4 year old getting pierced ears at Superdrug

It's not snobbery, it's being more progressive by not treating a baby or very young child like a doll for the benefit of the parents.

And seriously, holding up counties as virtuous because they pierce newborn babies ears is beyond crazy

Lobby for change if you think it's comparable to genital mutilation.

To be honest, I don't think piercers should even do a poor child who's distressed and terrified of the needle. That should go without saying.

But anyone who's passionate and thinks it's comparable to genital mutilation that has lifelong impacts on sensitivity, sexual function, and can cause excruciating pain - maybe do something?

@LoftyTurtle so why is a baby "worse even"? Explain please, otherwise why bother replying?

Why is it only white middle call class people complaining and comparing it to FGM?

I had it done as a baby AND didn't want to do it myslef as I don't care for it. So yo it shit parent line doesn't work on me.

My 4 year old has just started asking about earrings. Showed her a few videos on TikTok of kids having theirs done and she said she’ll wait until she’s 5 now 😂 I’ll show her again at 5, hoping to hold off until she about 8 and can care for them properly.

I honestly think there should be a law against it. I don’t understand why there isn’t. Inflict pain, suffering and risk of infection on children for the sake of vanity? It’s disgusting.

Ear piercing is not illegal/ there are no laws for it for babies or children

Neither is circumcision or FGM in some countries, but I can still have an opinion on them.

Inflicting pain on a baby that isn't necessary for health reasons is ridiculous, and a bit concerning that anyone thinks its fine. They might not remember it, but it's still painful to them (hence the crying) and fucking bizarre that any mother would think "Hmm, yes, I've just willingly made my baby cry their eyes out in pain because I think they'll look cute with earrings after"

It's trashy no matter how you look at it, and you're a shit parent if you do it HTH

“Found only in the UK…” Not so. I can’t speak for every country and only lived in 3 and frequently visit one other for work. But you will find dislike of the gun in France, where there are many piercing studios and somewhat conservative Singapore. This is mainly for hygiene and healing reasons.

Pearl clutching? Me? Wrong woman! I’m due to get my nipples pierced shortly. Moreover, there’s no need for name calling, it just shows a weak argument.

But that’s not the issue here, the issue is rights of the child and barely trained, high street shop piercers.

You were!

The child was being held down for a painful and unnecessary procedure.

Disgusting behaviour from the mother and the shop.

Yes but you don’t get to decide how other people and cultures do things do you. Ear piercing is not illegal/ there are no laws for it for babies or children.

There are no legal restrictions to piercing a child's ears and is completely down to the parent

Just fine because they are normal physiological processes and/or for the health of the child? My DD was in NICU for 8 days at birth, had 3 hourly heel pricks. She cried every time naturally, it upset me for a few seconds but it was far easier to tell myself logically "This OK, it's for her own good and to ensure she's healthy" and get over it than if I had been piercing her ears as a baby, which would have no good reason for the pain in comparison

In lots of countries it’s a cultural thing to get them done as babies

That's no justification for having them done.

When DD was a small baby she often sicked up a feed. As she was lying on her back the sick often went over her ears. Keeping a piercing clean under those circumstances would have been just about impossible.

Can you explain why babies is worse even? I have zero recollection of it done.

It is much worse to do a screaming terrified 4yo?

Maybe because your opinion is all about snobbery, and how it looks on babies?

Interesting. I'd like to see the legal side reconsidered for these purely cosmetic procedures.

So I personally loathe ear piercings and earrings on babies and very small children but it’s likely this girl wanted and asked for her ears pierced. Liking it to an assault or child abuse is silly and offensive to those who have experienced actual child abuse. Also getting your ears pierced doesn’t really hurt? It’s maybe stings a little, and as long as they are kept clean they shouldn’t get infected.

Would I force a child to get them done who specifically didn’t want too? No, but in the situation when your child has asked, and already had one side done and they become upset and need to do the other then it would be a case of just get on with it and she will be happy later with two sparkly earrings.

In lots of countries it’s a cultural thing to get them done as babies, here in the UK it’s chavy especially on babies and very young children. I would likely support a ban until legal consent was given like tattoos.

Can we please not misuse the word child abuse its insulting to people who have actually suffered child abuse

For adults yes, not children I remember multiple times being pinned down by medical staff as a child because it was for my own benefit and my parents decision. Obviously piercing and medical procedures are very different but it's not assualt

Comparing this to FGM is ridiculous and frankly, offensive.

FGM is a form of violence which is inflicted on girls so that they grow up, unable to experience sexual pleasure.

YANBU. People piercing their young children's ears (worse even babies) is such a trashy thing to do and automatically screams "I'm a shit parent who is only interested in vanity and ensuring my daughters are girly girls who like pink frilly dresses" at worst. At best, screams "I'm a shit parent because I don't think carefully about what I'm doing to my child before I do it"

My mum didn't let me pierce my ears until I was 13 which I think was too late personally, I'd let my daughter get hers pierced at whatever age she is mature enough to understand its going to hurt, she has to look after them, clean them etc - not sure what age that will be as we're not there yet, but I won't be putting a strict age on it, rather a "Is she mature enough yet?" limit. I'm going to guess around 10 maybe, but who knows 🤷‍♀️ She may never want them pierced and that's fine too, I'm only going to take her to get them done if she tells me she wants it!!

I am so sick of the snobbery about ear piercing in the UK as though it makes you superior.

@Dollenganger333 If not piercing a small child's ears because they don't want them piercing makes me a snob and superior it is fine by me. Why does anyone think that small children need their ears pierced? It's just a cosmetic adornment, not a life improving medical procedure

People need to get a life, seriously. Ear piercing is not barbaric - it's a tiny flap of skin that most women end up piercing 🥱🥱🥱😵

Women who want to pierce tiny children's ears need to get a life. Adults get their ears pierced because they choose to do so.

In some countries, they pierce a little girls ears in the hospital after birth.

That doesn't make it OK. In some countries small boys are circumcised and girls undergo FGM. These aren't OK either.

@Childpiercinggate you have an interesting username

I would imagine they'd laugh and tell you to stop wasting police time

Gorks?

Off to google

God Only Really Knows