Ear piercing

[Cupcakeschocolate]

Hello My daughter just turned 4 and will be starting reception this year. She has been begging me to get her ears pierced and I'm in 2 minds about it.

I spoke to their dad and he thinks it's fine but will let me deal with it. I think she should be older. I wasn't allowed mine until I was 14 which I think was a bit silly. I was steering towards 8 or 9.

What ages did your children get their ears pierced. Whatever age we decide in the end I would do it in the summer holiday. But I think she's just a little too small

Peak age around here seems to be the summer betweeen primary and secondary school

I think toddler/pre-schooler is a bad age because the potential to fiddle and introduce infection is just too high (aside from any questions about whether it's good taste or not)

Thank you. Yes exactly what I was thinking. Will make her wait a bit longer.

Both my girls had theirs done age 7
Old enough to not fiddle and loved/still love choosing new earrings. Can also remove them themselves for p.e
I had mine done at age 4 no issues!

If you think she should be older and her dad has no opinion then say no to her. You’re the parent, she is 4 years old!

I was 12. I was allowed between primary and secondary. I’d allow it earlier if they really wanted it - maybe going into juniors. I only have boys who’ve expressed no interest in ear piercing.

DD had hers done when she was 7, school insisted earrings were taken out fully for pe three times a week, took us an hour of fiddling to get them back in at the end of the day. We had them done in the 6 week hols but they just would not heal. After many tears we let them heal up and she won't have them re- pierced now until she's at secondary. I know lots and lots of people with pierced ears and no issues. I would personally find out your nursery's/school's policy on removing them and take that into account.

IMO 13 is about the right age. Old enough to make an informed decision.

I personally think 4 is too young and that it looks really tacky on young children.

My parents originally said I had to wait until I was 16, then eventually agreed I could have them done at 12 as we were going to a wedding a few weeks later. My younger sister was allowed to get hers done aged 11. Oh, the woes of being the eldest!

I was 7 and never had any issues. My niece was 5 and she fiddled with them and ended up ripping the stud out her ear when she was sleeping.

Dd1 was 10. I wanted them to be fully healed before secondary PE and needing to take them out.
I then realised ear piercing was no big deal and let dd2 have them when she asked at 7

I’d say she needs to be old enough to take them out/put them in herself before getting them pierced. My mum wouldn’t allow me to have mine done unless I handled all the care myself cause piercings give her the willies. I ended up not getting mine done until I was 30...only when I shaved my hair off and wanted the piercings to balance out the extreme look.

I’d wait until she’s old enough to have it done by a proper piercer in a tattoo studio. Many (but not all) will pierce the ears of minors if they go with a parent.

Do NOT go to Claire’s or anywhere that does it with a gun.

Do not go to Claire's. Guns ram a piece of blunt metal through the ear causing trauma whereas a needle creates a hollow space for it. Also a gun cannot be sterilised and will be covered in particles of blood borne pathogens from every other piercing done by that gun. Do you want to potentially expose your child to diseases like hepatitis? HIV?