She could always count at the end of the day, and make sure they were all there.

Oh, and I did have my navel pierced. It was my “going through a divorce and turning 30″ gift. It was also between kids one and two. It’s gone now, obviously. LOL
- http://myspace.com/rorhi Jenn from NM
  
  and there was a 7 year old that they didn’t tattoo because he was “too young”. guess they decided your age needs to at least be in the double digits before you get permanently marked with ink? And they all used the same equipment, without it being sterilized in between, yuck.
  
  I plan on getting a tattoo some day, but I’m still deciding on the design, and am comfortably within the old enough to decide for yourself. And i would never get one that couldn’t be covered up when necessary, a lot of my friends have tattoos, but you would never know it unless you were friends with them, because they can keep their’s covered as required for their job.
Anonymous

Okay, I have one tattoo, that I received when I was 40. When my 16 yr old asks when he can get one, I tell him, “when you’re 40.” End of story.

At least if she had tattooed her kids numbers 1-6, it would have made more sense. She could always count at the end of the day, and make sure they were all there.

Oh, and I did have my navel pierced. It was my “going through a divorce and turning 30″ gift. It was also between kids one and two. It’s gone now, obviously. LOL
- http://myspace.com/rorhi Jenn from NM
  
  and there was a 7 year old that they didn’t tattoo because he was “too young”. guess they decided your age needs to at least be in the double digits before you get permanently marked with ink? And they all used the same equipment, without it being sterilized in between, yuck.
  
  I plan on getting a tattoo some day, but I’m still deciding on the design, and am comfortably within the old enough to decide for yourself. And i would never get one that couldn’t be covered up when necessary, a lot of my friends have tattoos, but you would never know it unless you were friends with them, because they can keep their’s covered as required for their job.
jj

Aw fuck, it’s gonna be the whole circumcision debate all over again.
- http://www.myspace.com/aprilamber April
  
  How do you circumsize a boy from Iowa?
  …..
  
  Kick his sister in the jaw.
  - jj
    
    Dumbass
    - http://www.myspace.com/aprilamber April
      
      Made you laugh though!
jj

Aw fuck, it’s gonna be the whole circumcision debate all over again.
- http://www.myspace.com/aprilamber April
  
  How do you circumsize a boy from Iowa?
  …..
  
  Kick his sister in the jaw.
  - jj
    
    Dumbass
    - http://www.myspace.com/aprilamber April
      
      Made you laugh though!
Kathy

I chose to have my ears pierced when I was a teenager. But, my mom chose to have me do it using self-piercing rings which caused major infections (the back of the piercer was a spring which decided to puncture my ear). I’m content with one hole per ear. I thought about a tattoo but then I thought about getting older and natural sag that comes from getting older. I decided that I didn’t want a ladybug to look like a ladyblob. lol To each his own if he is old enough to decide for himself (also applicable to she).
Kathy

I chose to have my ears pierced when I was a teenager. But, my mom chose to have me do it using self-piercing rings which caused major infections (the back of the piercer was a spring which decided to puncture my ear). I’m content with one hole per ear. I thought about a tattoo but then I thought about getting older and natural sag that comes from getting older. I decided that I didn’t want a ladybug to look like a ladyblob. lol To each his own if he is old enough to decide for himself (also applicable to she).
http://pagansagainstchildabuse.ning.com/ DodiaFae

Mew, while a foreskin will not grow back, pierced earing holes will close up unless you’re older. Tattoos will never go away without major scarring or covering it with another tattoo.

My ears were pierced when I was 3, and my mom had to let them close because I wouldn’t let her near them to clean. The holes completely faded long before I got to highschool age and decided to repierce them myself (I don’t recommend this, hurts like a mofo.) I haven’t worn earings for over 3 years now, and the holes still haven’t completely healed over.
- http://www.myspace.com/aprilamber April
  
  I pierced my own ears…. Through the cartilage (sp?) TWICE!!! My ears were pierced twice in the lobe. I did the third one in the lobe myself and then the two in the cartilage. I was fucking punk rock as a teenager. Pain schmain!! Now I never wear more than one pair of earings but I have a head full of holes. Sheesh!
  - Cherish
    
    I can beat that.
    List of piercings I have done myself:
    Ears (9 of them)
    Belly button
    Bridge (of my nose)
    Nose
    Septum
    Eyebrow
    I took em all out though… -sigh-
http://pagansagainstchildabuse.ning.com/ DodiaFae

Mew, while a foreskin will not grow back, pierced earing holes will close up unless you’re older. Tattoos will never go away without major scarring or covering it with another tattoo.

