10 Foster Care and Adoption Tattoos

I don’t have any tattoos and probably never will, but that doesn’t stop me from having a board on Pinterest devoted to ink.  I’ve come across a number of tattoo ideas that pay homage to foster care and adoption, so if you’re considering a new tattoo, be sure to check out these designs!

 

1. Winnie the Pooh

Winnie the Pooh is a surprising source of inspiration, but there are quite a few insightful one-liners from this childhood storybook character.  Here are some of my favorite quotes from Winnie the Pooh:

“I don’t feel very much like Pooh today,” said Pooh.

“There there,” said Piglet. “I’ll bring you tea and honey until you do.”

“If there ever comes a day we can’t be together, keep me in your heart.  I’ll stay there forever…”

“As soon as I saw you, I knew an adventure was going to happen.”

Another favorite, and tattoo inspiration, is this one:

2. Dandelions

The dandelion tattoo is a great way to represent foster children who have moved on but always have a place in your heart, and can easily be added onto as new children come and go.  This is also one that pairs well with a quote.

3. The Balance

This tattoo design is based on an art print by Christian Schloe entitled “The Balance.”  Heart vs mind is my biggest battle of being a foster parent, and this design perfectly captures that struggle.

4. Starfish

If you haven’t read “The Starfish Story,” check that out below.  We can’t save them all, but this tattoo is a reminder that we are making a difference.  If we only make a difference for one child, it’s worth it.

5. Adoption Symbol Revamped

This tattoo breathes life into the simplistic adoption symbol design by adding a pop of color.

6. Love Never Fails

This truth extends beyond foster care and adoption and is something I’d be happy to have a physical reminder of every day.

7. Arrows

Psalm 127:3-5 relates children to “arrows in the hand of a warrior” and counts the blessings of a man whose “quiver is full of them.”  Children are indeed a blessing, no matter how long long or short they’re with us.  I love the first image below that reads, “One more arrow” and the second that incorporates the word “warrior” into the design.

8. We Love Because

There will be many trying times as a foster parent.  This simple design is a powerful reminder of why we’re doing this.

9. Ohana

Ohana is a Hawaiian word for family, but it doesn’t just cover blood relatives.  It also refers to individuals who have been intentionally brought into the family by love.  Ohana emphasizes how families should work together to remember the bounds formed between each member.  If you’re a Disney fan, you could also include a Lilo and Stitch quote, “Ohana means family, family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.”

 

10. Hope as an Anchor

Hebrews 6:19 reads, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”  That single verse has been one of my mantras throughout my foster care journey.  There is hope for me.  There is hope for every child who comes through my house.

 

Have you thought of getting a foster care or adoption tattoo?  Which design is your favorite?