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August 2011 Moms
Getting LO's ears pierced POLL
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Re: Getting LO's ears pierced POLL
I voted SS. I really like ear piercing, but I don't know if my daughter will. So when she is old enough to take care of them and decide she wants them I will take her to get them done. I don't want to make that decision for her.
My sister has mentioned getting DD's ears pierced but I changed the subject. I think I am going to wait until my LO gets older & asks for it. I just can't justify at this age right now.
I considered doing it for DD. However, my skin reacts to anything but gold and I was worried DD might be the same and just couldn't justify spending $100 for my baby to get her ears pierced (that's roughly how much they would charge around here for the piercing and the gold studs).
I don't really care one way or the other though. The only time babies with earrings will get a side eye from me is when they are wearing adult size rings that they could easily get ripped out of their ears (I saw a 6-month old girl with rings big enough for me to slide a finger through)...
This. I BEGGED for it when I was 4 and my mom took me to get them done. I think that's a fair age because she was able to explain that it would hurt, but I was able to agree to it and I made the choice. If I think about it, it was probably my first "big girl" decision!
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PgAL and PAL always welcome...I used to say that I'd definitaly have my little girls ears done. However we're having a boy so we don't need to think about it right now.
If I ever do have daughter, I'll wait for her to ask me. Whether it be when she's 3 or 15. If she wants them, she can have them. If she's younger, I'll help her care for them. I have diamonds in my ears, so I'm guessing she would want them too.
My only concern is infection. When I was younger, every single time I got mine pierced, they got infected. The infection was due to my autoimmune disease and nothing to do with keeping up with them. I had mine pierced every year in the beginning of the school year for about 9 years... I just kept begging my mom to keep getting them done, and she felt bad that every time I had to take them out or else I'd get really sick, so we kept trying. Finally at age 15 they stayed.
I don't think it's that big a deal. A lot of young girls have earrings.
babies are not for bedazzling.
I think it looks horrible on a baby. I have never seen ear piercings that look cute on an infant. Not to mention, when they grow up most of the time those piercings are off center and end up needing to be redone.
Word.
I just can't imagine that the earrings would be in the right places if you pierce those tiny, tiny ears. However, I know that there are a lot of cultures in my hometown (NOLA) that get it done for infants, so I wouldn't point and snicker if I saw it. I just would never do that.
I think the start of middle school is a good age. That is when she will truly be able to care for them herself, and I can make a huge deal out of it for her. That is probably when I'll take her to a makeup counter and get her some clear mascara and other starter makeup as well.
Exactly!!!!
No way. I think it looks trashy.
We'll look into it when she asks.
Funny story, when I was 4 I offered to give up my blanket in order to get my ears pierced. Mom thought it was hilarious but agreed. I even wrapped it up to give to a neighbor who was about to have her first grandson (and this thing was ratty as could be). I was a strange child.
eta: Trashy was harh. I apologize. It's not my thing. I do understand that it's more common in some cultures.
There are pros and cons to piercing early
I used to work in a Claire's Accessories store (when I was in University, so this was a while ago) and I pierced ears. I found that it seemed much easier for babies to have their ears pierced, you'd pierce, they'd cry and you'd jingle keys in front of them for a second and they were happy again. Older kids would throw a fit, cry, hit their parent, refuse to sit still for the second ear, etc. A lot of the issue is psychological, it actually doesn't hurt as much as a shot does at the doctors' office.
It is true that if you get a piercer that is not experienced or not paying enough attention that the earrings may not be centred perfectly on the earlobe and then will look "off" as the child grows.
Care wise, it is much easier to care for a piercing as a baby, they don't play with their earrings and will let you clean them as part of a daily routine, older kids usually play with their earrings, and don't want their ears cleaned (much the same way that they don't want to take a bath!).
