ear piercing.. what age?

[ditsydoll]

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

It's ok for a 16 year old girl to have sex, but heaven forbid she get her ears pierced!

Whenever DD asks to get them done.

I see it as a rite of passage and something for a girl to look forward to, and a stepping stone to growing up. I had mine done at moreleys, Brixton when I was 9 or so , and, oh, the anticipation. In my opinion it looks wrong on young girls and babies, akin to gilding the lily. Totally unnecessary and as a poster commented up thread "tacky".

Ears pierced at 3? Just why? Although I don't know why I'm shocked as you see babies and toddlers with ears pierced where I work. Always makes me feel sad. Really don't see why people can't at least wait until secondary school.

Whenever they want.

Lol at 18,my DD had several piercings by the time she was 18.

Arf at waiting until 18, wee bit controlling and Victorian Parent dont you think?

I think dd was about 10/11 or 12, I cant remember exactly.

11. Just after finishing primary school.

10 - in our house anyway - then they are responsible for caring for the holes etc themselves

18. wow.

dd1 ears pierced at 9, belly at 14.

dd2 ears at 11 doesn't want belly done.

ds1 tattoo when he got a sat job at 16 so he paid himself.

ds2 like he was at birth. unadorned.

op it's entirely up to you and dd. you can't parent by committee. do what's right for you and her.

10th birthday present for DD. We'd discussed it previously and she wasn't ready for the responsibility of cleaning them, sorting her earrings out herself, taking them out/putting them back in for PE, until she was 10. I trusted her at that point, but I also thought it was a good age.

No way in hell I would EVER have decided to 'get them done for her' as some parents do. Wrong in every way, especially on babies and toddlers, and I do honestly believe that it should be illegal for anywhere to pierce a child that doesn't give consent for it. Otherwise it's barbaric - children are not fashion accessories/dolls for decorating as people see fit!

TheSydenhamSet, while I (sort of) agree with you, your post did make me think. Why is it tacky on little girls, akin to ruining their perfection, but fine on 10 year olds? 10 year olds - and indeed 40 year olds - are just as perfect un-pierced as 3 year olds. It's only because we're more used to seeing older females with earrings.

If I could have the choice again, I wouldn't bother getting mine done. It's a faff remembering to put them in.

Really, every young child and baby with pierced ears is vile?! Charming I come from a culture where it's quite common to have them done as babies. I don't see what the fuss is about to be frank and only encountered this stance against pierced ears on mumsnet and not from anyone I know in real life. I don't know why it's considered part of the culture and tbh I don't care. To each their own, we all make choices and decisions for our children, judge not and all that.

I have two daughters, the eldest had hers done a few weeks ago at the grand old age of 6. She had been pestering ever since she could talk; surrounded by cousins and friends with pierced ears so she was the odd one out. Only reason I didn't do it earlier was because I'm squeamish so my mum took her. Second dd is 3, she has no desire at the minute and I'm happy to take her lead when the time comes, whether that be next year or in 10.

Different people make different choices, live and let live and stop with the judging already. It's rather tedious.

At whatever age it should be done with a needle. Also they should not be turned and only bathed in sea salt water. Every time you turn them you stop the channel from healing and this increases the chance of infection. Also surgical spirit is too harsh.

Mine were 10 & 12 I think. I always said if they were desperate I would let them from about 7-8yrs. Mine weren't interested till later though. I don't like it on babies/toddlers.

10

And only girls because my step son now looks like a daft pirate

Depends on the child. DD was very mature and adamant she wanted them, so I allowed her to when she was 8, going on 9. No problems with them and she looked after them.

Ideally I'd have preferred for her to wait until 11ish, but it was her body at the end of the day and I trusted her to be responsible.

Arf at 18, good luck with that! Maybe save being so hard line on issues which actually matter? If you say no to every little thing, when there's something serious you really object to, like a dodgy tattoo, they'll take no notice!

My rule was always the summer olidays between primary and secondary, so aged 11y.

Infact, DD had hers done at that time, this summer, and all has gone well. She has looked after them entirely herself, no problems at all. She removes them for PE lessons and puts them back in herself after the lesson.

My main rule really though - would be start of school summer holidays. Many primary school have rules regarding earrings - from banning them entirely to having them removed for PE - so you need the full 6/7 weeks before you cn do that. Most schools won't allow tape over them as it is still a H&S risk then. Secondaries are often the smae for the latter too.

Mine were done when I was a baby. Less than 1 definitely. It was something that was normal for my grandmother's family and she took me and paid as a present and my Mum went along with it. I never thought anything of it. It was convenient for me that they were done and healed up long before I could remember.

I've said the same of one of these threads before (on a different forum) and was told that my Mum is a child abuser which is ridiculous.

However, I don't like how it looks on young children. I think it's unnecessary and I wouldn't want to put holes in my daughter's perfect little ears until she's much older. I don't judge my Mum or gran for doing it though. They certainly didn't intend to abuse me.

i had mine done loads of times as a kid because i used to take them out before they healed and they would heal again and i couldnt get earrings in again,i think the first time i was about 3.

I have a dd who is 3 ad i feel she is too young,if she actually asked for it once she was about 6 or 7 then maybe.

Oh yeah sorry if its been said already but what about boys?I hate earrings on boys.

I was about 3 days old when mine were pierced.i have 4 DD and they were all aged 6 mths old when I had theirs done, the oldest just had her seconds done and she's twelve.

I always hate earrings on boys so wouldn't ever pay for a boy to have them done. They'd need t be old enough to earn the money and pay for it themseves I guess. Unfair? Probably yes!

16, when she can sign for it herself.