To get my 7 year old’s ears pierced?

[ToPierceOrNotToPierce]

My 7 year old DD has been desperate to get her ears pierced for ages, since starting school. Have always said no, not until you’re a bit older. So many girls younger than her at school already have their ears pierced.
Would I be a terribly irresponsible mum if I allowed her to get her ears pierced at 7?
I’m worried about them getting pulled when she’s playing but equally it’s not as though she’s a baby or even a toddler and I’m thinking of getting them pierced.
Genuinely interested on others opinions on this as I’m so torn on it.
Thanks!

I've had my ears pierced twice and both times I forgot to put in earrings (a few months later) and they healed up all too well. My ears look like they have never been pierced!

Maybe I'll get them done again for my 50th birthday 🤔

If you really think she is old enough, I would wait until summer holidays so that she gets time to let it heal and get used to the cleaning routine. Personally I would postpone until she is going to secondary school but that is a personal opinion only.

I told DD she could have them for 13th birthday when she was about 4. She remembered and held me to it! 🤣

I begged and begged my mum for years and she finally said yes on my 10th birthday!

My mum and my sisters never had theirs pierced.

Made mine wait till she was 10 so she could have them done with a needle, not one of those hideous guns.

My 7 (nearly 8) year old has been asking for 2 years. The answer is always no. Until she’s 12/13. Her friend has had her done, they heal up then she has them redone. They can’t wear them at school either so it’s pointless. Imo 7 is too young.

It’s not a great look. I’d hold on till senior school.

My 5yo niece has them and is forever banging her ear against something and crying or freaking out saying ‘don’t catch my earring!!’ I also shudder everytime I take her top off thinking I’ll catch them. Just makes no sense to me at this age! I have a 6yo it would be a flat no from me. I think 8+ and to be honest I wouldn’t even want it then but realise I have to be fair.

I let mine get them done for their 9 & 11th birthdays, both girls ears healed up with in a day of the first time they took the earrings out after 12 weeks. The oldest isn’t allowed to wear earrings at high school so no point redoing hers until she leaves high school and the 9yo says she dosnt want hers redone as she has to wear plasters for pe while the ears heal which irritates and chafes the ears and once healed she has to take them out on PE days. She dosnt want the hassle.

DD1 got them done at 7, nearly 8. I waited for the summer holidays so we didn't have to worry about pe and school swimming. She looked after them well and soon got the hang of taking them in and out herself. We went somewhere that used a needle, I'd recommend that. No regrets and we're far from 'chavvy'.

I told my DD she could have hers done the summer between primary and secondary.

Mostly for practical reasons - response to the pain, taking care of them, catching them when washing her hair etc.

She felt as though it was a step into becoming a young woman and more independent.

Everyone is different. But I'm glad I made her wait.

My DD8 got hers done at the start of the summer hols last year and we've had no issues at all. If she wants them doing try and hold off until the summer. I was 8 when I got mine pierced and the same had no issues.

I think 7 is perfectly fine.

Check the school's policy for earrings and PE, originally we were allowed to tape up earrings that could not be removed but then new policy said we couldn't as it would make us liable if anything happened. They had to tape up their own, it was a nightmare. Also swimming if they do that from year 3/4.

It is catching them on clothes, the daily cleaning etc. There are often posts on here about backs of earrings being completely enclosed inside the ear lobe and how to deal with it when the child won't let you near them to sort it out.

I personally think 7 is too young, more like 10 or 11 and summer holidays so then they can remove them for short periods for things like PE.

My dd's were nearly 4 and nearly 5..they cleaned them and turned them (supervised). Now 17 and 18 and no regrets... I was 7... Didn't ask before then..

Find out what the policy is around PE at your child’s school first. It’s a pain in the bum for teachers.

My dd had hers pierced at 7 (at Claire’s shock horror-absolutely fine). We had them done in April as we had booked to go away in the 6 week summer holiday and I wanted them healed before she was swimming in the sea and playing on a sandy beach.

She’s never had to take them out for PE, I think she was asked to take them out for one school swimming lesson but the rest of the lessons she wasn’t asked to so she kept them in.

DSD is thankfully fine now. Her ears look a lot better. Now we await the absolute shit show that's about to go down when her mum returns from her 2 week holiday with her boyfriend and finds out. We'll probably be accused of deliberately letting them close up.

I'm a chav according to most of mumsnet and had my daughters done at 3. She asked and I had no issues as Id had mine done at 2. She's almost 6 now and never had a single issue. Can have them out for PE etc.

At 7, you need them doing at the start of the summer holidays really.

Personally I'd say no, not till secondary school, there's the concern about them being accidentally torn out as others have said. I don't like the look of earrings on young DC either although obviously that's personal preference and others may disagree. But if any of my DC had asked for pierced ears when younger (thankfully they never did) I'd have said not till 12/13.

Agree with others though that it's worth checking what your school allow - our primary has a strict no earrings rule so getting a 7yo's ears pierced would be kind of pointless anyway.

Please check school policy: our states no PE until they can be taken out by the child (Taping not permitted) so would be best waiting until summer holidays

YABU imo as she is too young to handle the self care needed. And she is too young to consent to a mutilation. It should be her choice once she’s older, around 14-16 years old.

Most kids that want them done, have them done before their communion where I live. One dd wanted hers at 5 so she got them for her bday, other dd didn't want hers til she was 7 so we did them then. Last dd is 4 and hasn't asked yet.

For my dd minimum age would be 10 or 11 but as this thread illustrates it's a personal thing!