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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think babies wearing earings is totally unacceptable

166 replies

PixieAndDixie · 02/11/2007 18:34

Took kids to indoor playcentre today and my DS 2 was playing with a baby boy that wasn't even walking just doing that standing up holding on to things I am guessing about 10 months old. Anyway he had an earing in each ear - one was a stud the other a hoop WTF?? A hoop for obvious reasons is unacceptable right?

I feel FURIOUS with parents that get their babies ears peirced, I mean why would you want to??

OP posts:
RosaTransylvania · 02/11/2007 19:55

StawberryM - iirc the last thread on this kicked off quite dramatically, maybe the pro-piercing lobby will put in an appearance later when Claire's closes.

notnowbernard · 02/11/2007 19:56

Why is it unacceptable and why does it make you feel furious?

geekymummy · 02/11/2007 19:57

working class snob here

don't like earrings on babies or young children especially boys...

Tortington · 02/11/2007 19:59

no fizpop - twas a spder

FizzPopSquirdleBang · 02/11/2007 20:00

Ooh yes I can see that now. Very good (still looks like a ghost too)

StrawberryMartini · 02/11/2007 20:00

rosa I actually laughed out loud then!

FireworksInMyLuckyUnderpants · 02/11/2007 20:01

YANBU its totally absurd to inflict pain on a child for the sake of fashion! it really annoys me when i see little girls, some still babies under 12 mths old with ear rings, what selfish mothers they must have! why would you want to spoil your beautiful child by putting holes in its ears!!

chankins · 02/11/2007 20:02

I can't see why anyone would think it a good idea in babies or toddlers - surely its just an extra hassle ? Don't think its just chavs who do it though, people who do it could come from any background, but in my opinion are just a bit hasty and not really thinking it through ! I have to say there is a 5 yr old at my dds school who goes into school with a dummy in her mouth and huge hoop earrings in her ears....it does seem rather strange...

Original poster
PixieAndDixie · 02/11/2007 20:02

I had a feeling this thread had already been posted before as I consider it quite contraversial myself, but just wanted fresh ideas/responses.

OP posts:
Tortington · 02/11/2007 20:03

i think earpiercing is rubbish - eyebrow piercing on babies much nicer

bogie · 02/11/2007 20:04

I think tounge peircings would be better

CaptainUnderpants · 02/11/2007 20:07

Get their belly button done at birth !

OverMyDeadBody · 02/11/2007 20:07

But lots of things hurt in childhood, and lots of things could lead to infections/injuries. Jabs hurt...playing can lead to injuries...cuts can get infected, it's part of life, so what?!?!? Doesn't cause life-long suffering, babies with pierced ears would probably grow up wanting them done anyway if they are brought up around others who like it.

If you want to talk about child mutilation then talk about circumcision, male and female, not ear piercing ffs (or do we brush circumcision under the carpet coz it doesn't happen in our back yard? )

StrawberryMartini · 02/11/2007 20:09

How can you compare circumcision which is done for hygiene and religious reasons to getting ears pierced purely for cosmetic reasons?

notnowbernard · 02/11/2007 20:09

Have to say, you lot seem to have VERY strong feelings about this issue!

So far you are feeling "FURIOUS", "annoyed", "ugh"...

You descibe the practice of piercing a chid's ear "absurd", "chavvy", "totally unacceptable", "tasteless", but to name a few...

Remember, this is EAR-PIERCING. It's not child-abuse, FGS!

StrawberryMartini · 02/11/2007 20:10

How is it different to giving your child a tattoo? It's a permanant change that's been taken out of their hands. And even if the holes close up there's always a mark.

FireworksInMyLuckyUnderpants · 02/11/2007 20:11

well circumcision is another thread. Children hurting themselves accidently is not the same as an adult delibrately inficting pain on them for the sake of some fashion trend, you cant help your child falling over! ffs.

chankins · 02/11/2007 20:12

I just don't see the point - you have to keep it clean, watch out for infections, be careful how they play, (you don't have to worry about these things after a jab, etc) you are creating more hassle for yourself by doing something unnesssercary !
I think it would be nice to wait until they are older and it would be more like an anticipated rites of passage, something they can get excited about and have a choice in.

CaptainUnderpants · 02/11/2007 20:14

Well what are the parents going to so or do when another 10month old comes along , gets hold of the hoop and rips his ear !

probably balme the other parents .

FFS people should have more sense than to do that to a bay , regardless of whether it looks crap its asking for it to get hurt by soemother kid to have a go and pull.

FireworksInMyLuckyUnderpants · 02/11/2007 20:14

tell me what benefit does EAR PIERCING have on a child notnowbernard?? ffs!

christywhisty · 02/11/2007 20:24

I have seen babies having their ears pierced in the window of Clares and they scream and cry. Why would anyone do that to their baby.

I finally let my DD 10 have hers done on the last day of the summer term this tear, so they would have healed for school in September and she could have earrings for her 10th birthday.

One got infected, the other ended up with a 2 hours in a&e as she caught it on a towel and managed to pull it through her ear so the stud was actually lodged inside her earlobe. The nurses then spent ages trying to get it out! It came out through the back of the ear
It was bad enough with a 10 year old, imagine if this had happened to a little one.

OverMyDeadBody · 02/11/2007 20:25

Yes but who cares!!! so what if some kid with hooped earings gets them yanked out by another kid?? It's not the end of the world. Shit happens. Will probably not be the worst thing that ever happens to him.

There's more important stuff in life to get worked up about.

FireworksInMyLuckyUnderpants · 02/11/2007 20:27

obviously you dont OMDB so why are you still posting on this thread

chankins · 02/11/2007 20:29

I care, I always care when I see something that annoys me. It might not be child abuse, or anything really important, but its worth discussing I reckon ! Must be if it gets so many responses.

kerala · 02/11/2007 20:30

Not necessarily a class thing - had lunch with a friend of a friend mum who is a banker in the city, Canadian and very middle class. She asked out of the blue what age I thought appropriate to get dd's ears pierced. I replied maybe 12/13 onwards depending on how much fuss she makes about getting it done. Her response was she thought 3 was a good age. We changed the subject but admit I was pretty surprised!