My ears were pierced when I was 3, and my mom had to let them close because I wouldn’t let her near them to clean. The holes completely faded long before I got to highschool age and decided to repierce them myself (I don’t recommend this, hurts like a mofo.) I haven’t worn earings for over 3 years now, and the holes still haven’t completely healed over.
- http://www.myspace.com/aprilamber April
  
  I pierced my own ears…. Through the cartilage (sp?) TWICE!!! My ears were pierced twice in the lobe. I did the third one in the lobe myself and then the two in the cartilage. I was fucking punk rock as a teenager. Pain schmain!! Now I never wear more than one pair of earings but I have a head full of holes. Sheesh!
  - Cherish
    
    I can beat that.
    List of piercings I have done myself:
    Ears (9 of them)
    Belly button
    Bridge (of my nose)
    Nose
    Septum
    Eyebrow
    I took em all out though… -sigh-
http://pagansagainstchildabuse.ning.com/ DodiaFae

Gods… How can a child be expected to make such a lifelong commitment? A tattoo is a lifelong commitment (unless you go April’s dad’s rout… OUCH!)

I had always wanted a tatoo (or three), and my husband would always wimper when I brought it up (in his way, saying that I was “perfect as is”… sweet.) I’m glad now that I listened to him, because if I had gotten any of the tattoos that I wanted, they’d be all stretched out and horrible looking after having two children. LOL

*Definitely* glad I didn’t get my navel pierced!
http://pagansagainstchildabuse.ning.com/ DodiaFae

Gods… How can a child be expected to make such a lifelong commitment? A tattoo is a lifelong commitment (unless you go April’s dad’s rout… OUCH!)

I had always wanted a tatoo (or three), and my husband would always wimper when I brought it up (in his way, saying that I was “perfect as is”… sweet.) I’m glad now that I listened to him, because if I had gotten any of the tattoos that I wanted, they’d be all stretched out and horrible looking after having two children. LOL

*Definitely* glad I didn’t get my navel pierced!
Mew

I do not now and will not ever agree with tattooing a kid, but why is it a lot of the people who see this as bad are the same people who will pierce their 2 month old daughter’s ears or remove the foreskin of their newborn son? They all fall under the same general category of “changes made to someone’s body without their permission”. It seems hypocritical to be OK with one type of legal-for-adults changes and not others.

For the record, I am fully against piercing and cosmetically altering infants and children when they are unable to consent. I just don’t see the point, but those are for another topic.
- Ihavekidstoo
  
  Mew, I totally agree. Can’t tell you how much grief I got from family and friends when I refused to circumcise my son at birth and NOT pierce my daughter’s ears until she’s old enough to ask for it herself. I am totally against anything that alters a baby’s body or a child’s body unnecessarily — of course if there are medical reasons, then that’s fine. How arrogant is it for parents to think that anything they do to their child’s body could possibly make him or her more perfect than the Good Lord himself made them? I just don’t feel that I as a parent have the right to make that kind of lifelong decision for my kids.
  
  I saw the news video of this woman saying “They’re MY kids.” As if that made it alright to do something so utterly stupid — and permanent. I wanted to shout at the screen “They’re your kids, yeah, NOT your property!”
  - http://myspace.com/rorhi Jenn from NM
    
    I made the choice not to circumcise my first son before I knew that not circumcizing was the norm in my husband’s family (and I was ready to fight not to, but didn’t have to). I don’t plan on circumcizing my current boy either. I know people say it’s harder to keep clean, but I have to call BS on that one, My husband is not and I have been with other men who aren’t, and they have no problems keeping themselves clean, and don’t run into rampant yeast infections either. It was a little weird when my husband’s grandma asked if we had circumcized our son and said “Good” when I said we hadn’t (I also found out more about my husband’s uncle than I ever wanted to know in that convo, apparently she was an early adopter of not circumcizing).
    Part of my decision was that I don’t see it as necessary since we don’t hold any religious beliefs that make it a requirement, and part of it was I didn’t want to have to deal with dirty diapers and a surgical wound needing to be kept clean. If either of them wants it done when they are grown, more power to them, but they will have the ability to make that choice, it’s their body.
    
