ear piercing for young children

[fumanchu]

I was disturbed to overhear in Claire's Accessories yesterday a mum trying to persaude her obviously distressed child to have her ear(s) pierced, saying it wouldn't hurt. The child was about 6 I think. I wasn't sure if the child had had one done and refused the next, she was crying. The shop staff just stood by. I was tempted to say something but didn't. What do you think? and shouldn't shops have some kind of age policy? personally I think its fine for say 13 yr olds and up and I know Italians for example often have babies' ears pierced but i was very unhappy about the coercion.

Novice and electra - I'm just saddened and somewhat shocked. I'm im my 40's and I've never come across such horrible judgments when we are not judging them.

It's we will judge you based on our considerable predjuces and then you have no right to feel bad and if you take it as an insult you are 'mistaken' or pulling the race card. Nice. Very nice.

Christ - Do I need to spell it out to you people?

I think they get your point MM ,you have made it enough times

I can only assume that you think we are too stupid to recognise that we have been abused. Is assumption correct?

you are, however, too stupid to realise when you are being wound up ..... fond of our high horses aren't we ladies?

Actually MM - you are the one fond of posting patronising assumptions and arrogantly telling people what we think.

Furthermore, since you seem unaware of the fact, calling people 'stupid' is a rude and inarticulate way to get your point across.

And on that note I have stated my position without calling those who disagree with me stupid.

hmmm..... point went so far over her head it showed up on radar ...... I don't disagree, I don't care!!!! really funny how folks get so wound up and up themselves

At the risk of interjecting at a "heated" moment, can I just ask does anyone know why it is custom in some Spanish/Italian cultures to get their babies ears pierced? There is a baby in my DD's nursery who has her ears pierced (she has South American parents) and I was wondering if there was some cultural reason or do her parents just think it looks cute, or sweet, or something.

I haven't followed the entire thread, so apologies if this has already been covered.

HophopAlady ...please noooooooooooooo

Sorry if being thick/annoying...!

Explique s'il vous plait...

read the last few posts

BarmyArmy ..been at the sherry again love?

I don't see anything wrong with getting childrens ears pierced, you can pick out a nice tattoo while your at it.

giveitago Thu 02-Sep-10 21:06:37
Novice and electra - I'm just saddened and somewhat shocked. I'm im my 40's and I've never come across such horrible judgments when we are not judging them.

It's we will judge you based on our considerable predjuces and then you have no right to feel bad and if you take it as an insult you are 'mistaken' or pulling the race card. Nice. Very nice."

Race card.....because you accused people of being racist.

I have travelled extensively still doesn't mean I think culture has carte blanch freedom to do whatever it wants to children.

PP - this is one of those threads where I don't think there's a wrong or a right.

Some mums decide to get their lo's ears pierced - some don't.

No amount of accusations of it being naff/chavscum/abusive is really going to change/nfluence anyone. None of us wants to ever say to non piercers - you are wrong or your kids look unadorned etc because we don't really care.

I'm genuinely surpised by the depth of feeling of some of the posters. Those are the ones on their high horse.

I don't actually care either way because they are just a pair of bloody earings that I happened to have before the majority of girls I knew. So I must have been chavy when a child but now I'm not because I'm an adult and the majority of people them. At what age I stopped being 'chavvy' I don't know - depends on what posters think is a suitable age for kids to have them.

They are a pair of earrings. They do not affect your life chances at all.

My lo starts school next week and if I've nothing else better to do I will look out to see if any of the kids have earrings. Not something I've ever bothered to notice but cause I don't think it's an important indicator of a child's wellbeing or upbringing.

Am a bit worried I have given the wrong impression. Am not judging, just genuinely curious if there is a culture thing about ear piercing in some countries, as I think someone alluded to it in one of the original posts in this thread (something about Italy).

oh dear... had only read first few posts and this page when asking my original question. Have just been going over some of page 11 and realise why asdashopper responded to me as she did (and quite right too asdashopper - I am a numpty). Will read on and bow out.

It happens HopHop, I think having one long page should be the default setting. Posters often skip pages.

Sorry HopHop

@asdashopper

Hey, nothing to apologise for! Having read most of pages 1 thru 6, I now feel like a right wally!!! Have most certainly learnt a valuable MN lesson here - read thread as thoroughly as possible before asking questions...

I'm now left wondering what BA wanted to say earlier ("Message deleted by Mumsnet") as I fear my extreme numptyness might have caused an explosive reaction somewhere...