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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:
SheGotBetteDavisEyes · 14/08/2018 12:38

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

This is nothing short of shameful. Which store was it, OP?

imnotreally · 14/08/2018 12:41

@JacquesHammer fair comment. I have yet to actually meet someone who has had a terrible experience at Claire's irl. Not saying it doesn't happen but on balance seems very rare. I also like the fact that they do both ears at the same time which seemed less traumatic for dd.

Ah well it's done now and she's happy. Xh is taking other dd next weekend - up to him how and where he gets it done.

I'm getting more lobe piercings done and having it done at a tattoo place which probably makes me a terrible hypocrite.

Nicknacky · 14/08/2018 12:43

imnotreallly genuine question but why aren’t you going to Claire’s to get your piecing?

imnotreally · 14/08/2018 12:47

@Nicknacky I did consider it. I've previously had my ears repierced at Claire's. But I have weird ears that only take certain jewellery. And I don't trust them higher up the lobe not to nick the cartilage. And they are flipping expensive.

Dd knew what to expect with a gun etc. I know what to expect with a needle.

I'm a crappy parent aren't I? Arrggghhh.

Orlandointhewilderness · 14/08/2018 12:50

I'd far rather take my DD to the scary piercing place, who know the job inside and out, than to a 16 year old with a chair in the corner of a tat shop and a gun!
Child abuse. No child should have it done when they can't comprehend what is going to happen.

JacquesHammer · 14/08/2018 12:52

I have yet to actually meet someone who has had a terrible experience at Claire's irl. Not saying it doesn't happen but on balance seems very rare

I think probably because the default position is just to take the studs out IYSWIM/

I’ve a friend who is a piercer and he sees people weekly who are asking him to fix bad piercings.

I had my first piercings done with a gun. No issues but when I don’t have any studs in, the difference between gun and needle is marked.

sue51 · 14/08/2018 12:54

I have never looked at a baby and thought how much cuter s/He would look would look with pierced ears. I would like to see it made illegal. What the op saw in Claire's sounds like torture.

imnotreally · 14/08/2018 12:55

Also I went and had piercings done at a tattoo place and wasn't terribly happy and when I asked about getting my dds ears pierced she told me to get it done at Claire's.

JacquesHammer · 14/08/2018 12:59

Also I went and had piercings done at a tattoo place and wasn't terribly happy and when I asked about getting my dds ears pierced she told me to get it done at Claire's

Then they’re not a responsible piercer!

Littledidsheknow · 14/08/2018 13:15

Absolutely horrific and abusive.

And I do judge when I see babies and under 6's with pierced ears; it's not the child asking for it at that age, and even if it were, they're not old enough to understand or appreciate the possible problems.

Severide08 · 14/08/2018 13:16

I hate that. In my eyes it's child abuse that child hasn't given its consent and was oviously scared and distressed. I despair how some parents can do this and think it is acceptable. Neither my DC's have their ears pierced yet and won't until i feel they are responsible brought to look after them and then only if they want too .

Cheby · 14/08/2018 13:17

I don’t know if they still do this but I had a huge infection in my ear after Claire’s did a cartilage piercing with a gun. I was 15. Lobe piercings with a gun are bad enough but cartilage is ridiculous. At 15 (and pre internet!) I didn’t know any better. I’ve since had many other piercings, all with a needle.

DD1 is 5. She knows she can have her ears done when she is ready. But it will be with a needle, and she needs to be able to sit still while they are done one by one and she needs to care for them. I have described he process to her accurately and surprisingly, she is not interested in putting herself through that yet. 😂

KarlDilkington · 14/08/2018 13:17

How did you find out she was 13 months old

Tallzarathegreat · 14/08/2018 13:18

Knockmedown don't be so bloody ridiculous.

Lots of small children don't like having their hair cut but hair does need a trim from time to time, it doesn't hurt and it is necessary.

Some children don't like having their nails cut, their teeth brushed, visiting the dentist, having their vaccinations, taking medicine or having eyedrops.

None are comparable to ear piercing.

KarlDilkington · 14/08/2018 13:22

Oh sorry I see you've answered that

Severide08 · 14/08/2018 13:22

@ScattyCharlie I think I actually agree with you that it shouldn't be allowed until a certain age such as 16 .My dad would not let us,myself and my DS get ours done until we were 16. At the time we thought it was mean but looking back now I agree we looked after them properly and it was our decision no one else .

chipmunkcalling · 14/08/2018 13:46

My sister had her ears done at Claire's when she was 13, and hers ended up getting infected and she had a really bad reaction to the stud itself. That put me off getting mine done, I only had them done when I was 23, and I went to a proper piercing place/tattoo shop. The guy that done it was surprised I'd not had them done before, so I told him about how my sisters went, and he said he wasn't surprised at all, gun piercings are they worst for healing and infections. My friend recently had the top of her ear peirced at Claire's, with a gun, and I asked her why she didn't go to a proper piercer, and said that Claire's are a proper peircer :/ um no, they're not trained, but and it's unhygienic. Always go to a tattoo shop!!! And only when a child is old enough to ask themselves about it. There's a piercing qualification for a reason!!!

Horrordoeurvres · 14/08/2018 14:16

fully agreed with @JacquesHammer here, "look scary" is ridiculous @imnotreally do you know what's really scary? infected piercings and ruined cartilage. I'm glad your child was happy but personally its not worth the risks. Also side note - you cannot fully clean or disinfect the "guns" they use in Claires, unlike a terrifying piercing/tattoo studio who use disposable one shot needles Hmm

imnotreally · 14/08/2018 15:50

@chipmunkcalling I'd never get cartilage done with a gun. It can shatter.

Original poster
ScottishG · 14/08/2018 16:00

I'd be happy for this discussion to be on Twitter but I never use it or look at it so don't know how to do it (dinosaur!) It's reassuring to hear nearly everyone who has responded has a similar reaction to mine. It just felt so wrong. For those asking, it was the Westfield branch in Stratford.

OP posts:
tulipbee · 14/08/2018 16:10

I pierced my daughters ears at age 2 in Claire's. She was 100% happy and no crying etc. If I had to hold her down I would of never in a million years done it

OftenHangry · 14/08/2018 16:11

I had them done when I was baby. And I mean baby. Less than a year old I think. It was very common where I grew up. The baby will not remember the pain. No one I know did. But! It was not done in some shopping centre accessories shopHmm

SusannahL · 14/08/2018 16:16

What a horrible story.

This has probably been mentioned before, but ear piercing of babies or young children is very much class related. I'm sure I don't need to elaborate on which social class I am referring to!

tulipbee · 14/08/2018 16:21

And no it's not child abuse. Reading all the other posts if a baby is distressed it shouldn't be done, but under normal circumstances it's up to the mum and i bet the infection people get are because ears are pierced when people are older children or adults and mess around or clean them too much.

JacquesHammer · 14/08/2018 16:25

And no it's not child abuse

Yes it is.

i bet the infection people get are because ears are pierced when people are older children or adults and mess around or clean them too much

The risk of infection is because the piercing process at Claire’s isn’t sterile