Piercing a 2yr olds ears..

[Thelogicescapesme]

It's not a cultural thing in this case, more so the toddler is being treat like a fashion accessory. Mum had it done because mum thinks it's "pretty and girly"

As an adult whom has had to have two piercings surgically removed and antibiotics for complications post procedure I think it's fucking bonkers that anybody would inflict it on a small child.

AIBU and what are your thoughts?

Perspective indeed. There are some real fruit loops on bikini shaving and ear piercing threads.

I've just had a daughter in Spain, where girls usually have their ears pierced as babies. I'm not going to do it because I've always thought it looks tacky. I'm just waiting for all my Spanish friends and family to start putting the pressure on, saying noone will be able to tell whether she's a boy or a girl (doesn't have many pink clothes either, which utterly discombobulates people)!

Some say it doesn't hurt when they're very little, but I assume that's just because babies aren't able to articulate "Ow Mummy, that hurts!"

Also, as mentioned further up the thread, why is it acceptable to pierce some parts of a small child and not others?

I'm not surprised to see the "It's ok to pierce babies" brigade haven't acknowledged the quoted post below. Is the reality of the risk too uncomfortable for you? As a PP sadly wrote..

As a junior doctor I did chest compressions for 40 minutes under the heat lamps of a resusitaire on a 16 week old with, we found out septicaemia from a piercing they'd had 2 days previously. I can still remember the screams from mum at the moment we stopped, unsuccessful.

That woman should have been prosecuted. Heartbreaking.

@Biancadelrioisback potentially not. I said 5 is the absolute youngest we'd consider it, but as we don't have a 5 year old yet I can't say we'd feel comfortable with the idea when she gets to that age

I've had mine pierced when I was a toddler but it was part of my culture plus it was 30 odd years ago. I'm seeing less and less of ear piercing in toddlers/babies these days which is good I suppose where parents don't feel pressured to do it. I wouldn't pierce my own unless they want it when they're older not because I see it as child abuse as my DS has had a cannula, multiple jabs and needles on his heel and hand for bloods. One could argue one is done intentionally to inflict pain for cultural/beauty reasons and the other for medical reasons but a toddler/baby still won't understand both. I won't pierce mine simply because my toddler would probably pull it out and cause it to tear and cause more harm or get caught on something. I don't like any accessories on toddlers and young children at all and anything that will make them look like adults and also that could be potentially a choking hazard.

@Cavalierqueen

Perspective indeed. There are some real fruit loops on bikini shaving and ear piercing threads.

Yeah there are arseholes on the bikini shaving threads thinking everyone should be doing that as well

@Thelogicescapesme

I'm not surprised to see the "It's ok to pierce babies" brigade haven't acknowledged the quoted post below. Is the reality of the risk too uncomfortable for you? As a PP sadly wrote..

As a junior doctor I did chest compressions for 40 minutes under the heat lamps of a resusitaire on a 16 week old with, we found out septicaemia from a piercing they'd had 2 days previously. I can still remember the screams from mum at the moment we stopped, unsuccessful.

That woman should have been prosecuted. Heartbreaking.

Agree with this, it’s funny how selectively people read some posts on here.

My regular piercer has only recently had to cut the back of an earring out of a young girls ears who went to Claire’s.

And comparing vaccinations which can be lifesaving to a earrings which are purely for vanity is absolutely pathetic.

@itsmellslikepopcarn And comparing vaccinations which can be lifesaving to a earrings which are purely for vanity is absolutely pathetic.

The comparison was about consent, nothing else, which was clearly stated. Grow up.

[quote girlmom21]**@itsmellslikepopcarn* And comparing vaccinations which can be lifesaving to a earrings which are purely for vanity is absolutely pathetic.*

The comparison was about consent, nothing else, which was clearly stated. Grow up. [/quote]
Surely as a parent you don’t need consent to keep your young child from potential harm or death?! Earrings are a different matter.

Babies with pierced ears just looks so chavvy

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss

I hate piercings on children and firmly believe it should be illegal until 18 when they can make an informed decision as an adult.

It looks tacky and I wonder to myself why they feel the child needs beauty accessories.

