4 year old getting pierced ears at Superdrug

[Childpiercinggate]

I was browsing in Superdrug this lunchtime and saw a small child getting their ears pierced. It was awful, the mother was holding the child down and she was yelling at the top of her lungs. I was in the makeup section at the other end of the shop and stopped in my tracks as I’ve never heard anything like it.

I asked to speak to the manager as I was so shocked that they do this in store. The manager told me it was nothing to do with me and the mother had given consent.

Ive written to the head office although I know nothing will be done.

Yes you were unreasonable - mind your own business
No you’re not unreasonable - you’re right, children of that age shouldn’t be getting piercings

This.

If parliament bans smacking In England then it needs to ban this. I refuse to accept that a smack on the bum is worse than a parent holding a screaming child down to have their ears pierced.

I agree that in that vein, anything a child can't properly consent to should be considered child abuse. When I hear about people younger than 18 having relationships, I feel quite uncomfortable and wouldn't disagree that it's child abuse. Would be good to see it being outlawed

The person to blame is the (chav) mother.
I feel slightly sorry for the shop staff, they’ll be following orders.

Dd was 6 when she begged and begged for them to be done. I eventually agreed as all her friends had them done . She was desperate. But was on the agreement if she freaked out , was scared , or anything prior. She wouldn't have them done. And by that I mean as the OP described .
I found a local studio that didn't use a gun. Who were highly recommended. Yes it cost 3x the likes of Claire and superdrug. But less risk of infection and less brutal.

It's not the shop staff's fault, but it is the fault of the shop. They could easily have a policy of not piercing the ears of children below a certain age.

Surely what the shop staff were doing would be classed as assult?

Proper piercing technique on a baby is fine. I had mine done, it means I didn't have to do it later, no issues.

You know you don't have to pierce your ears right? I don't have holes in my ear lobes and I'm glad no one made that decision for me. At age 11 I thought it was bullshit that all the girls were expected to do this but none of the boys were. I haven't changed my mind.

I would actually cry if I saw this happening. It is abuse, plain and simple. Pain shouldn't be caused to a child unless it is for a medical reason. Punching holes through a child's body part? So fucking unnecessary. It should be illegal until they're old enough to consent. Gillick competence comes to mind.

The culture thing is a funny one. Generally a supposed reason for an adult inflicting pain on a small child.

Child labour, child marriage, FGM.

Culture, innit?

Mn hates piercing guns but in my experience it’s less painful and heals faster than those done with a needle.

I had mine done with a gun at the age of 10 (80s) and I didn't really feel anything at all. It was the type where they shoot the earring in. They healed up no problem at all. Still have same holes 40 years on 😁

"Just following orders" has long been a pretty contentious defence...!

Yeah it’s gross. A child in my DD’s class got her ears pierced as a reward for passing her times tables tests. She’s 9.

Makes you wonder where they go from here. My DD asked me, I was a firm no. You can chose to do that when you are old enough to consent.

Wow I had no idea they were allowed to do this so young . Sis and I had ours done at a jeweller around 9-10 . it was a good jeweller had guard on the door and everything 😄 .When I was visiting the town one time my son got his done around the same time , the same place . Why do it so young kids are happy enough with pieces of plastic toy jewellery .

I still remember the horror of seeing this done to someone’s babe in arms in a jewellers when I was a teenager (in my 40s now). It looked and sounded horrific.

I've always said it's physical abuse if a young child who hasn't consented

Causing pain and a hole in a part of a body is abuse

Hate seeing on a baby or toddler

Mini blondes dd7 has asked about getting her ears done as 3/4 of her friends have

But only mentions every now and again

So I'm waiting to her to beg beg beg so know she really wants it

then will consider it and will be over summer holidays

I had mine done at 11 and had to beg beg beg

There needs to be a law on this but some cultures do piercings from almost birth and any law would be considered racist.

Children should not be pierced or circumcised ( another story.)

The right time to get a child’s ears pierced is a personal family decision. There are many cultures (not just “chavs” as a few PP have suggested) who pierce children’s ears when they are babies and many other families choose to wait until children are past the toddler stage so they can help make the decision as to when and whether they want their ears pierced.

While I personally think the parent in the OP was unreasonable to continue with the piercing as her child was clearly in distress, I also think OP is unreasonable to complain to head office if the parents had consented and this is apparently all that the shop needed to proceed. I am also not sure what the OP expected when she intervened: that they would stop the procedure? If you feel that strongly about the issue OP, I suggest you channel your outrage into lobbying for a change in the law. Until it’s illegal to pierce small kids ears with guns with only parental consent then there is nothing the shop/parents did wrong. Morally/in your personal opinion: yes. Legally: no.

Because birth and umbilical cords , and other medical procedures such as injections, are necessary and done for a positive benefit.....

My DD still hasn’t got them done and she is 21. She says she doesn’t like the thought of metal in her body.

Strangely though, she did get a tattoo when she was old enough.

How is it gross if the 9yo asked for it, and both she and her parents are happy? Honestly. Not even close to OP's example

I was 15 when I got my ears pierced. I think ear piercing on under 12s is chavvy.

@fungipie first set was done when she was 3, second set done for her 5th birthday. Her idea.

Some cultures think it's ok to mutilate female genitalia, yet we don't allow that. Why do we allow people to mutilate babies' earlobes?

@Robotshavetakenoverthenavy - exactly why I said: if you feel piercing is on par with FGM (FWIW I completely disagree) then perhaps channel your outrage into lobbying for a change in laws. At the moment it is unfortunately still legal in the UK, so it’s unclear what a complaint to Superdrug will achieve.

I don’t agree with kids that young getting their ears pierced. My daughters 5 and won’t be having them done for a long time yet.