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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To dislike seeing young children with pierced ears.

381 replies

Singsongsungagain · 21/12/2015 19:10

Inspired by a picture on FB today of a friend's young child (6 years old) sobbing her eyes out whilst getting her ears pierced.
Why the hell would any decent parent hold their child steady to allow their ears to be pierced? What is it all about??

OP posts:
kilmuir · 21/12/2015 19:53

So because people claim it to be cultural it makes it less awful?
Yuk , chavvy

BooOzMoo · 21/12/2015 19:54

I'm bring totally honest!
Not even playing mumsnet bingo !

I'm not really being judgemental .... Or am I ?

The kid has pierced ears
The kid has black teeth
The kid has massive overbite
The kid still has a dummy

Okay maybe saying the mum smokes like a trooper is a bit judgemental Shock

Out of 20 girls aged 4 ... This is the only child with black teeth, dummy overbite pierced ears!

Is that judgemental... ?

Facts ladies....

FairyFluffbum · 21/12/2015 19:55

See I had mine done at 5. I don't remember it and I had no problems. They only time I caught them was with my hair. I took my earrings out when i was about 12/14 as I was bored of them. However I could still pop my earrings in now if I wanted to. I'm going to encourage dd not to have them but if she does she does. Doesn't mean I have to like them though

BooOzMoo · 21/12/2015 19:56

Usual I guess I'm an honest twat!

It's not my body to fucking deform .... My kids rely on me for good parenting! They get it!

Wearing a twat hat and enjoying it!

QueenMolotov · 21/12/2015 19:56

And there you go, kilmuir gets the prize for demonstrating the hideous, snob-supreme attitude with 'chavvy' pure and simple, balls out flapping in the breeze.

I'm out.

purplefizz26 · 21/12/2015 19:57

So what if it has been discussed before, is there a rule that says only one thread allowed per subject? Hmm

Anyway... Personally I think there should be a minimum age a parent can give their consent to pierce their child's ears, maybe 8/9? When a child can actually express their desire to have it done and understand it will hurt, maybe for quite a while etc?

It especially bothers me seeing babies and toddlers with pierced ears. Why?? Just why??

I met somebody at a playgroup who had a 12 month old with newly pierced ears. She was ever so proud of herself for having them done, raved about how gorgeous they were blah blah blah. A few weeks passed and she started moaning about her suddenly not sleeping well anymore at night, crying a lot and generally very irritable all of a sudden. It turned out after a trip to the doctor the poor kid had an infected piercing Angry very sore, probably too sore to lie on her side to sleep. And for what? To make her already beautiful daughter "look gorgeous". Confused

QueenMolotov · 21/12/2015 19:58

Boo, I thought you were being ironic! Dear me.

InTheBox · 21/12/2015 20:00

The internet really does bring out the worst in some people. Boo regardless of where you stand with piercing children's ears, your comments, or rather judgements, about a 4 year old were vile.

BrandNewAndImproved · 21/12/2015 20:03

It's not just another thread about shopping lists it's the same judgemental superior sounding looking down on the chavs thread again.

knobblyknee · 21/12/2015 20:03

YANBU. Leave it until they are old enough to choose for themselves.

The people defending their own pierced ears because they wanted them have missed the point.

Etak15 · 21/12/2015 20:04

I think as soon as they ask themselves it's fine? Mine were 5&7 at the time I thought 5 was young but she wanted to be like her sister who was desperate for them done as long as they understand it hurts ( a tiny bit) and it's a bit ouchy at first when getting them in and out. I wouldn't pin them down to do it though or put pics on Facebook that's a bit strange. I actually would like to get dd3's done (she's 3) so they're over and done with before starting school because even though my girls had them done in summer hols was still a bit of a drama getting them in and out for PE for first few months, but she has no interest in having them done so maybe she'll have unpierced ears? Or maybe she'll change her mind. My girls are gorgeous (with or without earrings!) can't see the problem with it?
Now earrings on boys that's a big no no my ds is never having his ear/s pierced - double standards Grin

MistressoftheYoniverse · 21/12/2015 20:05

Biscuit first one in a long time I prefer to eat them Grin

Original poster
Singsongsungagain · 21/12/2015 20:07

Etak- I don't get the idea of "getting it over and done with" though. Pierced ears are not compulsory!!

OP posts:
Stanky · 21/12/2015 20:08

I think that it's worse that they took a photo of their child in pain, and put it on fb.

expatinscotland · 21/12/2015 20:10

I'm Latin American and had my ears pierced when I was about 2 months old, before my baptism. Very common there for people to pierce babies' ears.

ghostyslovesheep · 21/12/2015 20:12

I have my bingo card!

TimeToMuskUp · 21/12/2015 20:13

I have friends with DDs who chose to pierce her ears as their culture dictates that it's the norm. Whatever, I wouldn't do it to my own (and when DS1, 10, asked recently to have his done I refused on the ground that his personal hygiene is questionable and until he could promise to shower more than once a year he couldn't be trusted to pierce parts of himself). But I don't think it's chavvy, nor my place to judge.

zzzzz · 21/12/2015 20:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Etak15 · 21/12/2015 20:15

No not compulsory! but I think that she will want them doing in a few years and just going on previous experience that it takes a good few months for them to be easy to get in and out so its easier to be done now when she doesn't have to be taking them in and out for PE.

Sallyhasleftthebuilding · 21/12/2015 20:17

DD were both 4, i looked after them, and tjere were no problems. Yhey both asked for months ....
Friends DD wanted them about 7 and a fair few had issues with dirty fingers, catching in hair brushes, swimming etc.
Most girls have their ears done eventually - so whats the big deal?

purplefizz26 · 21/12/2015 20:19

Can anybody give a good solid reason to pierce a child's ears before they are old enough to understand? Particularly a baby or toddler?

I'm all for letting a child decide when they want it done, but it should be their choice.

Cultural/beautifying/thinks it looks nice/getting it over with before starting school/just because I can etc etc just aren't good enough reasons to me.

Inflicting unnecessary pain and the potential for infection and long periods of soreness before healing, when a child hasn't actually asked for it, just isn't right in my opinion.

noeffingidea · 21/12/2015 20:19

It is very common in a lot of countries and cultures to be fair it was quite common in white British culture when I was growing up. I felt the odd one out at school because my Mum wouldn't let me have mine down, my inlaws (eastenders) had theirs done, and I do know a couple of other women my age group (50's) that had their daughter's ears pierced. It seems to be dying out really quickly here though, I wonder if it will become less prevelant in other cultures?
I've got to admit, it does seem a bit odd to me now when I see a baby with pierced ears, simply because it's against the norm now. I wouldn't condemn the parents though.

kittypaws · 21/12/2015 20:25

sometimes getting things done as children are less painful due to tissue being softer. I had my ears pierced as a teen and it killed me for days. Its like with tonsils, I wish i had them out as a child (which isnt deemed necessary) but i didnt now i suffer with tounsil stones and im begging my doctor to get then out but they are reluctant due to pain
Also as others have said it can be a cultural thing.

EnthusiasmDisturbed · 21/12/2015 20:26

I had my ears pierced at 3 and if I had a dd and she wanted them done at the same age I would let her

I like little stud earrings or little pearls I think they look cute (from age 3ish)

Iammad · 21/12/2015 20:28

I was told by my mother "if God wanted holes in your ears he would of already put them there".
Anyway when I was old enough to have them done without parents permission I had 4 done in each ear lol.
I do think that it should be up to the child if they want it done when they are old enough.
But ultimately it's up to the parent, until there is a legal age to have them done then it's not law breaking.
Regardless of how other people feel about it!

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