To think there should be a minimum age limit on ear piercing

[Forthepurposesofthetape]

Was in a well known accessories shop yesterday and witnesses a mum getting her child's ears pierced. The child could have only have been about a year old and screamed the place down. She was so distressed. I really don't understand why it's necessary to do it at that age, it seems so unnecessarily cruel!

I agree. There is no need for a young child or baby to have their ears pierced. I actually think there should be a limit of about 12 years old for this. You have to be 16 to get a lot of piercings unless your parents are consenting to it and with you, but you wouldn't take a toddler to get their belly button pierced so I don't understand why places treat ear piercing differently.

I agree.

The argument is often “it’s cultural”. That doesn’t make it okay.

I disagree.

I think babies with their ears pierced look lovely. Particularly if they're bald, how can you tell if they're a boy or a girl?

One stud for a boy, both ears for girls.

I agree. Personally I would say no under 13s but it should be at least 10.

@FuriousCheekyFucker but which side for a boy - left or right?

OP I presume they were using a gun. That fecking hurts there as a needle doesn't.

I don't agree either. Looking cute is not an acceptable answer.

Oh I agree I absolutely despise seeing babies with their ears pierced it’s cruel and ruins their little faces.
I reckon the child should be 10-13 so they can at least give their consent!

I 100% agree. One is causing pain and modifying the body of your child for your pleasure - they have no say in this. The only reason it isn't frowned upon is that it is cultural. You would get and instant social services referral quite rightly if you pierced any other child body part.

I agree. I think 12 at least. I had mine done younger because I was begging to but it was only because everyone else's were done.

If/when DD asks I'll take her to a proper piercing place at the start of the holidays so they're healed ready for school.

YANBU. Kids should have to be old enough to consent, the same as any other body modification.

I think there should be a limit but for ears I think 12 or 13 is a bit extreme. My DD was 7, she was desperate for it, understood it would be sore for a minute, and chose herself it was worth the pain. She now has a few but always her own choice

I absolutely hate seeing babies with it.

I do everything in my power to stop my babies from hurting and crying, can't understand why a parent would intentionally cause a baby pain, even if it is only a minute.

YANBU it’s cruel. Causing pain for what the parents think enhances how their baby/child looks is abhorrent.

I agree, the child should be old enough to give consent- should be the same as any other piercing IMO.

I disagree with piercing babies or toddler's ears, since they have no concept of what is happening and can't consent. I think it's fine once a child can understand that it will sting and still wants to have it done. I think being able to express an opinion is more important than an actual age limit, since not all children are the same. DD had hers done at 7 iirc, having asked repeatedly for a year. She totally understood what she was getting.

FuriousCheekyFucker are you joking?

Surely if someone wants to make it clear what sex their baby is they'd just dress them in clothing that make it obvious - not get their ears pierced!

@ScreamScreamIceCream

The right ear of course!

I do draw the line at using a gun, that's a bit too much. A bow and arrow is far more environmentally friendly. Whilst playing the William Tell Overture on your bluetooth speaker.

Which leads me on to the question. Is 5 years old too old for my daughters first tattoo?

I argued, it should be 16. Old enough then to accept responsibility and to know what they are doing permanently to their bodies.

Children need to be just children, they shouldn't need accessories just to please an adult.

OoohAyye I think they were being sarcastic

Yanbu. And also a risk for toddlers and young kids playing and getting them torn out.
Children (a) shouldn't be put through unnecessary pain and (b) shouldn't be given accessories that limit rough and tumble play.

Pretty sure there is a 'limit' - I half overheard a family enquiring after this for their very young daughter in what I assume to be a branch of the same well known accessory shop and the assistant and manager both said said that limit was X number of weeks after the either the 2nd or 3rd (couldn't quite hear that part) set of childhood vaccinations and that they would need to bring the child's red book as proof of the vaccinations having taken place so we are talking what 16ish weeks? So there maybe a policy about this limit but frankly I think it is way too young! This is definitely a cultural element with this but I don't personally believe that a child should have their ears pierced until they are old enough to want it/understand what will happen AND capable of managing the aftercare of the healing.

YANBU

I judge parents who do this harshly. They’re doing it for their own benefit, to make their baby into their little accessory.

I agree. I can't stand it when parents get their baby's/small children's ears pierced!

The shops ( independant and high street chains) I have worked in refused to pierce any child under 7.

@FuriousCheekyFucker 😂

I had my ears pierced at one year. French culture, very much the norm. Did the same with our daughter, also in France.

I do understand the points about body autonomy, etc, and would generally agree. But weirdly it doesn’t bother me in the slightest that it was done to me or that we had it done for our daughter. She has no issues with it either.

Perhaps because we’ve never known what it was like to not have pierced ears.