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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think Claire's should not be piercing the ears of a hysterical 13 month old whilst she is held down?

201 replies

ScottishG · 14/08/2018 00:56

I was in Claire's Accessories with dd today. A small child was crying hysterically. I looked around to see what was going on and was horrified to see a baby being forced to have her ears pierced. She was being firmly held on an adult 's knee (? mum) surrounded by 3 or 4 men who seemed to be with her and the assistant doing the piercing. Her ears were held by the adults whilst they were pierced. It was horrible. She was so upset it was distressing to see.
I have no clue why anyone would put their baby through this and think it is wrong to hurt your child in this way. However, I also felt Claire's were wrong to go ahead with the piercing when the child was so very distressed. Surely they could have refused to continue? I can't get the scene out of my head and Dr(13) was upset too.

OP posts:
Fairylea · 14/08/2018 08:11

It’s utterly wrong and disgusting and I have witnessed similar things and written to Claire’s head office to complain. There is no reason in the world a young child needs their ears pierced. Barbaric.

OneForTheRoadThen · 14/08/2018 08:11

That's awful, poor child 😢 I'd complain to Claire's Head office. It might not change anything but they should be aware that their staff are piercing unwilling children.

5foot5 · 14/08/2018 08:14

I do not agree with piercing a babies ears AT ALL but I'm just wondering, if the Claire's staff member felt very under pressure/threatened if there were "3 or 4 men" holding the baby down?

That is a very good point MrsMaryMooFace. After all Claire's is a very unusual place to find adult men I would have thought.

hesbeeneatingapotato · 14/08/2018 08:14

I'm sure it's the same as it was when I went for an interview there a few years ago - the regional manager told me I'd have to sign to say I wouldn't refuse to pierce a baby or small child. I was led to believe it was a sackable offence if you did!

Obviously I didn't take the job, but I'm not sure how much choice staff have in the matter.

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 14/08/2018 08:17

DD was 11 before I let her have her ears pierced and it was done with a needle at a piercing studio who insisted on consent from BOTH parents before proceeding AND had her in for “checkups”.

“Public” ear piercing ang gun piercing are awful practices.

Spudlet · 14/08/2018 08:20

Eurgh. I had to get a kicking, screaming ds into a headlock to allow an optometrist to prescribe him some glasses last week - it was horrible, and that was for something important for his health. How could anyone bear to do that to their child for something frivolous?

I think I would have to write to Claire's to complain, even though they'd probably fob me off. It's pribably their policy but it won't change unless enough people complain.

Easilyflattered · 14/08/2018 08:20

And yet at our small town tattoo and piercing parlour which frankly looks a bit scary from the outside, they won't pierce a child's ears till about 9 or 10. The bloke who does the piercings says he likes to be able to talk to the child and check they understand what he's about to do and that they want to go ahead.

Original poster
ScottishG · 14/08/2018 08:23

Ghosty - I could only see one assistant but there was quite a crowd round her so there may have been another I didn't notice. I saw her being held on ?mum's lap, heard a man saying "hold her ears" and the screaming increasing. Then everyone was telling her she was brave after the piercing. She was given 2 lollies by the assistant which she was tearfully clutching whilst the adults were browsing afterwards.

OP posts:
Fuckedoffat48b · 14/08/2018 08:24

£50

LoveInTokyo · 14/08/2018 08:26

I was with my friend and her 9 year old daughter once and my friend finally agreed to let her daughter get her ears pierced. They were going to go to Claire's but I said we'd be better off going to a tattoo parlour where the staff had been properly trained. Afterwards my friend said it was a double bonus because not only did her daughter get her ears pierced by someone competent, but she also saw someone getting a tattoo and (loudly) declared that she was never getting one! Grin

SchadenfreudePersonified · 14/08/2018 08:26

Thing is with Claire's, once they've put the earrings in the gun you have to pay cos they're no longer sterile. Parents probably didnt want to lose out on their £50.

I think that's fair enough - her mother should have had them put in instead.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 14/08/2018 08:28

I wonder how the child's family will manage the aftercare, if the little 'un is so distressed about the piercing.

FocusOnMePlease · 14/08/2018 08:29

You could also speak to the police. If they were interested there will be cctv.

Hmm
gottachangethename1 · 14/08/2018 08:30

Saw this last month at a local chemist. Assistant asked how old the baby was, Mum replied 8 months. Thought they’d say no, but they just asked for baby’ Red book to check her immunisations were up to date and then did it. Poor little love. Totally unnecessary at such a young age.

BluePheasant · 14/08/2018 08:31

How the fuck is this still legal? It’s child abuse plain and simple. Pierced ears throb like a bastard for hours afterwards too so no it isn’t just a “quick pinch”. Not to mention the risk of damage/infection.

BunnyBath · 14/08/2018 08:32

It's not that big a deal. For those of you calling it child abuse, you must be lucky enough to never have seen actual child abuse.

JacquesHammer · 14/08/2018 08:33

It's not that big a deal. For those of you calling it child abuse, you must be lucky enough to never have seen actual child abuse

It’s not a race to the bottom Hmm

sallievp · 14/08/2018 08:33

It's disgusting....I want to know why can you pierce a baby's ears but not nose eyebrow etc!!?? You wouldn't be allowed pierce a baby's eyebrow, nose etc so why are ears ok!?
Something should be done to stop this.

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 14/08/2018 08:34

Pinning a child down that is in obvious distress to cause pain is pretty abusive, surely?

LizzieSiddal · 14/08/2018 08:36

I’d have recorded the crying and put it on Twitter.

Claire’s shouldn’t be piercing babies ears, maybe a bit of bad publicity will make them change policy.

BluePheasant · 14/08/2018 08:39

BunnyBath child abuse comes in many forms and causing a small child unnecessary pain and distress is abuse in my book.

Oh and I’ve often seen ppl compare ear piercing to vaccinations on these type of threads to try and justify it. Just no. One serves no medical purpose. The other may just save the child’s life.

user838383 · 14/08/2018 08:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MysteriousQuinn · 14/08/2018 08:39

Ugh hate it! Barbaric and definitely abuse!

WindyWednesday · 14/08/2018 08:40

I used to pierce ears many years ago. I refused to pierce anyone under 10, then I increased it to 16. I had loads of parents try and bully me into doing it on babies. I refused. I can see how the staff at Claire’s were probably bullied into performing the pierce on a baby if loads of men were intimidating them. I’m sure the staff at Claire’s are young girls.

GabsAlot · 14/08/2018 08:47

i had it done when i was about 9 i asked for it though-my df was against it but i begged my mum

shouldnt be done on anyone who cant decide for themselves

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