6yo asking to have her ears pierced...

[Whatsername17]

Wibu to let her? I'm thinking at the beginning of the holiday so they have time to heal ready for school. I didn't anticipate her asking this of me so young.

[LottieandMia]

I also think £50 is a ridiculous amount to pay to get ears pierced. For that reason I wouldn't use Claire's again.

[chanel19]

It used to be possible to get them done in the pharmacy/ chemist in the UK.

[Maudlinmaud]

Yes I got mine done in chemist when I was about 13/14. I went by myself after school, my df was not pleased. He couldn't understand why anyone wold want holes in their ears. I have to laugh really.

[Maudlinmaud]

*would

[AgainPlease]

Some mums on here need to lighten up. Not letting your daughter get their ears pierced till they're 12 😟?! Why?? 6 is plenty old enough.

I had mine done when I was about 1.. but that's common in my culture, I know a lot of English people think it's chavvy.

I don't have any other piercings though.

[blubberball]

I had my ears pierced at 3 years old. I remember the pain, I remember enjoying choosing 3 pairs of 9 carat gold earrings (hearts, dolphins and something else). In a little heart shaped jewellery box. I remember being pissed off because I couldn't go swimming for a couple of weeks afterwards, and I had to sit and watch my siblings swim. I remember covering them up with tape for PE. I didn't ask to get them pierced.

As our local primary schools don't allow earrings at all now, I would use that as a guide to 11 being a good age. They'll be able to take responsibility for the after care then.

[Sparklewater]

My dd had been asking for them to be done for about 18 months before I let her, so wasn't a whim.

She'd just turned 6, but is pretty grown up. I helped her clean them in the early weeks, but she was perfectly capable of turning them etc herself. She has now had them for about 6 months and takes them out herself for PE at school etc and just wore plasters until she was able to do that.

You know your own child. :)

[Sparklewater]

And we used Claires - went to a tattooist initially, but they won't pierce people under 8 in case they wiggle around (it's a longer process if they don't use a gun).

I wasn't entirely happy with it at first but spoke to the ladies beforehand and they clearly knew what they were doing so was all ok. Like anything, you can't say if they're all good or all bad...

[Sallystyle]

I let my daughter have hers done for her 8th birthday. She asked when she was 7 and I said she could get them done for her 8th birthday if she still wanted them.

We have had no issues, except her being a bit nervous to take them out for swimming and putting them back in herself but she was fine.

I see no problem with having them done at 6. My personal preference was around 8 but I can't get worked up about a 6 year old having it done and I certainly can't see any sense in waiting them wait until they are 16!

[Sallystyle]

You have the option of sending a message to your child they their body deserves respect, and that they do not need to change to fit with anyone's definition of beauty....and you have the option of telling them that, yes they should permanently alter their body to be like their mates/the person they saw on TV.

I don't think my daughter was thinking about looking beautiful. She liked the fact that she could have cute earrings like unicorns, flip flops, burgers, flowers... looking beautiful wasn't her concern. She wasn't trying to change to fit into a certain definition of beauty. Of course it does start very young and it's something we all need to be aware of but I don't think having earrings means someone is trying to fit into anyone['s definition of beauty.

I also hope every single person on here who said yes its fine for a 6 yo girl would also be fine with a 6 yo boy getting theirs done, because I'm sure you all wouldn't want to be sexist now would you?

Yep, my son had his done as a child too.

[SoupDragon]

Some mums on here need to lighten up. Not letting your daughter get their ears pierced till they're 12 😟?! Why?? 6 is plenty old enough.

Only in your opinion. Everyone makes a different personal choice. You are entitled to think waiting til they are 12 deserves a sad face emoji, others are entitled think having them done young is sad.

[summerisles]

Gosh. Love an ear piercing thread.

My daughter had them done aged 6.

She knew it would hurt and I felt she was at an age where I could insist on making sure they were cleaned and looked after without hassle. One ear got a bit infected but we dealt with it easily. 2 years later she still wears the same little gold studs.

I got mine done at 11 after begging for years to get them. I asked Santa every year!!!

If she wants them done and you're not that fussed if she gets them at 6 or 16 then I don't see the big deal.

[summerisles]

Oh and my son doesn't want his pierced but if he asked then I would be delighted to take him. Both ears as well

[ethanrayne]

Mine will not have them done until high school.

[ethanrayne]

And also I personally think it looks awful on primary aged girls - each to their own but that is why I wouldn't do it under 12.

[KERALA1]

In the olden days when I was a child having your ears pierced was seen as "common" and a sign you were a bit rough. Nonsense of course but think some 40 somethings still have this view one of my friends were when I let 10 year old did get hers done I was surprised how shocked they were!

[KERALA1]

Some not one

[grannytomine]

I always told mine when they asked that when they were 18 they could do what they liked with their bodies but until then it was a no. Once they got to 18 none of them bothered so they can't have wanted it that much.

[Marylou2]

Just say No! Far too young. There's only one girl in my DDs class with pierced ears and they are all 10. DD has never mentioned it.

[grannytomine]

I was in a jewellers once when a child was having her ears done, she was about 5. She had already had one ear done and was hysterical with the mum and I think the gran holding her down. I said I felt like phoning social services. It was barbaric. Even when my kids have been in hospital I have never heard a child so distressed.

[ethanrayne]

I'm early 30s and my mums generation def thought it was "common" - I'm just not keen on it for pre 12's.

[user1484167681]

I've found this thread fascinating- I'm 26 and was only allowed mine done when I was 15 or 16! Parents have to (had to?) give consent and mine said once I was allowed to do it alone, I could go. (My mum's took six months to heal after getting badly infected, so she was nervous of me suffering the same.) I went to a beauty salon (where they used a gun), and have since had 3 more in two tattoo and piercing parlours (needles), which I greatly enjoyed because frankly they were terrifying! Everyone was covered in ink and piercings, and it was amazingly different to my quaint Home Counties neighbourhood. I loved it!
My inlaws are South American and there all little girls get their ears pierced by the health visitor when they're a few weeks old. Quite frankly I don't think it will affect your child's long term physical or mental health (expectations of beauty and all that), but I agree with OP that it's healthy to have something to wait for and look forward to. I'm sure your little girl will look wonderful and enjoy wearing earrings, regardless of when you allow it! :)

[NotCitrus]

I've told my 5yo that secondary school is soon enough. She asked if they really have to put a needle through your ear and when i said yes stopped asking!
My parents said 16 until a schoolmate told my mum about getting her friend to do hers, at which point mum decided to take 12yo me to the hairdressers before i did anything stupid.

The second piercings I did get done in a friend's bedroom, but we had impeccable hygiene at least (grew over in my 30s as it wasnt quite straight)

[Hillarious]

The answer's no.

[ThanksMsMay]

She might later regret them or the procedure. But no adult ever looks back and says I really wish I'd been peireced at 5 instead of 12