Boys and ear piercings

[earspiercedornot]

My son aged 8 would like his ears pierced and has asked for it a lot over the last year. Im unsure. Do boys get them done? Is it both or just one?? I would rather he didnt (as hes a boy and im worried about bullying) but he really wants too! Help

I think 8 is a bit young, personally.

No, definitely no

I made DD wait until she was almost 10 so she could have needle piercing. Hell would freeze over before she got pierced with a gun.

@earspiercedornot
I remember when i really wanted to get my nose pierced, my Mum never said no, she just said at 16 i can and she kept her promise x

Whats the difference? I had not considered the way it was done, i didnt think there was a choice

I think 8 is too young. It's not just the piercing but the aftercare. Whether it's on a girl or boy is irrelevant. Piercing shops near me won't do any under 11s, which I think is reasonable.

@earspiercedornot gun piercings aren't sanitary - needles are.

I let my son have his done around thst age when we went with a friend to get her daughters ears pierced then he said he wanted his done. At 8 he's old enough to know he wants it done and if he doesn't like it after a while he can always take it out and it will heal up, its only an ear piercing not a big deal really

Ah sexism is alive and well in 2023. What else isn’t a good look for boys? Wearing pink? Pushing a hoover?

Yes it is I guess, it's actually more a class/snobby thing for me though if you want a stick to beat me with, if my boys wanted pink clothes I wouldn't bat an eye lid, but piercings on boys are especially tacky. It's tacky on young girls too, but 8+ is when it's less tacky on girls, but it remains pretty tacky on boys up until they're adults, maybe if they turn into a hipster type it wouldn't be so bad, but a young boy with a pierced ear makes them look rough. There I said it. Anonymous forum and all that.

Our son had his done fairly recently, he’s eight, we’d said he had to wait until he could prove he could look after them. He cleaned his ear lobes with soapy watee twice a day for I think two weeks with zero prompting, so we had to give him. He has looked after the real things fine, now they’re healed he can change them on his own, but he does get us to check them every now and again to make sure they’re not ‘fected’.

My age limit was 13. I only have boys, I'm not opposed to them having their ears pierced, but boy or girl I think 13 is about the right age to be aware of how to take care of them etc.

It would be a no from me at 8 (for children of either sex) but if my ds wanted it done as a teenager, I'd be fine with it just as I would be if dd wants.

My 8 year old plays football for a local team. At least 2 of his team mates have both ears pierced and as far as I'm aware no one cares.

One of my uncles did his own with the aid of a mate and a sewing needle they "borrowed" from my gran.

I haven't seen a boy here with a piercing. I have a 7yo and can't even imagine him asking for this. None of his friends or classmates do either. He's 8, you are the parent say no. I do think they look tacky on boys though.

That says more about you. You're a snob.

I think 8 is OK. Some boys in DS's class at primary definitely had theirs done at that age. I had 3 in each ear and my belly button pierced by the time I was 14.

Most teenage boys have them, the issue is whether they would cope with cleaning it and not fiddling it with dirty hands. Often the alternative is doing it in a shop with proper hygiene or in the school toilets with a random needle

Anyone who says they look "tacky" is a snob who thinks they're better than they actually are, and not the kind of person I'd want to be friends with if they're happy to talk that way about children.

And just wait till you lo comes back with a tatoo

My ds was around the same age when he got his ear done, just one ear one. Like you I was worried about bullying but he's nearly 16 now and still wears it infact only time he takes it out is to put new one in, he has never bullied about it altho grown arsed men did try take the piss afew times saying things like why you got that you little girl etc but I soon put them in their place.

Do they also look tacky on girls??

You will find alot off boys in high school also have them.

I think im going to say yes you know. His left ear only at this point. See how he goes. Thanks all 👍😊

Well as I have said not until in secondary school at very earliest to my DD it would be a clear no from me.

What's the significance of the left ear being done?
It's not that old rubbish about one signifying you are gay is it???? If so you would be rather unreasonable having it done.

No just seems to be the one boys/lads/blokes have done on photos I've looked at.