At what age did you/would you allow your daughter to get her ears pierced?

[Mommy22alyns]

And if you think ear piercing is gross - you should have SEEN the size of the needle they use for navel piercing!!!!:tongue_smilie:

 

 

And the one they use for tongue piercings... :001_huh: :D

[myfatherslily]

My DD (almost 6) is not interested at ALL, but if she really wanted to (and had for awhile), I'd let her. If she was older (9 or 10), I'd let her without long term begging:)

[EthiopianFood]

And the one they use for tongue piercings... :001_huh: :D

 

I was so scared when I got mine done, I don't even really remember. :001_huh:

[3peasinapod]

My second DD wanted it done at 4 years old. My oldest wanted it done at 5, but just recently she lost an earring, and it closed. I didn't notice. I asked if she wanted it done again, and she said she woudl wait. Okay.

[Haiku]

My dd was 13 when she got her ears pierced. I would probably let a child get them pierced at 12. I got mine done at 10, when my aunt took me to the mall and lied about being my mother so I could get them done for my birthday. :) She was the cool aunt. ;)

 

My dd is now almost 16 and will be getting her nose pierced as soon as she saves the $. I was going to let her get a tat for her 14th birthday but found out that no reputable place would tattoo a child under 16.

 

Tara

[ereks mom]

We wanted her to be old enough/responsible enough 1) to take care of her new piercings by herself AND (more importantly) 2) to realize that, even though the holes are small and barely noticeable, piercings are PERMANENT alterations to the body.

 

For the same reason as #2 above, my parents always told me that I would not be allowed to get my ears pierced until I was an adult and living on my own. I finally had my ears pierced when was 17 and no longer living in their home. However, I did ask their permission, and they agreed. ;)

Edited April 17, 2010 by ereks mom

[pqr]

16 or 17 for the daughter, for the boys not while they are under my roof.

[Haiku]

I really want my dh to get his done, but he doesn't want to. He said if I let him get another tattoo, he'll get his ears done. ;)

 

Tara

[IsabelC]

None of my kids have (yet) expressed any interest in getting piercings. My preliminary thoughts are that we'd probably let them do it whenever they want to (yes, the boy too), as long as they pay for it and as long as they get it done by somebody experienced (no DIY piercings!). We'd probably make them wait if they wanted eyebrow or nose piercings (or the other place that could have health implications) until they were a bit older. I think it's good for tattoos to be left until 18 or older since they are more permanent/noticeable than piercings if you change your mind later.

Edited April 17, 2010 by Hotdrink

[Remudamom]

My fifteen yr old wants hers pierced. When I told her we'd think about it she pulled a pout on me. Now I'm going to think about it for another year. Or two.

[violinmom]

We took my dd when she was 12 for her bday present to a real, reputable piercing salon to get her ears pierced. It was extremely hygienic, and much safer. Plus pain-free. They have minimum age requirements (12) and asked her over and over about her decision to make sure. I was quite impressed - it was just for a regular ear piercing!

[AngieW in Texas]

I told my girls that I'd be fine with them getting their ears pierced as long as they paid for it. The cost (piercing is free, but you have to buy the studs) was around $25, if I remember right. Because of allergies, any of my girls would have to have the more expensive studs. My youngest and my oldest have thought about doing it several times, but neither one has actually gone through with it. My youngest has been quite interested, but she is a major pain wimp, so I think it would take being with a group of friends who were all having it done and didn't flinch when the holes were made for her to do it.

 

My mom finally convinced me to do it when I was 18yo. I hated it and pretty quickly abandoned the idea of having pierced ears. My holes closed up quickly. I have no idea how she managed to convince me to have it done in the first place.

[Dandelion]

I think I was 4 or 5 when I had my ears pierced (I grew up in Europe so could have been a cultural thing).

 

My DD is 2, very "girly" and loves jewelry. I don't plan to suggest that she get her ears pierced but don't see any reason not to if/when she asks and is old enough to understand what's involved.

[LadyR]

My aunt put "sleepers" in my ears when I was 11 or 12. Now, over 30 years later, you can't even see the hole in my ear lobes. I've never had any irritation nor have I ever gotten an infection. She did a great job! LOL

 

One of the pediatrician's in our area pierces baby's ears. It is definitely part of their culture. Also, among my Italian family and friends I see many babies with pierced ears.

 

Does anyone know where you can buy sleepers?

Edited April 18, 2010 by LadyNancy
"babies" (not baby's)

[Ester Maria]

One of the pediatrician's in our area pierces baby's ears. It is definitely part of their culture. Also, among my Italian family and friends I see many baby's with pierced ears.

