Before my daughter was born, I got a traditional heart-and-sparrow tattoo with the banner left empty. My wife and I already had her name picked out, but out of superstition, we wanted to wait until she was born before I inked it on my body.

It’s a common tattoo where people fill the banner with“mom” and “dad.” Because my wife and I were naming our daughter Radley, I thought it’d be so cool to have mine say Rad.

It wasn’t until she was over four months old that I filled in her nickname on my arm. Since then, I’ve gotten plenty more, but that one’s still my favorite – and it’s safe to say it’s hers too.

My daughter likes to point at all my tattoos and give them nicknames.

Especially during bathtime, she points at Mr. Lucky on my right wrist and calls him “pirate,” then at my merman, Hot Stuff, and calls him “Ariel” – I guess to her, any merman counts as one of her favorite Disney princesses. The best is when she points to the heart and sparrow, saying “That’s me!”

It always makes me smile. There’s something about her toddler excitement, like she knows this one’s just for her. It never washes off, and she sees it on my arm every single day.

Body art, baby gates

I’m 37, and it’s pretty obvious I’m not the only tattooed dad my age. So I wanted to find out how many parents my age have tattoos and how their kids react to them.

It took more than a Google search to find that 62% of Millennial parents have tattoos.

That stat is from a report titled “How Many Gen Z and Millennials Have Tattoos, and One Big Reason They Get Them,” published by YPulse, a research firm focused on Youth Culture. YPulse was founded in 2004, which might be why they still survey people my age.

“The young people most likely to be tatted now are Millennial parents, 62% of whom tell YPulse they have tattoos,” the survey paper says. “This may come as a surprise, as in the past parents might be the most scrutinized for having tattoos. But now, Millennial parents are breaking out of traditional expectations in many ways.”

Why I keep getting them

I’ve gotten about four tattoos in the past month and a half. I try to schedule them throughout the year so they don't interfere with bills, work, and dad duties.

By this point, it’s kind of cliché to me when people talk about “ink therapy,” but it is true. I always feel refreshed after getting a new one.

There’s something exciting about getting a permanent piece of art: the adrenaline rush of the needle first touching down, and the discipline and mental stillness to endure the full tattoo.

I’ve also been going to the same artist since before my daughter was born. He’s a dad of three, a fan of the same music, and I love catching up with him when I’m in the chair.

YPulse’s survey found that 79% of all respondents say, “The way I feel about my personal appearance affects my mental health.” And one in four Millennials said getting a tattoo is a form of personal care.

I agree with both. It’s not as simple as going to the gym or getting a haircut, but man, when I get a fresh tattoo, I’m motivated to take care of it, exercise, and eat better.

My parents and older coworkers have been telling me since I was young that I’ll regret my tattoos when old and out of shape. If anything, it’s made me try harder to take care of myself.

Enduring the pain of getting inked doesn’t feel all that different from the pain that comes with everything else worth having.

These tattoos are part of who I am.

They’re one of many things I can bond with my daughter over. People have asked how I feel about her wanting to get tattoos when she’s older. My response is always the same: I’ll go with her and make sure she doesn’t get anything stupid.

Maybe we’ll get matching tattoos.