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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that piercing your baby's ears is wrong wrong wrong?!

196 replies

CrackopentheBaileys · 16/04/2009 20:47

I have a dd 15months, and my il's wont shut up about getting her ears pierced, it's driving me mad!

I think it's just awful, not the look as such but putting them through that needless pain!

Il's continually joke that they will 'take her for a walk to the shops' and wink at eachother..... I know they wont do it but it unnerves me a little tbh. (FWIW, my philosiphy is that when she is old enough to really want it done, and ask for it to be done, I will let her have them)

It's double standards to the extreme, getting all upset when they have their injections, nearly bloody crying and making a big fuss. Then popping them into town to have metal rods rammed through their ears!

I just don't get it!

OP posts:
FairyMum · 16/04/2009 20:48

Ears pierced on toddlers is very chavvy IMO

greatwhiteshark · 16/04/2009 20:48

Well I agree, but you know that by posting this you're going to start a humungous bunfight, don't you?

notnowbernard · 16/04/2009 20:49

What's chavvy?

MuffinBaker · 16/04/2009 20:50

I saw a 2 year old with massive hooped earrings on the other day. Then I looked at the mother and it all made sense.

Earrings were this big -
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CoffeeInducedInsomnia · 16/04/2009 20:50

Yes it's horrible. Looks tacky and I think it's cruel. Putting the kids through needless pain for the sake of the adult's vanity.

cutekids · 16/04/2009 20:50

Not going to express my opinion but alot of kids in eg.Spain and Ireland etc.seem to do it. It does look pretty.

Jaquelinehyde · 16/04/2009 20:51

Yuck personally I hate it!

Just laugh along and joke about how if they get her ears pierced you will just take a walk to the police station and then wink

Hux · 16/04/2009 20:51

Babies with pierced ears is just so, so wrong.

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 16/04/2009 20:52

I think it looks tacky.

But moreover I hate that kind of winking joking thing your ILs are doing.

PinkBubblesGoApe · 16/04/2009 20:55

You should come over here to Brazil - babies leave the maternity ward with their ears pierced, the nurses will actually do it for you if you ask... DD doesn't have pierced ears and when she was a baby I'd take her out in head to toe pink and still get people asking "is it a girl" while peering at her ears! What's wrong with giving the child a chance to choose what they want when they're old enough!!

Original poster
CrackopentheBaileys · 16/04/2009 20:56

I actually agree that it can look quite pretty, i the right circumstances. It's still absolutely wicked though!

OP posts:
MrsDanversAteMyIpod · 16/04/2009 20:56

yanbu

barbaric and unnecessary

diedandgonetodevon · 16/04/2009 20:58

It's nasty looking and totally unneccesary. I really can't see the point to it at all!

ahfeckit · 16/04/2009 20:59

I personally don't like the look. feel they should decide when they are older. 2 is far too young IMO.

ahfeckit · 16/04/2009 21:00

YANBU

Hulababy · 16/04/2009 21:00

I posted this about a month ago, and it still bugs me:

By Hulababy on Thu 26-Mar-09 20:33:25

why on earth do places allow staff to pierce little baby ears?

Was on Claire's Accessories today looking for bobbles for DD and noticed a little baby on mum's knee and dad jingling a bunch of keys in front of her. Baby was tiny - not sitting up age for sure. And they were having her ears pierced.

Was awful.

Baby wasn't sitting still so it was really hard for the assistants to do both ears at once. Dad wanted them done one at a time. But the assistants said they weren't allowed to pierce a crying child's ear - so they had to do both at once in case she cried. Parents agreed.

But oh...that baby ddn't just cry. She screamed out and then was inconsolable for so long after. Real sobs, chocking type ones where they can't get their breath, and grabbing up towards her ears and head.

I had to leave. It was horrible. Went next door to Accesorise, but after a few minutes left and had to walk back past Claire's - baby was till there sobbing with parents jiggling her about trying to calm her.

Why oh why would someone ever think that was a good idea? It was so obvious it was going to hurt. Why deliberately hurt your baby to stuff bits of metal in their ear lobes? I just can't get my head round it, and relly the old cultural arguement doens't wash with me. Lots if things might be cultural but they are not all good!

I really do wish shops and jewellry places had minimum ages on these. Babies and toddlers are not fashion models.

The whole experience really bothered me today; thinking about that sibbing baby still does TBH

MrsMattie · 16/04/2009 21:01

It's child abuse yadda yadda yadda

Hulababy · 16/04/2009 21:02

Oh, and I don't think it looks pretty at all. Babies ad toddlers do not need adornments like these to make them pretty any more than they need make up - they are pretty just as they are, au naturel!

bohemianbint · 16/04/2009 21:03

YANBU and I'd tell the ILs straight to stop joking about the "little walk" thing if they want to keep taking her out.

My sons are veggie (at the moment) and people keep telling me they are going to "make sure they eat meat" which just makes me think they they are nobs and are not to be trusted around my children.

(I know this sounds a bit harsh but it really annoys me when people take it upon themselves to disrespect the choices you make as a parent.)

ItsMargotBeaurEGGarde · 16/04/2009 21:04

There was an a thousand post thread on another forum quite recently. OP was ARgentinean. Díos Mío she could fight her own corner.

I think it's hideous and hideously cruel.

lobsters · 16/04/2009 21:04

I was talking to a Portuguese friend yesterday and she was really surprised we hadn't had DD's ears done yet, and she's 14 weeks. Apparently her daughter was under 2 months when it was done, and that is common in Portugal, but I don't get it.

I had to wait until I was 16, I'm planning to stick to that rule

debbie102 · 16/04/2009 21:04

I suppose it can look nice and each to there own i suppose but in my honest opinion i think its awfull painful and disgusting to put a baby or child through so much pain so young. If a child was ment to have holes in there ears for earings theyd be born with them, its for cosmetic purposes and why do this to a child of such a young age no need for it sorry, just my honest opinion.

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 16/04/2009 21:04

It's unnecessary, and is purely to serve the parents' vanity. I think it looks tacky and crap. However I will circumcise my son - apart from the fact that he'll get anaesthetised, there's not a lot of difference. Except it's not for my vanity but for his father's religion. No more valid really

Thunderduck · 16/04/2009 21:07

YANBU.I think it's awful and it doesn't look nice either.

hatesponge · 16/04/2009 21:09

Ha....the one issue where I find myself in disagreement with the mumsnet majority I have no objection to anyone piercing their Dc's ears, irrespective of age.

I had my ears pierced when I was tiny. As has every girl in my family going back many generations. If I had a DD, I would do the same for her.

I wouldnt have had my DS's ear pierced, but when he asked to have it done last year (aged 7), I agreed.

I couldnt care less if anyone thinks it is chavvy or common. I wear huge hoop earrings outside work and yes people probably think I am a chav. doesnt bother me in the slightest!

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