In Italy, it's most definitely part of the culture. I'm from there, and I grew up being a minority whose ears were not pierced when we were children. And it's also very frequently done basically in baby/toddler age, not only in Italy, but in various other parts of Europe.

 

Now, whether performing a medically unnecessary, likely irreversible (in sense that, on the profound level, some tracks of it the fact the ears were pierced will always remain, even if from the outside it might not seem so if the person doesn't wear earrings for years), potentially risky and painful act on a baby which didn't choose it and can choose a decade later for herself, can be "ethical" and tolerated only because it's a "part of culture" (not so long ago it was also a part of Italian culture that women could not open bank accounts without their husbands' permission) is a whole other question... ;)

[Gratia271]

I was allowed to at 16, and I allowed my daughters at 9.

[esoloj]

Both my girls had their ears pierced as babies.

[skaterbabs]

Dot's were pierced at a week old, My nieces were done at 6 weeks and 6 mos respectively. I was 6 years old, my sister 5 years old.

[iquilt]

I had mine pierced for my 8th birthday, so that was always in the back of my mind for my girls. My oldest was interested at 6 but we waited until her 7th birthday. Her sister got hers when she turned 6. They are both doing very well with them, changing the earrings and keeping them clean.

[WishboneDawn]

My sister gave my 11 year old daughter a gift card for a local salon to have her ears pierced and my daughter has decided she'd like to use it soon.

 

My thinking is this is one of those things that my daughter can make a decision about. It's very low risk, culturally acceptable and the chance of any deep regrets is pretty tiny. We have talked about it and what's involved in the process of piercing and care afterwards and she seems certain in her choice.

 

I think it's one of those things kids can choose to do at a younger age that makes good practice for bigger decisions down the road.

 

That said, I regard it as their choice so I wouldn't be piercing the ears of a baby. Don't have any big problems with parents who choose to though.

[Heather in Neverland]

Well Princess Natalie is only 4 months old but dh and I decided she will get her ears pierced (if she wants it) when she starts her period...like a rite of passage. :D

[5forMe]

I voted 8 or under but my daughter was 8. I let her have it done because she is a very responsible girl. She had been asking for a long time and just after her 8th birthday we talked about her responsibilities and how important it is to take care of her earlobes while they are healing, etc. She did great!

 

I was 12 when I had my ears pierced.

[burleygirl]

Since I view it as a choice, at whatever age the child wants to do it as long as she is responsible enough to not touch her ears and keep them and her hands clean. My mom had 4 girls and we all chose at different ages. My daughter asked at 5 but changed her mind when in the chair. She had 1 hole. At 10 she got the other hole.

Edited April 18, 2010 by burleygirl
typo

[erica471]

My Dd just had her ears pierced earlier this year (at 8 years old). I didn't want to do it as a baby. I let her decide when she wanted it done. I didn't have any problem with her having them at any age, I just wanted her to be able to choose for herself.

[cjbeach]

:confused: If there's drama, why allow changes at all? Take her to a piercing shop and have them put in a pair of fixed bead rings and tell her she can have different ones only when she she is mature enough to control herself. These are low maintenance and have no embedding worries because they have no backs.

I think this is what we're going to do. The "I want to wear new earrings" phase (and the drama with the change) is so OLD now, I'm so done with that.

My hubby took her to a tattoo and piercing place on A1A and she had her earrings done with a long piercing needle buy a young tattoo guy yet she skitzes out when I change earrings. Ugh.

Definitely getting fixed bead rings....thanks for the suggestion. I'll have dh take her back for them...;)

[nmoira]

 

Definitely getting fixed bead rings....thanks for the suggestion. I'll have dh take her back for them...;)

I can see why you're frustrated, and I hope it works out for both you and her. :)

[Luanne]

I was 16. My mother took me to get them done to p*ss off my dad, who was against it. They later closed up and I don't wear earrings anymore.

 

Dd can pierce anything she likes when she's 18.

 

 

... basically for the same reason. I had remarried and even though the man I was married to wasn't my daughter's father, he felt like he had a right to tell us exactly what we could and could not do (and I mean both my daughter and myself) so since she had been asking, I took her to get them done. I was sick of his controlling behavior.

 

I had mine done at age 17 because that is when my sister had hers done (she is 5 years older than me). My father said we couldn't until we left home. My sister stayed with my aunt and her children in Denver the summer she was 17 and my aunt took her to have it done not knowing we weren't allowed. Then they had to let me since she already had it done.

