ear piercing.. what age?

[ditsydoll]

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

16 I personally think little girls with pierced ears look awful. Looks cheap and tacky even if they are little studs.

My mum made me wait till I was 16 and it really pissed me off as all my friends had theirs done. But in hindsight I agree with her. If my DD wants hers done (she's only 16 months so hopefully not for a while yet!) I'd probably want her to wait till about 14 although she may be able to twist my arm at 13. No younger than that though for me.

Kissmyshineymetalass,I'm not stirring...just genuinely curious...why did you get your daughters pierced when they were babies?

21 if you ask me. Not entirely joking...

I was 14 btw.

I got mine done at 7 with a gun. Didn't do me any harm at all.

I do think it's a personal thing though - no reason to get them done before the girl really wants it, before she's ready to look after them properly or at a time that will be inconvenient practically.

all at 5

Interested to know how a 3 year old asks to have their ears pierced?

ExitPursuedByABear - er, she says, "Mummy I want to have earrings like my best friend S" (little girl from India who had her ears pierced as a baby). I explain that S can only wear earrings because she has had holes made in her ears. DD says she wants holes in her ears too. I explain it will hurt and she is too young. Etc etc.

Variation on that conversation repeated every few months for the past seven years, with me becoming increasingly graphic about what happens to ear piercings if you don't look after them - DD was an active, tree-climbing sort of small girl and always had a fine collection of bruises and scabs, which she picked at... I said that if by the time she was 11 she had got out of that habit and would promise to look after her ears properly, she could get them done. She is now 11 and I think she is capable of doing all the cleansing/disinfecting/twisting etc.

I was 11 when I had mine done. I pestered my mum for years because all my friends had them done but she said no. When I eventually had them done it was with a gun and they went all manky. One of the backs stuck to my ear and I literally almost fainted when I yanked it out. Had to let them close up. Had them done again at 15 and they've been fine ever since.

If I had a DD I would also wait until 9/10/11, whenever I felt she was able to take care of them herself. I would also take her to a proper piercing place and get then done with a needle, not a gun, and avoid that awful burning solution they give you in Claire's (not sure if they still do)

But someone up thread said they had their dd's ears pierced at 3 because she asked.

Menarche or age 12' whichever comes first seems reasonable to me. Earrings are for young ladies, not children.

My dd was 4, very responsible and informed decision
I had to.wait til.11 and it nearly killed me!
Not nice on babies tho.

Let her dd have it done age 9.

Loving the idea of a responsible and informed 4 year old.

Not nice on 4 year old's either

You'd have loved my dd then exit
She could hold a sensible conversation, chop veg with a sharp knife, use metal scissors, and all sorts of other fun stuff at 3/4...

So could my 4 year old. Doesn't mean she understood the mechanics of getting her ears pierced though. It also didn't stop me being the responsible adult in her life and allow her to make her decisions that she really couldn't understand.

She did understand though...
I told her it hurts a lot when immediately done, can be sore afterwards. Could potentially develop an infection (yes, yes, she was capable of understanding the word potential) not allowed dangly earrings - Still isn't age 8 because she's a tree climber
I cleaned them for her. We've had no problems anyway. Was just sharing my experience!

I got mine done at 12 (summer before year 8). I think I would say 10 as the youngest age. Arf at those who say to wait until 18. I don't know any teenagers who would willingly wait that long. They can get them done at 16 without your consent, and indeed, there's no law against getting them done without your consent at 14 either, it's just most places have restrictions in place.

[hoiks bosom and fingers pearl necklace]

at pearl necklace.

and matching pearl earrings to boot