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

Just fine because they are normal physiological processes and/or for the health of the child? My DD was in NICU for 8 days at birth, had 3 hourly heel pricks. She cried every time naturally, it upset me for a few seconds but it was far easier to tell myself logically "This OK, it's for her own good and to ensure she's healthy" and get over it than if I had been piercing her ears as a baby, which would have no good reason for the pain in comparison

There are no legal restrictions to piercing a child's ears and is completely down to the parent

Yes but you don’t get to decide how other people and cultures do things do you. Ear piercing is not illegal/ there are no laws for it for babies or children.

You were!

The child was being held down for a painful and unnecessary procedure.

Disgusting behaviour from the mother and the shop.

“Found only in the UK…” Not so. I can’t speak for every country and only lived in 3 and frequently visit one other for work. But you will find dislike of the gun in France, where there are many piercing studios and somewhat conservative Singapore. This is mainly for hygiene and healing reasons.

Pearl clutching? Me? Wrong woman! I’m due to get my nipples pierced shortly. Moreover, there’s no need for name calling, it just shows a weak argument.

But that’s not the issue here, the issue is rights of the child and barely trained, high street shop piercers.

Inflicting pain on a baby that isn't necessary for health reasons is ridiculous, and a bit concerning that anyone thinks its fine. They might not remember it, but it's still painful to them (hence the crying) and fucking bizarre that any mother would think "Hmm, yes, I've just willingly made my baby cry their eyes out in pain because I think they'll look cute with earrings after"

It's trashy no matter how you look at it, and you're a shit parent if you do it HTH

Ear piercing is not illegal/ there are no laws for it for babies or children

Neither is circumcision or FGM in some countries, but I can still have an opinion on them.

My 4 year old has just started asking about earrings. Showed her a few videos on TikTok of kids having theirs done and she said she’ll wait until she’s 5 now 😂 I’ll show her again at 5, hoping to hold off until she about 8 and can care for them properly.

I honestly think there should be a law against it. I don’t understand why there isn’t. Inflict pain, suffering and risk of infection on children for the sake of vanity? It’s disgusting.

@LoftyTurtle so why is a baby "worse even"? Explain please, otherwise why bother replying?

Why is it only white middle call class people complaining and comparing it to FGM?

I had it done as a baby AND didn't want to do it myslef as I don't care for it. So yo it shit parent line doesn't work on me.

Lobby for change if you think it's comparable to genital mutilation.

To be honest, I don't think piercers should even do a poor child who's distressed and terrified of the needle. That should go without saying.

But anyone who's passionate and thinks it's comparable to genital mutilation that has lifelong impacts on sensitivity, sexual function, and can cause excruciating pain - maybe do something?

It’s quite clearly not on the same level as FGM.

But people are mentioning it because others have said it’s cultural so that’s ok. Just because something is “cultural” doesn’t mean it’s ok!

Smacking children is considered normal in some cultures but it shouldn’t be either.

It's not snobbery, it's being more progressive by not treating a baby or very young child like a doll for the benefit of the parents.

And seriously, holding up counties as virtuous because they pierce newborn babies ears is beyond crazy

I quite obviously changed my name for this thread as I mentioned it to colleagues and didn’t want the risk of being identified.

Theres some real morons on this thread

Yuk.

Child abuse.

I think that's awful, yes the mum gave consent but how could the person doing the piercing carry on, I just couldn't!
I think stores should have an over 5 policy tbh

I'm from a culture where this is done very young and sometimes as young as a few months old. Thankfully this is dying out now and more rare in my age group (40s) to be doing this. In fact if I see a young child with ears pierced it really puts me off the parents. Such a horrible thing to do to a child all for the sake of vanity.

A four year old might express an interest in having their ears pierces, maybe because they've got an older sibling who's had it done and that might convince some parents that it's okay to do it (although if the parent had half a brain they'd know that 4 is far too young for the child to really understand what they're asking for, and that 4 year olds ask for all kinds of things that aren't good for them)

A baby having their ears pierced is the parent willfully having it done, without any possible influence from the child wanting it, simply because its what the parent wants

I don't compare it to FGM, which is a hundred times worse, I might not classify it as strictly abuse, but it's still terrible parenting choices

@Dollenganger333 Why the heck would I lie about this? I saw it with my own eyes. It was a few years ago and maybe they've changed the way they operate since then, but my mum and I saw it happen and it was very distressing for the poor child. Other posters have also witnessed something similar at Claires. How dare you say you accuse me of lying!

Likely trying to justify their own shitty parenting choices I expect.

@Childpiercinggate Yes, that's exactly what I suspected too!

You see babies sitting in prams who have pierced ears - what can these parents be thinking?

It is child abuse plain and simple. I can't imagine how it is even legal.

My 3yo asked for well over a year and I sourced a professional, reputable body piercer who refused until she was 5.

During that time, we didn't raise the topic and DD asked again at 5 so she was booked in. We laid on think how painful it would be and once one ear was done, she had to either have the other one done or the first one taken out before we left she was surprised how painful it was but the professional piercer had booked her in for 30 mins so she had time to calm down and make a decision.

At 5 I think its right to include them on reversal decisions about body autonomy if they have the capacity. My daughter absolutely did. However, I'll be upfront and say that she said that whilst she's please she has them done, in hindsight she wouldn't have had it done knowing how painful it was.

It doesn't sound like the 4yo or the piercing place were making the right decision.

It’s good you’ve reflected on it I suppose but 5 is way too young.

Kids have absolutely no idea what they’re even asking for as shown by your daughter now saying she wouldn’t have had it done.

Who in their right mind lets 5 year olds make decisions like this?!

Gosh you're a bit of a snowflake aren't you? Where exactly did I accuse you of lying?

I know that Claire's almost always pierces both ears at the same time.

Your daughter told you herself she regrets it. You, as the parent, should have been able to make the judgement that 5 is too young for her to fully understand what she's asking to have done, and told her no. The fact she regretted it after shows she wasn't ready but you did it anyway 🤷‍♀️

I'm sure many 4 and 5 year old would nag their parents for ice cream every single meal or 6 months straight if they thought their parents might cave in simply because they asked for long enough. But any sensible parent wouldn't simply go "Oh well, she asked for ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner for 6 months straight so clearly she is mature enough to make that decision herself so I'll have to allow it"