Oh this is hilarious is this sarcasm or are you a Puritan Victorian headmistress? 18, that is hilarious

@itsmellslikepopcarn of course you consent to it. And plenty of parents refuse childhood vaccinations for their children. I completely disagree with anti-vaxxers for the same reasons as you, but the point is that we make decisions without our children's consent regularly and that's our job as parents, so I just didn't understand the consent argument about earrings.

[quote girlmom21]@itsmellslikepopcarn of course you consent to it. And plenty of parents refuse childhood vaccinations for their children. I completely disagree with anti-vaxxers for the same reasons as you, but the point is that we make decisions without our children's consent regularly and that's our job as parents, so I just didn't understand the consent argument about earrings. [/quote]
Because vaccines are necessary and fucking punching holes in your babies ears isn't?

My Mum had mine pierced at 2 and my Dad was so disgusted by it, he removed the earrings and told her I’d taken them out and lost them. The holes closed up over the weekend too and my Mum didn’t bother repiercing them. I got them repierced at 8 when I asked for it.

I can’t see any logical reason for a baby or toddler to have their ears pierced. My DD is 10 and still doesn’t have them pierced, she won’t unless she specifically asks for it.

@LST Jesus Christ learn to read. I completely agree with you but plenty of parents don't - and as parents it's up to us to give or not give consent. It's not about vaccines, they were just an example of consent

There are also sane people who don't get het up over other people's business. Who really cares about either? It's hardly an issue worth getting so het up over, I can only imagine people have little to think about in their lives.

Vaccines are nessecary to prevent serious illness and preserve life, whereas piercings cause risks and have serve absolutely no purpose beyond being (supposedly) aesthetically pleasing.

@sashh

CoralSparkles

I wanted mine doing at 5, on my first day at school I saw a girl with pierced ears.

I asked every day and eventually when I was 14 I was allowed them.

My mother told me horror stories of how my grandmother's ears had been infected and she had to have penicillin injections.

It wasn't until I was an adult and I was discussing it with my grandma when she came out with:" they were good earrings as well, solid gold, I borrowed them from ..."

Is it any wonder they got infected?

You had an untrained shop assistant use a piercing gun (which cannot be sterilised) on your 3 year olds ears?!

There are courses that teach you how to use a gun to pierce ears and that is what shop assistants' take.

Now piercing with a needle - I don't think there is a qualification for that.

So many people in this thread have read stories about infected ears… that’s because they don’t go to a trained piercer that uses clean equipment. They also wear cheap costume earrings and don’t practise good hygiene. No wonder their piercings were infected. I don’t know anyone who had their piercings infected, whether they were a child or adult when they had them done.

The more I read about piercing young DC on MN, the more my stance has changed.

I still think it looks bad, but I really don't care any more when people get it done.

Inspired by this I just gave myself a third hole. I'm still alive and did ask myself for consent before I used the single use fully sterile kit.

@Thelogicescapesme as none of you are willing to accept the fact they were only an example of consent - how's about face painting or animal talks? There's a small chance our children will have allergic reactions. They may or may not be old enough to say they do or don't want to take part in these activities, but we make decisions on their behalf.

And they may discover they really hate or love animals as a result. And they probably won't have an allergic reaction.

We still give consent on their behalf.

Meh these threads always go the same way.

I'm not particularly bothered either way.

Where I'm from, most babies get it done in hospital. I was abandoned so I got mine done at 2 and a half, so similar age as the child in the OP. I asked,I didn't cry and was stopping random people on the street to show them off.

When it came to DD , I didn't care either way, but OH was completely against it so she had them done at 8 when she decided the pain was worth it.

Tbh I find reasons not to do it like "chavvy", "common" etc just as shallow and superficial as doing it because it looks pretty/girly/nice.

So many people in this thread have read stories about infected ears… that’s because they don’t go to a trained piercer that uses clean equipment.

I went to a trainer piercer and was meticulous about after care and hygiene, that didn't stop the piercing migrating and becoming so embedded that I needed to have it surgically cut out of my face under local anaesthetic.

Face painting and swimming should be banned until someone can consent. Face painting is just sinister and most children wouldn't choose to be forced into a chlorine filled verucca soup. I always gave swimming notes because I understand how disgusting some people find the noise and the stink. I also don't impose my vagan fanatics on my family. They have a cheeseburger when they want it, I hope when they are older they won't want to eat animals but it's up to them. But then we also have tvs in every room and usually on in the background so according to MN, I should be in prison by now