When do you think it's a good age to pierce your child's ears? My mom refused to let me do it until I was FOURTEEN. A bit much I think. I really wanted to do Keira's when she was like 3 months old, but DH said absolutely not and she also discovered her ears pretty early and we both didn't want her ripping out the earrings. Chloe is 6 and has asked just a few times. My cousin just took her almost 6 year old and her 4 year old yesterday. I am thinking it might be time for Chloe. (I still think Keira would look darn cute but I don't think DH would let that happen.)
What are your thoughts?
Re: Ear Piercing?
i got mine done when i was 5, so to me that's a pretty good age. i think now would be a great time to do chloe's ears since she would be old enough to really participate in taking care of them.
one more thought though, my mom had both mine pierced at the same time and if you could, i would probably recommend going that route, otherwise depending on her pain/scaredness you may end up with only one ear done!
I think it's okay when they are old enough to understand what's going on, and also, when they want it. So I'd think Chloe is at a good age. I think I was about 5 or 6 - don't quite remember - but I remember wanting it and remember everything about the experience.
I was 13 when I got mine pierced and I had to sign a contract to my parents promising to take care of them, clean them properly, and not wear any unapproved earrings (no hoops and no dangly earrings). My parents were a tiny bit strict with me, lol! My sisters both got theirs pierced at 10 I think.
I think my parents were a bit extreme, but I do think it's important that the kid is old enough to take care of them on their own. I am thinking maybe around 8 for Maddie (if she's asking for them), unless she wants them earlier and is very mature for her age.
Yeah, I should add that I'd expect DD to be able to take care of them - so her maturity level will also play a factor.
Great idea about getting them both done at the same time - I know I was almost the kid who had one ear pierced - for some reason, it really hurt/bothered me and I remember crying a lot. But I did tough it out and get both done - hehe!
I, too, had a strict mom and didn't get my ears pierced until I was a teen. However, I still really don't wear earrings that often - mostly due to the work I've done for the past 7 years (little muchkins LOVE to pull earrings!). I think once I go into teaching it will become more of a desire to wear them....ANYWAY...Both of DH nieces have their ears pierced. I don't know when the older one had it done (she's almost 11 now), but the 6 yr old just had it done within the past year and either between them not getting taken care of or just the unfortunate circumstances some people have in healing one of the holes got really infected and they had to remove the earring. It actually closed up around her earring, so getting it out was NOT a pleasant experience. However, her other hole is fine and she refuses to take the earring out, so she walks around with one earring!
I think 5-6 is a good age, but even a "promise" to take care of it doesn't necessarily mean anything. It really depends on the child's maturity and understanding of what it means to take care of your body and it requires effort on the parent's behalf to make sure the children are following through with the care. Just a few days of neglect can lead to serious infection and ruin the whole process and then she'd have to wait even longer to get them re-pierced. It depends on the child, really, so if you think she's ready then go for it, but a good talk with her about it will go a long way!
I didn't get mine done til I was 13. DH and I have talked and we will let Allie get hers pierced when she asks for it. Whether that's 5, 10 whatever. My friend's daughter wanted hers pierced for her 3rd birthday and has done well with it.
I got mine done around 5 and still remember picking out the earrings and getting them done and how excited I was about it. I also remember learning to cleaning them and doing it each night by myself after I brushed my teeth.
I will probably wait until the girls ask for it and are old enough to take care of them. I have enough trouble getting Ky to sit still for a teeth brushing - ear cleaning would be torture.
Catching up on sports news...
I'll be the oddball. I got mine pierced when I was 2. My mom said it was no big deal at all, and she had no problems keeping them clean. They've never gotten infected.
My sisters got theirs done when they were 5, and they both got infections so bad they had to take them out. They just would not keep their hands off of them. My mom said I never touched mine.
I know I'm in the minority, but if/when I have a daughter, I will probably get her ears pierced when she's a baby. I realize it's an unpopular opinion, but I wanted to add some diversity to the conversation.
I always had a cute little side-parted haircut (think Legend of Billie Jean or a super-short Ellen Degeneres) until I was 17. When I was 2-3 years old, people thought I was a boy. Mom asked me if I wanted my ears pierced and I said SURE! So around my third birthday, while at my grandparents...I got 'em pierced.
Due to the pain, I ALMOST didn't get the second one done, but I was so proud and thought I was darn cute once they were in and I had a lollipop. Grandparents freaked, my dad thought it was cute....no infections and one happy kid whom no one mistook for a boy anymore.
The end.
(Really tiny tiny babies with pierced ears freak me out, but anything over 18 months to me is fine.)