A mum says other parents cross the road when they see her because they're scared of her tattoos.
Amy Smith, from Leicester, has been passionate about body art since she was a teenager, and is covered in ink.
But the mum-of-two has revealed that some parents aren't as accepting as others, with a number of mums and dads apparently put off by her look.
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The 23-year-old said: "Now, I have two children, Elijah and Remy, and my tattoos attract a lot of attention.
"Parents my own age can be very judgemental – some parents cross the road to get their children away from me, and I tend to get followed by security in shops that don’t know me.
"My kids have witnessed the negative comments and they see the way that it makes me feel – I feel like my kids are far more accepting than most people because of it.
"However, it can also be really heart-warming. I get spoken to a lot on the school run or at school events, and parents have even turned around and told me that they would love to be able to have tattoos like mine.
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"I know that as a parent, I shouldn’t be scared to be who I want to be."
Amy says people can be really narrow minded when it comes to what they think a parent should look like.
But despite the criticism and funny looks she often gets, Amy says she tries too instil confidence into her children, and encourages them to be comfortable in their own skin.
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"Sometimes people tell me, 'You’re a parent' or 'You’re a woman', so I 'Shouldn’t look like this' – I’ve had my fair share of backlash," she said.
"Still, some of the responses I’ve had make me feel really great – I’ve had messages on Instagram with people telling me that I’ve inspired them to get a tattoo that they wanted.
"I don’t regret a thing – my tattoos have changed my life. It’s brought so many opportunities to do some really amazing things.
"I’m comfortable with who I am, and I want to encourage my children to feel the same way."
Amy was just 13 years old when she got her first tattoo and says she hasn't looked back since.
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She said: "I’ve always been interested in tattoos. I remember watching Miami Ink when I was around 10, and from then, my heart was set on getting tattoos and learning how to do them.
"I got my first tattoo at 13 – a stick-and-poke, but because I was so hell-bent on learning how to do tattoos, I was bought a tattoo machine for my fourteenth birthday.
"That really helped me to get the practice I needed to get into the industry."
Featured Image Credit: Media Drum World