[dansamy]

DD was 4 or 5. Then we discovered, after the ear rings were in, that she has a metal allergy. So far we have not found an ear ring post that won't make her ears ooze and bleed. So, she doesn't get to wear them.

[violinmom]

I have this same problem. We went to a piercing salon and they put in surgical-grade steel. It's what they use in surgery, so no allergies. You also don't ever need to take them out. They use the closed-post kind - internally threaded. It's safer, and cleaner. Also, your skin won't grow onto this type of metal. They are more expensive, but they should put them in for free for you.

[onlyme]

I told my girls that I'd be fine with them getting their ears pierced as long as they paid for it. The cost (piercing is free, but you have to buy the studs) was around $25, if I remember right. Because of allergies, any of my girls would have to have the more expensive studs. My youngest and my oldest have thought about doing it several times, but neither one has actually gone through with it. My youngest has been quite interested, but she is a major pain wimp, so I think it would take being with a group of friends who were all having it done and didn't flinch when the holes were made for her to do it.

 

My mom finally convinced me to do it when I was 18yo. I hated it and pretty quickly abandoned the idea of having pierced ears. My holes closed up quickly. I have no idea how she managed to convince me to have it done in the first place.

 

AngieWinTX:

 

Well if mom would consider having hers re-done, they might have more courage to have theirs done, maybe? :001_smile:

[InHisGrip]

Whenever they ask for it - I came to the realization for myself on this issue about a year ago that there are many, many more important topics that I feel strongly about that I will hold fast on when it comes to raising my kids. Ear piercing is not one of them. I think the more "rules" there are, the less likely the child will be ready to hear you on the ones that really count. I want to make sure that I'm not "exasperating" them...Just my personal conviction on this.

[onlyme]

Whenever they ask for it - I came to the realization for myself on this issue about a year ago that there are many, many more important topics that I feel strongly about that I will hold fast on when it comes to raising my kids. Ear piercing is not one of them. I think the more "rules" there are, the less likely the child will be ready to hear you on the ones that really count. I want to make sure that I'm not "exasperating" them...Just my personal conviction on this.

 

So, your DS as well as your DDs, if they ask for it...

[InHisGrip]

So, your DS as well as your DDs, if they ask for it...

 

Well, actually I was responding to the original question, which was about my daughter(s). But, now that you've brought it up....yep, that's right. I wouldn't like it as much and I'd discourage it based on the fact that he would probably outgrow that phase and wish that he didn't have a hole in his earlobe, but that would still be one of those things that I didn't feel too strongly about. Like I said, there are many things that I do feel strongly about that I will hold fast on. Thanks for your interest in how I feel about my boy, though.:001_smile:

[Wheres Toto]

I had my ears pierced when I was 11. I wanted them sooner but my mother wanted me to wait until I was 13. She only gave in earlier because I let her talk me into a really short pixie type haircut and everyone kept thinking I was a boy. It was very upsetting to me so she let me get my ears pierced. I now have double holes but haven't worn earrings much lately because of the little kids pulling on them. I used to have a cartlidge piercing but it closed up when I needed to take it out for surgery.

 

Oldest dd had her's done about 6 or 7 years old. I wanted her to be old enough to help clean them herself (or at least not fight me with the cleaning). She now has double piercings, a cartlidge piercing and, just yesterday, had her nose pierced.

 

Youngest dd or ds - can get them done whenever they express an interest if they are old enough to understand what it entails and not fight me on keeping them clean (ds is a nightmare with everything - hair washing, nail cutting, teeth brushing so he will need to be older for those reasons).

 

DH had a pierced ear when we first met but hasn't worn an earring in years.

 

Piercings aren't a big deal to me because they will close up with just a very small mark remaining if rings aren't worn.

[onlyme]

Well, actually I was responding to the original question, which was about my daughter(s). But, now that you've brought it up....yep, that's right. I wouldn't like it as much and I'd discourage it based on the fact that he would probably outgrow that phase and wish that he didn't have a hole in his earlobe, but that would still be one of those things that I didn't feel too strongly about. Like I said, there are many things that I do feel strongly about that I will hold fast on. Thanks for your interest in how I feel about my boy, though.:001_smile:

 

YW.

 

Maybe he doesn't know yet you would indeed let him do it, though. I guess you'd prefer to wait for him - for all of them - to ask first.

 

(But you'd probably soon get used to it on him, like on all of them.)

 

Take care.

 

...great screen name of yours, btw...

