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 think it's too young. I'd wait until she's 10/11 years old. My dd is 7 and there is only one girl in her school year who has her ears pierced. It's not at all common for younger girls to get them done here. My dd is yet to ask.

It's actually really common around here, most of the girls have their ears pierced in my dd's year 2 class (6/7). She hasn't asked so haven't had to decide but I would probably hold off until I knew she could care for them herself, she's quite sporty so it would be annoying having to take them in and out for sport. I wouldn't judge you though!

My DD was 9. She wasn't desperate for them to be done at 7, but if she had been I probably would have let her. I think 7 would be the youngest I'd go though. Basically they need to fully comprehend that it is going to hurt for a moment and they'll need to clean and turn them afterwards. I'd wait until the summer holidays too.

Would you also agree for her to get her cheek, or nose pieced? What about other parts of her body?

It’s an ear piercing not a facial tattoo, it does not make you a bad mum

also with regards to other posters advice, What difference would it make if you waited 2/3 years?

if it’s what she wants, get them done.

Check the age that local, reputable piercing places will do it from. Many have a minimum age.

Definitely don't go somewhere that uses guns.

I was around 7 or 8 when I had mine done and it was fine, just wish it hadn't been done with a gun.

She needs to be mature enough to understand the process of what's going to happen, be able to sit still and handle it and do the aftercare.

I was 7. No issues with infection etc.

My girls and I all had ours done at five. My daughters had theirs done at the chemist, with a technician for each ear so both are done simultaneously and there’s no mid-process freaking/backing out. You know her best though. Each kid is different. 🥰

How does she cope with pain and minor injuries?

I admit that I was a massive snob about this years ago. I was so scathing of parents who pierced their young children's ears.

Then I moved away from the snob/chav culture in the UK and loved overseas where children (even very "posh" ones from well to do families) have their ears pierced younger. One of my girls was the only girl in her class not to have her ears pierced, so when she asked, I agreed 🤷🏻‍♀️

Years later, no harm done. She never had infections, etc. It's an ear lobe piercing at the end of the day. Almost all adult women have them. What's the issue with when you do it?

I wish I'd allowed my older children earlier too. There are so many things to be strict about, but this isn't one of them imo.

Dd has pestered since about being 6. I said no until high school. However I agreed to let her have it done for her 10th birthday.

Check with school for the guidelines for PE. Ours used to let them tape over for it but this year the guidelines have altered and they are not allowed them in at all. They have to take them out which means they need to have been in for at least 6-8 weeks minimum.

The piercing guidelines have also changed, they advise you not to touch them, not to twist them etc so the first time you take them out it hurts like hell!

Unless she is responsible enough to look after them and take them out/put them back in after PE I would personally hold off.

We've told DD she can have them done whenever she wants as long as she's willing to clean them twice a day, follow the instructions about turning them and wear plasters over them for PE like the school says she has to.

So far she's determined that that is too much hard work so she hasn't had them done yet, she's 9yo.

I let my DD have it done at 10 ( although she had been asking for a while). When I came to book an appointment with a piercer a lot of the local ones ( based in tattoo parlours) would not pierce at that age. It took me a while to find one who would do it. There is a reason why qualified piercers don’t like piercing little kids and I’d take that information on board as part of your decision making.

I'm in NZ and most little girls here don't wear earrings.

I think 7 is perfectly fine. My daughter is 8 and has been asking for a while now, but no local studios who pierce with needles do under 10 so we’ll wait until then. Lots of her classmates have their ears pierced courtesy of Claire’s and I won’t be going down that route.

Both of mine asked at 7. I held out til 10 for the eldest. Then I realised its not a big deal and let the younger have theirs pierced at 7. If I was doing it again I'd have allowed the older one to get them pierced at 7. Not sure why I thought it was a big deal the first time round.

She can't legally get a tattoo so I don't get your point...

Getting ears pierced is legal and normal.

hello fellow Holier Than Thou-er. Agree with all this, go to a professional piercing place and make sure your DD knows how to look after her piercings. I had mine first done at 12mths old so I may be biased (and yes I know that’s not acceptable these days to many).

Too young

Given many kids at that age still need reminders to brush their teeth regularly, I’d say they are too young to have piercings!

just done my DD’s at 11. I wanted them well healed before secondary in September.

No age limit on nose/lip/eyebrow piercing, so presumably that's ok too?

It is fine. It’s not a big deal.

If she wants it done and you're satisfied that she can be sensible with healing time etc and you ensure they're cleaned properly, then I think you're fine.

I had mine done at that age. No problems at all with them getting pulled out during play or anything.

All of my DDs had theirs done in the spring of the year they turned 7. I chose this time because it was their First Communion year and also early enough before summer sports and outdoor swimming began (we didn't swim in winter). We went to the dreaded Claire's with no problems.