ear piercing.. what age?

[ditsydoll]

Just wondering what age you would deem suitable for your dds to have their ears pierced?

When they're old enough to look after them themselves. I wasn't allowed mine done until I was 16.

I hate seeing babies with earrings.

I have told my 9 year old DD that she can have them done in the summer holidays between leaving juniors and starting secondary school.

I don't personally like earrings on young kids (I'd probably say 10 or 11 would be my preference), but just wanted to ask what exactly "looking after earrings" entails.

I got mine done when I was 12, in the UK, and the lady who pierced them said to turn them 1/2 a turn once a day and otherwise not touch them for at least 3 months.

Worked fine for me, never any infections or problems.

13, that's how old I was when I was allowed mine done. DD 6 knows that it hurts and has decided she'd rather not :)

Deep joy, another of these. Next there will be a fanny hair removal one. Such fun

I said 14 to a little girl once who was coveting my earrings. I thought her dad was going to disembowel me.

Deep joy, another of these. Next there will be a fanny hair removal one. Such fun

16

It's a hassle with school PE & swim lessons, so plan around that. DD was 9 & I have no regrets.

I was 9 and was the last girl in my year I think. I had to learn my times tables first.

I kept telling my DD 14 and every time she pushed to get them done younger I told her another year older.
But she had them done in the summer before starting high school which was always my plan.
She was made up as it was so much earlier than I had said.

Dd1 had 1st at 3, 2nd at 9 and top ear done at 13. Never had any problems with any piercing.

Get them done a babies and don't forget to put the baby in a headband with a bow on it!

Seriously though, I think the biggest issue is in tying in with the summer holidays and ensuring you are complying with school policies. If it's a younger child you need to ensure you will supervise cleaning as directed. If you can't then wait until the child is trusted to do this consistently and correctly themself.

However old they need to be to cope with having them done properly and not at Claire's or a jewellers or anywhere else that uses a gun.

I will let DD have hers done in the summer holidays before she starts secondary school.

reading this thread made me suddenly think 'how WEIRD' it is that we punch mental spikes through our ear lobes. I have 4 in each lobe and 4 other body piercings but it just occurred to me that the concept is bizarre! Imagine trying to explain it to an alien that had just landed

anyway, I had mine done at 11, another set done at 14 and then pierced the rest of my lobes with an earring at 16 or 17. Surprisingly effective.

I wasn't allowed anything else so I had to wait til I was old enough to consent to tongue etc myself

I let my DDs get their ears pierced when their periods started Not for any great symbolic reasoning but more because it worked out like that.
It gave them something to look forward to.

I'd say about 10/11. Mine all take part in sports and I did agree to one having hers done slightly earlier at 9 but only because she had broken her arm so it meant sports were stopped at that point so it was just for practical reasons.

At least a week.

I agree with the summer hols before secondary school.

i never 'let' my dd and when she and a friend did it for each other at about 14 I read such a riot act about infection etc that they let them heal up. Dd is 39 now and has never had them done. I think I over reacted though and now would say yes at about 13.

Dd had hers done aged 9 I think. Around here that is quite early. She was absolutely fine with them. Now, aged 10/11 alot of her friends have them pierced as well.

Another vote for the summer holidays before secondary school.
Pierced ears on babies and young children is vile.

Start of senior school.