4 year old getting pierced ears at Superdrug

No one should be piercing anyone’s body parts when the piercee is clearly distressed. Doesn’t matter whether that’s Superdrug or a more reputable place. I’m surprised the staff would want to to do this while a child is crying, screaming and generally hysterical. Even if they’re not upset by it themselves they’d at least find it irritating.

Exactly! Just imagine if a 14/15 year old wanted to drink alcohol/smoke/take drugs/have sex. Would you say oh it's fine because they asked? Of course not! Children cannot consent to anything before 18 and parents need to remember that

I wasn’t 100% sure if they did carry out the piercing - apologies if I missed it. I was thinking more the child had the first ear done and then got upset and the mother was holding them wanting the SA to do the second ear.

I also wouldn’t care if I received a complaint in this situation. And I would also absolutely back up any member of my team who refused to pierce in the above situation. But there is so much pressure put on stores to not get complaints and basically give customers whatever they want in order not to receive a complaint, that some managers take it too far with the staff and will issue warnings for receiving one.

I get that is a company problem but I could see why a young Sales Assistant (majority of those carrying out piercings) might not have the confidence to stand up for themselves in this situation in fear of management or even the parents shouting at them for refusing to do it.

So many people on this thread saying "Well what if she asked to have them pierced at 4, then it's fine!" God I hope they don't apply the same logic to other aspects of parenting, or so help their kids. You/we, as the adult, are responsible for not letting our kids make decisions that they want to do but aren't good for them (or aren't good for them at that age.) My 1 year old would love to crawl over to the dog and yank on his tail but I don't let her because she's not intelligent enough yet to realise that's not a good idea 🙄

Ergh, it’s vile so I agree with you!!

The child has no comprehension of what they’re getting done to make informed consent or understand properly what’s about to happen and guns are so damaging to ears.
Also getting them done at the same time by a none professional piercer doesn’t make it good as they’re often not uniform.
It’s all about the parent imposing their wishes on the child at that age I’m afraid IMO disguised with, ‘oh they kept asking for it’. If my child was too young to properly understand what they were asking for, I’d make them wait until a more appropriate age, do research like watching videos / discussing it; that’s why I’m the parent.
Well done you for taking a stand.

Quite right you are. Ear piercing ranks up there with other forms of child abuse like beating, starvation and rape that you see it in the media all the time with children ending up losing their lives. It might not be too long before ear piercing kills a child as really anything is possible. I think people need to reflect on that . Agree with you strongly Op

Pinning a child down to inflict pain on them in order to modify their body without their consent is most certainly child abuse.

This thread raises important issues and is turning into a bun fight. It would be nice if we could stick to the subject at hand.

You were.

Maybe, it's probably not anymore painful than vaccination but surely that doesn't excuse it; plus the pain of unwanted pregnancies, STD, liver and lung cancer is lifelong and I think parents are just saying no one under 18 should take actions that might lead to lifelong issues and illnesses like underage smoking, vaping, drinking, sexual relationships, tattoos, even excessive use of social media as we all know that leads to mental harm

It’s unfortunate you’re now turning this thread, which makes some very good points about unnecessary harm for young children, into your own foot stomping exercise.

All those words are unacceptable, just fyi.

Maybe said child would have screamed blue murder about not getting her ears pierced if they'd stopped? Tbf you don't know the full situation, it's mot sonething I'd have done at that age but I think you're making more of it than necessary. The pain is very momentary.

Absolutely agree! Just because 14 year olds want to drink and have sexual relationships doesn't make it right. I agree with PPS who've said it's shameful that parents let children make choices they aren't mentally capable of rightly making and which have long lasting impacts. I'm sure not parents on this thread but it's scary how many children under 18 are drinking, vaping, smoking and generally putting themselves at risk for serious, life altering and even fatal diseases down the line.
Definitely worth reflecting on, this thread has been really eye opening

@Dollenganger333 You've got a cheek challenging OP about "slurs" when you've just insulted me by calling me a snowflake, how do you not know that's a term I'm offended by?

It is op. It’s of the same root as ‘mo*g’, and it may seem milder to you but it’s still not acceptable. If you want others to accept that things that were acceptable in the past shouldn’t be anymore (and I have agreed with your thread), the you should be more flexible when someone points out you’re out of touch in how you think at times.

@Dollenganger333 You told me you didn't believe my post, therefore, implying I am lying. Now you've changed your story to Claires "almost always" do both ears at once, backtracking on what you previously posted.

The mother may have given consent but the child sure as hell didn’t.
I’d call that child abuse.

For those who said the 4 years old probably asked to have their ears pierced, what about the child's right to withdraw consent? If they are being held down how could anyone say they consented?

On another topic, yes moron is a ableist slur and it's right for it to be called out.

Trunkybum · Yesterday 17:20
This must also be pretty awful for the shop staff too, surely? I can’t imagine having to knowingly perform a painful act on a small child who is clearly terrified and already in pain, that is entirely for cosmetic purposes”

This. In any other circumstances, surely it would be GBH?

"I’m willing to bet that the Sales Assistant was feeling very uncomfortable with the situation and probably didn’t want to pierce the child when they were so upset."

But they did, so they are not much better than the mother 🤷‍♀️ A millennia ago I worked in retail - I was excellent at my job and at customer service, and based on knowing that and knowing I was doing my best I didn't give a shit about "head office coming down hard on complaints", I don't understand why you would it's just not that important (unless you know you regularly fuck up). And as per my pp, "just following orders" is pretty dodgy ground as a defence..!

In my opinion piercings at such a young age is physical abuse. The person carrying out this abuse should be prosecuted.