    As for piercing ears, well, mine were pierced before i can remember, but a single hole in each lobe, and I was apparently good about letting my mom care for them, so I now have the ability to choose to wear earrings or not, and have gone for a year or more between wearing earrings without the holes closing (It is a little bit of work to get them in at first, but after that, they don’t bother me). I just can’t see piercing a girl’s ears as maiming, since most will be begging you to pierce their ears once they realize that is one more thing they can do to look like a princess. but I wouldn’t pierce any other part of my child’s body, or tattoo them before thay are old enough to decide. Probably will sit down and talk about it with them if they ask for tats as a teenager, more i the lines of encouraging them to wait until they are at least of legal age for it, and encouraging them to pick a nice design and use a reputable artist (I know of several good places in town, and of at least one good freelance artist as well, and have seen samples of work on my friends).
Mew

I do not now and will not ever agree with tattooing a kid, but why is it a lot of the people who see this as bad are the same people who will pierce their 2 month old daughter’s ears or remove the foreskin of their newborn son? They all fall under the same general category of “changes made to someone’s body without their permission”. It seems hypocritical to be OK with one type of legal-for-adults changes and not others.

For the record, I am fully against piercing and cosmetically altering infants and children when they are unable to consent. I just don’t see the point, but those are for another topic.
- Ihavekidstoo
  
  Mew, I totally agree. Can’t tell you how much grief I got from family and friends when I refused to circumcise my son at birth and NOT pierce my daughter’s ears until she’s old enough to ask for it herself. I am totally against anything that alters a baby’s body or a child’s body unnecessarily — of course if there are medical reasons, then that’s fine. How arrogant is it for parents to think that anything they do to their child’s body could possibly make him or her more perfect than the Good Lord himself made them? I just don’t feel that I as a parent have the right to make that kind of lifelong decision for my kids.
  
  I saw the news video of this woman saying “They’re MY kids.” As if that made it alright to do something so utterly stupid — and permanent. I wanted to shout at the screen “They’re your kids, yeah, NOT your property!”
  - http://myspace.com/rorhi Jenn from NM
    
    I made the choice not to circumcise my first son before I knew that not circumcizing was the norm in my husband’s family (and I was ready to fight not to, but didn’t have to). I don’t plan on circumcizing my current boy either. I know people say it’s harder to keep clean, but I have to call BS on that one, My husband is not and I have been with other men who aren’t, and they have no problems keeping themselves clean, and don’t run into rampant yeast infections either. It was a little weird when my husband’s grandma asked if we had circumcized our son and said “Good” when I said we hadn’t (I also found out more about my husband’s uncle than I ever wanted to know in that convo, apparently she was an early adopter of not circumcizing).
    Part of my decision was that I don’t see it as necessary since we don’t hold any religious beliefs that make it a requirement, and part of it was I didn’t want to have to deal with dirty diapers and a surgical wound needing to be kept clean. If either of them wants it done when they are grown, more power to them, but they will have the ability to make that choice, it’s their body.
    
    As for piercing ears, well, mine were pierced before i can remember, but a single hole in each lobe, and I was apparently good about letting my mom care for them, so I now have the ability to choose to wear earrings or not, and have gone for a year or more between wearing earrings without the holes closing (It is a little bit of work to get them in at first, but after that, they don’t bother me). I just can’t see piercing a girl’s ears as maiming, since most will be begging you to pierce their ears once they realize that is one more thing they can do to look like a princess. but I wouldn’t pierce any other part of my child’s body, or tattoo them before thay are old enough to decide. Probably will sit down and talk about it with them if they ask for tats as a teenager, more i the lines of encouraging them to wait until they are at least of legal age for it, and encouraging them to pick a nice design and use a reputable artist (I know of several good places in town, and of at least one good freelance artist as well, and have seen samples of work on my friends).
http://www.myspace.com/aprilamber April

Okay…. My Dad got a jailhouse tat when he was 19 of my mother’s name. During is next stay in jail, the stupid fucker had it SCRUBBED off with fucking rocksalt!!! ROCK fucking SALT!!!! Ouch! Anyhow, the tat is no longer there – instead he has a major scar and a horrible story that will forever keep me from branding myself with ink.

That had nothing to do with this classy mother….. Just an entetaining bit of information about my sperm donor. Thank God for step parents (yes! not all are bad). I can’t imagine what sort of a skank I would be if my father had raised me. YIKES! I’d probably be just like Blow Job Betty here – tattooing up my kids and falling off bar stools.
http://www.myspace.com/aprilamber April

Okay…. My Dad got a jailhouse tat when he was 19 of my mother’s name. During is next stay in jail, the stupid fucker had it SCRUBBED off with fucking rocksalt!!! ROCK fucking SALT!!!! Ouch! Anyhow, the tat is no longer there – instead he has a major scar and a horrible story that will forever keep me from branding myself with ink.

That had nothing to do with this classy mother….. Just an entetaining bit of information about my sperm donor. Thank God for step parents (yes! not all are bad). I can’t imagine what sort of a skank I would be if my father had raised me. YIKES! I’d probably be just like Blow Job Betty here – tattooing up my kids and falling off bar stools.
Kathy

I agree with Jams that this wasn’t abuse so much as a stupid idea that, like most stupid ideas, wasn’t well thought out. I don’t think they should lose the kids (assuming no other abuse is found), but what should happen? Parenting classes? I don’t recommend jail time because then you have a gaggle of kids with no one to care for them. I dunno what an appropriate consequence should be for this issue.
Kathy

I agree with Jams that this wasn’t abuse so much as a stupid idea that, like most stupid ideas, wasn’t well thought out. I don’t think they should lose the kids (assuming no other abuse is found), but what should happen? Parenting classes? I don’t recommend jail time because then you have a gaggle of kids with no one to care for them. I dunno what an appropriate consequence should be for this issue.
Jams

As a tattoo artist myself, I can say that while they may fade…they will be there forever. “only through a few layers of skin?” How many layers of skin do these kids have?! Ya, that’s all a tattoo is…a very expensive abrasion…even the best tattoos aren’t deep. This is why these things should be left to the professionals.
I am covered with tattoos..sleeves, hands, neck, legs, etc, etc (and work for the federal government as well btw and no problem there either) but if my daughter asked for a tattoo…she’d be waiting until I deemed her mature enough (and that is NOT 10!) to commit to such a lifelong thing…it’s permanent! AND…nope, no hands, face, etc…usually these areas being tattooed are corporate “suicide”. I don’t think this was a case of intentional abuse…however, this was definitely a prime example of stupid people shouldn’t breed!
Jams

As a tattoo artist myself, I can say that while they may fade…they will be there forever. “only through a few layers of skin?” How many layers of skin do these kids have?! Ya, that’s all a tattoo is…a very expensive abrasion…even the best tattoos aren’t deep. This is why these things should be left to the professionals.
I am covered with tattoos..sleeves, hands, neck, legs, etc, etc (and work for the federal government as well btw and no problem there either) but if my daughter asked for a tattoo…she’d be waiting until I deemed her mature enough (and that is NOT 10!) to commit to such a lifelong thing…it’s permanent! AND…nope, no hands, face, etc…usually these areas being tattooed are corporate “suicide”. I don’t think this was a case of intentional abuse…however, this was definitely a prime example of stupid people shouldn’t breed!
Morrigan

While I have to agree that tattooing your minor children was a guaranteed bonehead thing to do, I do have to say that my first husband got his first tat at 17. From a reputable artist with parental consent…not from mom and dad using a jailhouse tat gun. My husband has 5 tats and I myself have 2. Both of us are successful in our careers and neither of us work in the landscaping or adult entertainment industries. and tats on the hand?? never a good choice in my personal opinion. With that said, the mom is probably correct…IF they only went through a few layers then when the scabs go away so will the tattoos…BUT there will be scars. i don’t care how shallow these were, its painful no matter what.
Morrigan Reighn

While I have to agree that tattooing your minor children was a guaranteed bonehead thing to do, I do have to say that my first husband got his first tat at 17. From a reputable artist with parental consent…not from mom and dad using a jailhouse tat gun. My husband has 5 tats and I myself have 2. Both of us are successful in our careers and neither of us work in the landscaping or adult entertainment industries. and tats on the hand?? never a good choice in my personal opinion. With that said, the mom is probably correct…IF they only went through a few layers then when the scabs go away so will the tattoos…BUT there will be scars. i don’t care how shallow these were, its painful no matter what.