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Parenting is not just about babies. We will eventually be raising teenagers. What parent hasn't worried about their babies doing what they did: Punk red hair? Bellybutton piercing? Tattoos? How do you explain to a three-year-old that the picture on your (fill in the blank) is not a sticker?

With help, of course.

A new children's book released this week, Mommy Has a Tattoo, by Phil Padwe tells the story of a boy named James, who is afraid of his tattooed neighbour -- that is, until he discovers that his own mommy -- no -- also has a tattoo (Mommyhastattoos.com).

According to Padwe, a New York-based author and illustrator, the book shows the importance of familiarizing young children with tattoos -- they're not scary -- and explaining that tattoos are a source of pride for many parents.

"I'm in the habit of buying books for children's presents," Padwe says. "I grew up in a family of writers and we always gave books and got a lot of books. When my tattooed friends started having kids, I looked around for children's books that dealt with tattooed parents and I was stunned that nothing existed."

Though Padwe doesn't have children, he has "a ton of tattoos." "Both of my arms are sleeved from shoulder to wrist," he says.

So far, his book has received raves (and press around the world) from librarians, schoolteachers, tattooists, tattooed parents and grandparents, and even non-tattooed parents.

"One mother told me she will only wear a one-piece bathing suit because she doesn't want her son to find out about the tattoo on her back. Another fellow sent me a letter saying that when he takes his children to the park, other parents stare at him like he's kidnapped his own children, because of all his tattoos. That hurts," Padwe says.

Padwe has also created a colouring book for children, which features 32 black-and-white outlines of real tattoos that children, aged 3 and up, can colour in.

"The fact is, kids are enamoured of tattoos. All kids love temporary tattoos and I'm here to tell the tattooed moms and dads they do not need to be ashamed. There are millions upon millions of us who were tattooed in the nineties and yes, now we're settling down and having families."

Next year, Padwe will release a second colouring book as well as his second book, Daddy Has A Tattoo."Hopefully, this book will remind everyone, adult and child, that some are more tattooed than others, but tattoos aren't a reason in themselves to be outwardly mistrustful."

Not that you'd ever let your own child get a tattoo, right?

rebeccaeckler@yahoo.com