Temporary tattoos for children Have contact details if they get lost Critics say it is normalising tattoo culture
PARENTS of tearaway toddlers have turned to temporary tattoos to keep their tots safe. The toddler tattoos are personalised with a parent's contact number in case little ones go missing at shopping centres or crowded events.
Messages on the tattoo read "If I am lost please call my mum" and come in a variety of colourful designs, the Herald Sun reports. But critics say the new tattoos normalise the growing popularity of tattoos. Australian Family Association spokesman John Morrisey said temporary tattoos were just another way of pushing children into an early adulthood. "Anything that normalises pre-adult or adult behaviour for children is an invasion of their childhood," Mr Morrissey said.
"Any encouragement of children into the tattoo culture is unfortunate and could encourage children to get real tattoos."He said identity tags could easily be attached to a child's clothing or worn as a bracelet or necklace.
But businesswoman Marieke Troncoso, who founded Tat Your Tot, said she had tried everything with her runaway toddler, including identity cards, lanyards, wristbands and even writing on him with a permanent marker.
"When I would take Kyan shopping he was a bit of an escape artist, so I had to keep a real eye on him," she said. "He took off a few times and that was enough to really scare me."
After six months of research and experimenting on friends and family, the single mum launched her online business and hasn't looked back.
The temporary tattoos are also offered to the increasing number of children with food allergies. Ms Troncoso said her tattoos, which can be written on, can be worn on a child's hand making it easy for adults to spot them reaching for any off-limits food at parties.
The mother-of-three said she was aware some parents would not like the idea of temporary tattoos.
"There will always be people out there who have a problem with it and I can understand why, but for me safety comes first," she said.
Newport mum Sue Doumtsis said she thought the wash-off tattoos were a great idea and could come in handy with her two-year-old son Angus.
"He went through a stage when he would just take off and it was terrifying," she said.
"We'd have to watch him when we saw people out of the house because he would typically run outside and down the street."