Ears pierced at 9?

[Mowgli1970]

DD is 10 in August and is desperate to have her ears pierced in July when school breaks up for Summer. I'm in two minds about it - what do you think are the pros/cons? AIBU to say she has to wait until she's older? I had mine pierced at 9 and had badly infected ears afterwards which is putting me off...

"DD has hers done on her 5th birthday...she was adamant"

she was, was she?

N - O spells no

my girls had them done at 2 and 18 months only ever had little studs in.

I had mine done at 7 back in the seventies, but there weren't any chavs then

DD is only little so is content to pull at mine so far but I'm thinking that moving up to secondary is a good age to go with, so 11. Or hopefully 21 if she doesn't ask before then!

My SIL was taken out by a family member at 3 weeks old, and had her ears pierced without her Mum's permission.

My DD has been told she can have them when she's 10, if she still wants them done.

I had mine done at about 10 minites old. It's what they do where im from. dd was born in England and doesn't have hers done at 2, despite several lectures from my family about how much she looks like a boy without them

Had mine done at 11 at the same time as my granny who was 70 at the time

I had mine done for my 9th birthday 35 years ago. I've never given it a thought whether it was right or not tbh.

I've had mine done twice, no problem.

DD has asked to have hers done at the start of the summer hols, when she'll be 10.

I said yes and will teach her how to look after her ears.

I only have a DS so hopefully wont have this conversation, but I'd say teen years are a good time to decide on piercings.

Hate seeing earings or jewellery on children, it looks tacky.

I had mine done in the easter hols when I was 9, a few months before my 10th birthday. I had desperately wanted pierced ears since I was 6 and hadn't changed my mind once in those 3 years. My parents initially said I'd get them done at 13 like Mum (her parents said 16 but she broke her front teeth in a bike crash at 13 and got her ears pierced to cheer her up as she couldn't get crowns until she was 16) but when my friend got her ears done at Christmas I was the only girl in the class without pierced ears so they caved. They insisted on a proper jewellers, but I wouldn't have wanted them done in Claire's anyway. I looked after them fine, no infections or problems, my niece was 6 when hers were done and she cleaned them herself, no problems.

I'm glad I got them done young - I'm a mega wimp now and wouldn't have the guts to get them done. I considered a second hole in each earlobe at 18 but chickened out!

My mum had my ears pierced at 3,when i was a bridesmaid and my sisters and cousins were getting them done. i cannot remember anything about it and apparentley had no infections etc because i forgot they were there. Im now 28 and never had any problems with them.

Fine if she's old enough to understand it will hurt and old enough to clean them properly. Infections can happen at any age.

I'm baffled by all these people claiming it's common, tbh.

9 is plenty old enough imo. If a 5 yo really, really wants her ears pierced then that's OK too.

I would draw the line at tattoos for pre-teens however, on account of their permanence

If ever I wanted something like that and my mom said no, I went and did it behind her back, hence why I once had a badly infected belly button. Maybe you are best off supporting and supervising rather than saying no. I don't think 9 is too young. I had mine done as a baby.

Tiny hijack, but few questions:

1. What care exactly is involved (in the considered opinion of MN)? Cleaned how and how often for how long?

2. DD would have to take them out for PE at primary school, but what do secondary schools do, do earrings have to be removed or taped over typically?

You can't take them out for 6 weeks so need to be taped for PE at school , which is why beginning of summer holidays is a good time.
After the 6 weeks they should be taken out for PE however they shouldn't be left out for long until at least 6 months.

Cleaning is twice a day for two weeks I think.

Just turned twice a day for the first 6 weeks and dabbed with a little of the sterilising fluid you buy when you have them pieced. At least, in my experience anyway.

Not sure about gym - I think dd can wear small studs but tends to wear small hoops or dangly now, so takes them out for gym at school

The "common" thing is subjective of course. Me saying it's common doesn't make it common, but now the OP knows that some people think it's common and tacky. She might not care of course, and might not think it's common, but now she knows some people do look down on it and can factor it in if that sort of thing matters to her.

DD had hers done a few months ago aged 11, probably one of the last of her friends to get it done...

We did some research and decided needles were better and safer. I think they heal quicker after a needle, and placement is more accurate, she had no problems with hers anyway. Cleaning advice varies a bit, I think we were advised just to use salt water for a while, nothing else, maybe for a week or so. We kept an eye on them for a few weeks.

I'm going to look into the piercing needle then for dd so she can be common with all 'er mates, innit' . As someone else said ear-rings are the least of my 'common' worries.

DD is saying she wants to get hers pierced for her 11th birthday. I didn't get mine done till I was 16, but I think that's because I wasn't that bothered - I don't remember being told I couldn't.

I'm not bothered either way, but DH isn't keen - he is hoping the secondary school will say no, but I'm sure they will be fine with small sleepers or studs.

If we do get them done, where would people recommend and should we do it at the start of the summer (then 3 weeks camping!) or when we get back?

I'm thinking 16 years here!

DD at 7.5 years has never once asked - could be because I don't tend to wear earrings. A couple of the girls in her class have pierced ears but none of her close friends.

If this changes once she is in high school I'll reassess then - but not before.

I remember getting mine done when I was in the 6th form, with my parents permission, so must have been 16 or 17.

So no not being unreasonable.

ive had mine pierced since i was 2!! my daughter also had hers done at 2. she didnt cry, and was really pleased with herself!! i didnt think twice about letting her have it done, but i suppose thats because i had mine done young. its cost me a fortune in new earrings since though, as shes always loosing the backs!!

I got mine done at 13 and was told to turn them daily, wash my hands first. I had to apply some vaseline every time I turned them.

Three of the DDs have had theirs done, at First Communion, so at age 7. One DD woke up one morning to find that one little stud had somehow found its way into her earlobe, so spent a good while getting that sorted in emergency. She didn't fancy another try until recently, but will have to get the whole thing done again as the holes closed up.

DD4 (now age 8) would like to have hers done, so maybe this will be her b-day pressie this year. She didn't express any interest up to now.

I see it as a case of 'your ears, your decision'.