Do You Write on Your Hand?

Updated on October 25, 2011
R.D. asks from Richmond, VA
27 answers

I am constantly making myself little notes on the back of my left hand. I've been doing this since elementary school. My art teacher one time said 'here's a piece of paper, don't write on your hand'... I told her I lose paper, but I can't lose my hand :) She told me I was going to get ink poisoning... I researched it; you can't get ink poisoning. I got 1 hour in school detentions for 'sassing'... but I wasn't wrong :)

Well this morning, I wrote on my daughters hand 'hoodie' because she left her hoodie on the bus last Friday (brand new freaking hoodie too!!) because she asked me to, so she would remember. I just got a call from one of the parents at the school, who was dropping her own children off, and she told me that I should NEVER write on my child like that... and went off on me.

LOL, REALLY?! 1- mind your business. 2- I'll do with my children what I damn well please. 3- it's not harming her in any way; how is this different from face paint, fake tattoos, and nail polish? 4- Again, MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS LADY!!

Anyway, I even went as far as calling the pediatrician just to ask... they laughed at me and said it's fine.

SO, I was just wondering, do YOU write little notes on your hand? Does it bug you when your child writes on their hands?

(I've also had parents see MY hand and start complaining about their kids doing it... to each their own!)

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

So What Happened?

@KM, not a bad idea, but I have tattoos on the inside of my wrists ;) Made me think of the line from Forest Gump, 'Seat's taken!'

Featured Answers

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

I don't but only because it drives me crazy to have writing on my hand. I don't worry about lead poisoning.

I can't believe that someone called you. I would have thanked the pen Nazi for calling me and hung up but then I am antisocial like that. Well and too busy to listen to someone rant about something that is clearly not their concern.

Funny thing is after the kindergarten graduation kerfuffle no one calls me anymore to tell me how to parent. :p

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.G.

answers from Boston on

If someone called me up to yell at me for writing on my kids hand they would go to school the next day with something on their forehead.

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.T.

answers from Victoria on

I do it! As I type this my kids snuck some dry erase markers. My daughters legs are all green and my son has orange! IDK it comes off in the wash ;)

2 moms found this helpful

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.J.

answers from Seattle on

I not only write on my hand, and have written on my son's:

- I've given him a mustasche
- drawn dragons on him
- drawn half a treasure map on his back (and the other half on his cousin's, so they had to work together to find their cupcakes)

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.F.

answers from Fargo on

Good grief, that lady needs a hobby. Writing on the hand is not a big deal at all. If your daughter remembers her hoodie, than you accomplished much! So sorry that the woman had the gall to call you and go off on you.

This reminds me of a woman in my town who greatly disapproves of me giving my kids insulin for Type 1 diabetes because SHE would never want to medicate her children. Some people are so stupid!!!!!

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.C.

answers from Salt Lake City on

LOL! When I was a kid, writing on our skin was a HUUUGE no-no. Like, as bad as cussing no-no! My mom hated writing on skin; she thought it looked dirty, and if we did it we were punished.
I do not write on my own skin; I am a list-maker and always have pen and paper or at least my I-phone that I can make notes on. But as for my kids, I allow them to write on their skin. My youngest went through a stage where she loved Care Bears, so every day we would draw a different "belly badge" on her tummy and sometimes I would even add a little heart on her nose so she looked like a Care Bear. My 6 year old loves dressup, so sometimes she draws rings onto her fingers and watches and bracelets onto her arms. Yesterday I pulled out my paints and painted fake henna all over her hands and arms. My mom will still get upset if she sees the kids with ink on them, but I don't see the harm. (As long as it is not the day before picture day ;)

By the way, a while back, a few different mamas on this site mentioned that they write their phone number in permanent marker on their kids arms when they go somewhere busy, like a carnival or water park, so if the kiddo gets lost, their parents can be easily called. Cool idea!

And, lastly- that lady must be a nut! I am dying to know what you said to her!

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.S.

answers from Chicago on

I used to until I got my iPhone. But if it works for you and it helped your daughter remember her coat then I say ingenious idea.

I have a friend that is a nurse that when they take their kids to places like an amusement park she writes her cell number in permanent marker on their bellys. If they get lost the kids can show it to an authority figure if something horrible happens emergency medical people will come across it but an average person will not see it.

So I am not sure what this mothers concern was but it wasn't her place. If she truly believed you were harming your child their is a way to share that more effectively.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

No I don't. But if you want to, knock yourself out.
And, that mom? Rude and totally out of line. I agree....MYOB!!!!

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.P.

answers from New York on

First, that parent needs to find better things to do with her time. Second, you can't get ink poisoning from writing on your hand, nor can you get lead poisoining from a pencil b/c there's actually very little lead in there.

Anyway, no I don't write on my hand. Not trying to "sass", but I'm a grown-up and have figured out other ways to remind myself of things. I write lists (usually on giant post-its) and keep a little spiral notebook with me at all times to write things down. Before the dawning of PDA/Smart Phones, my day planner looked light a flight planner with arrows and post-its.

Time to start teaching the girls some "life long" reminding strategies. Depending on their future careers, writing a note on their hand may be a real no-no. Could you imagine an attorney or CEO doing that? Nope. Just a thought!

