Everything your teen needs to know about getting tattooed. This one-off lesson is designed to guide your teen through the complexities of choosing their first tattoo with confidence and care. I do not promote young people getting tattooed, but I know that young people are safer and make better choices when they are equipped with knowledge. 

I am a heavily tattooed teacher (online and in person) and I used to have a column in a tattoo magazine. This puts me in a unique position, to help educate young people about tattoos.

As parents, it’s natural to be concerned if your teen starts thinking about wanting a tattoo. While you may not necessarily want to encourage this choice, it's important to equip them with the knowledge to make healthy and informed decisions when they're old enough. By understanding the potential health risks and the importance of careful planning, we can guide our teens towards making choices that they won't regret later on.

I do not advocate for any young person to get tattooed below the legal age. I want our learners to be safe and to make considered and educated decisions when they are old enough to do so.

Tattoos have become a mainstream form of self-expression, and they are no longer the job-stoppers they once were. Take me as an example! I am a school teacher complete with hand, neck and face tattoos. 

As more teens show interest in getting tattooed, it’s crucial they make thoughtful and informed decisions. 

This lesson is designed to guide your teen through the complexities of choosing their first tattoo with confidence and care. There is a lot of discussion and information provided - a safe non-judgemental space for us to discuss tattooing and being a tattooed person.

First, we will consider some of the cultural and historical context around tattooing and tattooed people.

We will then look at the factors to consider before getting tattooed. We will look at different genres and styles and think about how placement could impact a design. 

We will look at how we can choose a studio and artist - what to look for and what to avoid.

We will move on to learning about the tattoo process, and the critical need to consider health and hygiene. There are risks and precautions that are so important to understand before stepping foot into a studio.

This will lead us to learn the legal restrictions where we live, and reflect upon why these exist. Following the laws around tattoos keep us safe and this will be highlighted during the class.

As a heavily tattooed professional, I believe that young people can make smarter decisions when they are empowered with knowledge. I do not advocate for any young person to get tattooed below the legal age. I want our learners to be safe and to make considered and educated decisions when they are old enough to do so.