All of that being said, I have not pierced my 21 month old's ears and won't be doing it until she is old enough to ask for it and to promise to help take care of her ears. We will make a Mommy/Daughter day of it. She can pick out her earrings get pierced, get a cute new outfit and we'll have a lunch together. I'm hoping it will be a special memory for the both of us, and if she never wants to get her ears pierced, that's fine too, but I'd like her to be able to make her own choice.
P.S. - Parents used to get their boys ears or 1 ear pierced during infancy as well, I always thought that was really weird.
Wow...I am definitely in the minority in this.
I got my ears pierced when I was a baby and have had no problems with it. I'm actually thankful because I don't remember if it hurt so that was a huge plus. And I think the tiny little earrings are ADORABLE. Maybe it's a cultural thing for me because all the girls in my family and extended family got it done when they were babies.
But I do understand everyone's comment about waiting until she wants it done, but I do have to say that I haven't met one female who hasn't wanted pierced ears.
I'm in the same boat. I get what everyone is saying and respect the opinions, but I won't go so far as saying that the baby looks trashy. I think some of it is cultural (ie, my family's from europe, it's just done in our family, and I had my ears pierced when I was ~1.5/2yrs old). That being said, we're having a boy and don't need to worry about this now (and who knows b/c my opinion may change on this down the road). Until then, I say to each one's one...
SS: If I ever have a DD, I'd like to be able to wait until she can choose to have it done herself.
I will never forget my 7th birthday when my mom finally let me get mine done
It was so fun picking out my earrings and I felt like such a big girl when they explained to me how to keep the piercings clean.
This exactly! I had mine done when I was 6 months old and my holes will never close up! I have a little sister who is 6 and didn't get hers pierced until she was 4 (she was adopted) and now has problems all the time with her holes closing up and having to re-poke them when she wants to wear her earrings (obviously she doesn't wear them all the time). I know my mom had mine done early, and my best friend had her baby's done early because both me and my best friend's baby were both bald and it helps with the "You have such a cute little boy!" comments. (Not that it stops them all cause some people are just dumb!). Plus like other PP's have said it's really easy to care for their ears when they're younger and they're actually less likely to pull them out when they get older because they've always been there. About them growing in the wrong spots and having to get them redone... that's just a matter of getting an experienced piercer. When we took my best friend's little girl the lady explained how it may look like the baby's earrings are a little too far out now, but it will make them look right as she gets bigger. My daughter's ears will be pierced early! I think it's really cute and not trashy or bedazzling at all!
I'm shocked that my mom didn't "bedazzle" me (lol, love that!) since she had me at 16. But, even back then, it was important to her to wait for me to ask. I got them when I was 4 because I wanted them. I remember getting them completely. I remember she bribed me that we'd get ice cream if I didn't cry. I didn't cry. I barely flinched. And, it's a very rare good memory that I have of my mom from that time in my life.
I think it can be a really special "event" for mom and daughter to do at a time when daughter can ask for it and remember it. And I can't fathom putting a hole in the head of my tiny baby. No way, no how.
If this baby is a girl, we will not be piercing probably until age 7+.
In some places, getting a girl's ears pierced is not only a cultural norm, but a spiritual/religious decision.
Do what is best for you and your LO...but most importantly, Live and Let live.
this exactly. It will be my daughter's choice--I was 4 when I got mine done, and my mom made me beg and beg and then would always pinch my ears and tell me it'd hurt more than that--then I'd keep begging. She finally decided I was sincerely wanting them, and understood the upkeep/pain, and let me get them. I got my 2nd hole at 12, and 3rd at 16.
I used to work across from The Icing in the mall, and on weekends everyone would bring their babies in to pierce their ears--even across the mall and over the noise of saturday shoppers, I could hear those poor babies howling and see them thrashing trying to get away...so sad.
I think this is a pretty crappy reason to get it done. Put a bow on the kids head or a dress, something a little less permanent.
Also the issue with the holes closing up is like you said your sister didn't wear hers enough. I got mine done when I was 10 and I never had issues with my holes closing, its all a part of teaching your child to care for them.