Edited May 1, 2010 by onlyme

[onlyme]

I had my ears pierced when I was 11. I wanted them sooner but my mother wanted me to wait until I was 13. She only gave in earlier because I let her talk me into a really short pixie type haircut and everyone kept thinking I was a boy. It was very upsetting to me so she let me get my ears pierced. I now have double holes but haven't worn earrings much lately because of the little kids pulling on them. I used to have a cartlidge piercing but it closed up when I needed to take it out for surgery.

 

Oldest dd had her's done about 6 or 7 years old. I wanted her to be old enough to help clean them herself (or at least not fight me with the cleaning). She now has double piercings, a cartlidge piercing and, just yesterday, had her nose pierced.

 

Youngest dd or ds - can get them done whenever they express an interest if they are old enough to understand what it entails and not fight me on keeping them clean (ds is a nightmare with everything - hair washing, nail cutting, teeth brushing so he will need to be older for those reasons).

 

DH had a pierced ear when we first met but hasn't worn an earring in years.

 

Piercings aren't a big deal to me because they will close up with just a very small mark remaining if rings aren't worn.

 

dottieanna29:

 

So at what age do you think the doubles start to be suitable?

 

Take care.

[Firefly]

For us it will be a right of passage-- when she starts her "moon time" (cycles) she can make the decision herself. Personally, I'm not crazy about the look of earrings on little girls/babies but DD will be 11 in the fall and hasn't shown any real interest anyway.

[onlyme]

For us it will be a right of passage-- when she starts her "moon time" (cycles) she can make the decision herself. Personally, I'm not crazy about the look of earrings on little girls/babies but DD will be 11 in the fall and hasn't shown any real interest anyway.

 

Firefly:

 

So do you mean that you'd only allow it with DD, and not DS?

 

Take care.

[Firefly]

DS hasn't expressed an interest, so to be honest I haven't given it any thought! But since I don't have a problem at all w/boys having pierced ears, yes it would be allowed.

[Wheres Toto]

dottieanna29:

 

So at what age do you think the doubles start to be suitable?

 

Take care.

 

My oldest had her second set done when she was 10 or 11 I believe, and her cartiledge at 13, which is when she expressed interest in having them done. She doesn't wear earrings all the time but when she does it's usually a small stud in the top holes and small dangling earrings in the bottom (which is also what I do). Her cartiledge closed up and she's talking about having it redone soon.

 

I don't really see regular ear piercings (meaning - not gauges) as unsuitable so to me the age is more about the child taking care of them properly. A cartiledge piercing is more difficult to take care of than regular piercings so needed to wait a little longer. I had cartiledge piercings done at 27 and 32 - I had some trouble with the first but both ended up closing up as a result of having to take the earrings out for surgeries.

[onlyme]

DS hasn't expressed an interest, so to be honest I haven't given it any thought! But since I don't have a problem at all w/boys having pierced ears, yes it would be allowed.

 

Firefly:

 

Like, both ears, and not just one? (Sometimes they start with one.)

 

Take care.

[Firefly]

Either way would be fine. :)

[lailasmum]

Piercing ears and earrings totally freak me out. I would say my dd will have to be 18 and make that decision as an adult. I don't have my ears pierced and never would.

 

Its not common here to see girls with earring before about 13. Very very rare to see babies with pierced ears. However I doubt my dd will ask for a very long time, she is so hypersensitive to any level of touch that even brushing her hair or cutting her nails is extremely stressful, I think the whole idea would be off putting to her and she hasn't mentioned it so far.

[onlyme]

.

Edited May 6, 2010 by onlyme

[onlyme]

I think this is what we're going to do. The "I want to wear new earrings" phase (and the drama with the change) is so OLD now, I'm so done with that.

My hubby took her to a tattoo and piercing place on A1A and she had her earrings done with a long piercing needle buy a young tattoo guy yet she skitzes out when I change earrings. Ugh.

Definitely getting fixed bead rings....thanks for the suggestion. I'll have dh take her back for them...;)

 

Ms cjbeach:

 

For older ppl too, I think it's the shackle earring they call it; it gets put in, and attached firmly, and has to be removed with a key or clasp.

 

Low maintenance. Would you consider it for yourself too, maybe?

 

Take care.

[sarao]

I remember being so scared to get mine done, so I did my dd when she was 1. I wanted it to be a non-issue and she still wears the original earrings.

[onlyme]

I remember being so scared to get mine done, so I did my dd when she was 1. I wanted it to be a non-issue and she still wears the original earrings.

 

mema:

 

I guess it doesn't scare you now, though...

 

Like so many get 2nds and 3rds done, too.

 

Take care.

[onlyme]

Ms cjbeach:

 

It the firmness, and semi-permanence, of the shackles that make them an attractive option for some ppl.