Everyone of us wants nothing more than for our kids to feel secure in their own skin and protected from harm.

Unfortunately, the world isn’t perfect, and deviations in a child’s look or conduct can sometimes lead to cruel remarks and judgmental attitudes that have no place in contemporary society.

I have clear memories of the times when my kids would sob uncontrollably as they returned home from school after being teased or called names.

Although I’ll admit I did become angry with the guilty youngsters, what troubled me the most was my concern that my child may lose confidence and start to doubt themselves.

One father from Alberta, Canada, has firsthand experience with that.

According to accounts, 8-year-old Derek Prue Jr. was born with a massive birthmark that spans much of his chest.

The mark did not injure him in any way, but it caused him to feel self-conscious and anxious about what other kids would think.

Simply put, Derek didn’t want to stand out from the crowd because his birthmark made him unique.

He had no idea, though, that his father was prepared to go to tremendous measures to make sure that his son would never have to experience a lack of confidence again.

According to Derek, who spoke candidly to CBC News, his father once went out and got a massive tattoo that exactly matched his son’s birthmark.

Additionally, he did it covertly, revealing it to Derek Jr. one day as he was having fun in a hotel pool with his sisters.

Without a doubt, Derek was astonished—in the best conceivable manner. The young youngster claimed that he fell back into the pool grinning broadly.

Derek remarked, ‘I was thrilled and a little perplexed.’ ‘I had no idea he would do that.’
Derek Sr. was aware that his kid had started to feel self-conscious.

Derek Sr. remarked, ’I knew he was self-conscious about it.’ I felt motivated to act after observing his response since I didn’t want him to be the only one.

After Derek Sr. made the decision to have the tattoo, he immediately started looking for a skilled tattoo artist.

Tony Gibbert, owner of the Juicy Quill tattoo shop in Stony Plain, Alberta, was ultimately chosen by him. Gibbert nodded swiftly and got to work fulfilling Derek’s dreams.

Derrick Jr. and Derrick Sr. are shown here. It’s awesome that he could do this to boost his son’s confidence

and that we could be a part of their tale because he is the father who had his son’s birthmark inked.

Juicy Quill Tattoo published a message on December 10, 2020. In total, Gibbert worked for 30 hours to complete his task.

Gibbert told CBC, ‘He’s been through the wringer sitting for that.’ ‘That hurts quite a bit.
’I think it’s fantastic to be able to console your son in that way,’ the tattoo artist continued.

’It’s not just that your child sees your name or whatever; you get to genuinely alter how he feels about himself.

The simple act of being able to go swimming with his father, take off his shirt, and feel content and at ease.

I’m glad I got to participate in it. I am able to assist him in some tiny way in what he is attempting.

’I remember the first time coming in, laying down, and then after maybe three, four hours, I was like,

‘Yeah, are we almost done?’’ Derek Sr. recounted of the tattooing experience. We’re almost finished with the outline, Tony says.