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.N.

answers from Baton Rouge on

I do it all the time, and so does my daughter.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.M.

answers from Chicago on

I used to not so much anymore. If you write them on the inside of your wrist they tend to last longer. My daughter also knows that she can write on any part of her body as long as it is with washable markers.

1 mom found this helpful

K.S.

answers from Mansfield on

I always write little notes on my hand. If I don't I usually forget to do something. lol
As for my son, I think its perfectly fine for him to do it to. I see nothing wrong with it.
As for that other parent who called you, she should of never said a word, it was none of her business.

1 mom found this helpful

A.M.

answers from Kansas City on

I used to...I don't now though (or as often) because of my iPhone...

Ok, calling you because your wrote on your child's hand, is out of line. Holy cow, what if you wrote on her forehead? Would she show up at your door?

Sorry, I know it wasn't funny at the time but I seriously can't (oops there's that word) keep a straight face! The waisted time and energy of this other mom is beyond me.

She should maybe focus on the kid who probably came to school hungry this morning and not the one who had one word written on her hand. Oi!

Oh and she better not look at my kids...fake tatoos everywhere except the face...(face and neck are a no, no, otherwise free range).

1 mom found this helpful

G.T.

answers from Redding on

I had a job on a production floor for 10 years, used to write on the palm of my left hand quite often.

1 mom found this helpful

H.V.

answers from Cleveland on

I used completely cover the tops of my left and right had in designs. haha would look like I had tattoos all over them
I used to get yelled at by my teachers.
I had a hard time listening to teachers because I was always drawing.
Up until highschool I got in trouble for it.
Then I had an art teacher who used to rave about my drawing on my hands and how I was always drawing.
In the middle of his class he would grab my sketchbook (i was his TA) hold it in the air and say "see class..THIS is what you all need to be doing, you all need to be like Hannah"
It was awkward lol

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.T.

answers from Madison on

I used to write on my hand when I was a kid, but not anymore. I just don't think it looks nice/professional.

But if you want to, it is your own business... And if my kid wanted to, I would be fine with it.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.H.

answers from St. Louis on

yep, the tops of my hands are also known as my "notepads"!

& if, after several attempts, I'm not getting results from my son over something at school....I write it on his hand. Makes him mad! Too bad....:)

& if I'm writing/working on something, the kids love getting rings! A little bit of ink goes a long way.....

1 mom found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

Man! The things some people get wound up over!
I've written on my hand from time to time.
My husband does too on occasion.
When our son was 3, he decided to use washable markers all over his face as 'Indian paint' - the picture I have is adorable.
I've got to tell you, 'washable' still was a hard thing to get off his face.
Some people use Sharpie markers as a cheap way to color their nails.
Perhaps you should write 'mind your own business' on her hand for a few days and see what sort of responses you get.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.C.

answers from Savannah on

I used to. Very rare now, but I keep my planner with me so if I need to make a quick note it's in there. I would be annoyed if some random adult called me to go off on me about writing on my son though. That wouldn't go over too well.

1 mom found this helpful

M.L.

answers from Houston on

What, a parent actually called you? Is that even allowed, like isn't the school phonebook only for school related things? I hope you gave her a piece of your mind and hung up on her.

And yes, I write on my hand... I use to doodle all over it and my arms when I was a kid, but now it is very rare, like once a year or so, because I usually make notes on a paper or on my cell phone. I don't think it's a good habit to get kids into.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

Wow, that parent had a lot of nerve! I write on the palm of my hand at least weekly and I have since I was a kid. I am completely on your side. I have no problem when my child decide to write on himself, it is temporary after all. Tattoos would be a whole different story...lol.

1 mom found this helpful

A.W.

answers from Kalamazoo on

YES! Not so much anymore, but always thru school.

I've drawn little flowers etc on my daughter just for fun! Usually with a freckle in the center. She loves it!

F.H.

answers from Phoenix on

I have done the same thing for YEARS! But I don't write the whole word, I would have just written "H" and hoped I remembered it was for "hoodie". I have done it in front of other adults who will say, "here, I have a piece of paper" but I just say the same thing, "thanks, but I will loose it". And if hubby says, "honey, can you pick up my dry cleaning", I will reach for a pen and write "DC" on the top of my left hand. It will stay there until I pick it up. I have not done it to my kids...yet... =)

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.C.

answers from Des Moines on

I write on my hand all the time!

And my son's daycare draws a small smiley face on their hands if they've been exceptionally good!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

No, I don't write on my hand.
There have been times when I have though about writing "LUNCHBOX" across my son's head in red Sharpie...but I digress...

This would be a non-issue and not a blip on the radar, had it not been for this self-righteous person, with nothing better to do, than to see the writing on your daughter's hand, be bold enough to ask about it, expend the energy to call you & "go off" on you.
What's UP with that?
How very strange that an adult would take the time to do that.
The thought might pass through my brain...but I doubt I would seek out the mom and "go off"! I guess consider the source.
Maybe she's a Serial B? Takes all kinds, I guess.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

I write stuff all the time on my hands, I don't lose them either, what a marvelous idea. Tell her to hush and not bother you.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

1) Yes I do.
2) No don't mind, if my kids do it.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions