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Original poster

Ear piercing for a 5.5 year old???

56 replies

MrsBigD · 16/07/2007 11:16

wasn't sure under which topic to list this...

dd (5.5) yesterday suddenly declared she wants her ears pierced. Guessing it's because one of her little friends has earrings. No idea when she had hers done. Guessing when she was a baby.

I've got pierced ears and recently started wearing earrings again to 'doll up' for work. So that's probably another factor.

Did get her some clip ons but she doesn't like them as they hurt. Don't blame her I never liked clips.

So the question really is... should be give in to her wish as a special treat for her 6th birthday in December? I'm just having visions that she gets so freaked by the first ear being done that they never get round to doing the second ear.

Also when I had my ears done they used this monstrosity of a wing gun which didn't hurt but looked very torture instrument like. Are those still in use or are there more harmless looking devices around nowadays???

TIA

OP posts:

Speccy · 16/07/2007 13:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

MrsBigD · 16/07/2007 13:01

I do fully agree re crop tops and high heals.. they're a big nono in this house... partially because there's no way I'll wear them but also because kids should dress like kids.

I guess I grew up with lots of kids around me with earrings (I'm from 'the continent') so never saw it as something special.

Thanks for the tip re grown-up thing... might take dd to her first time at the movies instead

OP posts:

lulumama · 16/07/2007 13:10

think the cinema is a much better idea !

Wisteria · 16/07/2007 13:18

I wouldn't, not at 5. I told my dd she had to wait until 13; then relented at 11 as I remember not being allowed myself and doing them in a temper/ rebellious fit at 12 with a pair of pink plastic studs. I would wait but if it becomes a huge deal, and you're arguing all the time about it when they're into double figures, it's not worth the aggro and there's far more to fall out about then anyway!

christywhisty · 16/07/2007 13:18

Ds is nearly 10 and will probably have hers done next friday so they have a chance to heal properly over the summer holidays.
Cant bear it on little babies. I have seen to many screaming in Clares shop window.

Wisteria · 16/07/2007 13:20

Yes, recommend doing it at the start of the school hols - especially as most schools insist they come out for sports etc.

They're very good at Clare's although pricey admittedly.

MaureenMcGonagall · 16/07/2007 13:21

DD got her ears pierced yesterday. She's nearly 12 and just about to finish in year 6. She asked a couple of times when she was younger, but I always told her that she couldn't have them done til she was leaving primary school. Thankfully she never asked again. She understood why I made this condition and actually until I mentioned it yesterday, I don't think she'd have remembered that she was old enough to have them done now. Personally, I don't think its necessary to pierce ears of children any younger that 11. Apart from anything else, it gives them something to look forward to and opens up a whole new range of christmas and birthday presents for everyone to buy her!!

Wisteria · 16/07/2007 13:22

Yes - because it's a difficult age for presents otherwise!

nailpolish · 16/07/2007 13:25

i remember gettng my ears pierced and it was painful - why on earth would anyone subject their small child to unecessary pain? at least an older child can have an understanding of what is actually about to happen...and can decide properly if they still want it done (i mean age 11 or older or thereabouts)

Original poster

MrsBigD · 16/07/2007 13:30

it's not as if we'd be doing it against her will. But shall play up the 'pain' bit to see whether she'll still want them then as they say gotta be cruel to be kind

OP posts:

MaureenMcGonagall · 16/07/2007 13:33

When dd started asking me, I took her into Claires and made her watch as a little girl screamed whilst having her ears pierced. That was about 5 years ago and until yesterday we had never spoken about it again!

donnie · 16/07/2007 13:34

by the way how much does it actually cost nowadays?

MaryAnnSingleton · 16/07/2007 13:35

sorry, but I really don't like pierced ears on children at all.

nearlythere · 16/07/2007 13:40

NO NO NO! thats all i'm going to say!

MaryAnnSingleton · 16/07/2007 13:41

why would you want to pierc e a babies ears (I know it's done on the continent and other countries) ? It's certainly not for the benefit of the baby is it ?

MaureenMcGonagall · 16/07/2007 13:43

£20 in Claires.

nearlythere · 16/07/2007 13:44

goingfor3 · 16/07/2007 13:45

If clip on earings hurt her imagine how much she will suffer when she has a hole made in her er and she can rest on them to go to sleep.

McDreamyGonagall · 16/07/2007 13:49

IMO she's too young. She has plenty of time to have them done in the future. Hard though when her friends have got them done I know but I still wouldn't give in.

Budababe · 16/07/2007 17:12

MrsBigD - I think 13 is a special birthday - becoming a teenager so think it would be nice then.

(I ran away from home at 11 because I wasn't allowed have mine done! If I had been told that I could at 13 I prob would have accepted it but my Dad is of the "mutilitation, no way - over my dead body" brigade so it was just no. My mum then persuaded him so I got them done)

Hulababy · 16/07/2007 17:15

My 5yo won't be having hers done for a long while. I am determined on that. I don't think they are old enough at 5yo to (a) be fully and independently responsible enough to look after them, (b) she isn't allowed earings at school anyway, (c) they can be dangerous when children are playing and (d) I don't like the way they look on children.

Original poster

MrsBigD · 16/07/2007 17:18

so far dd hasn't asked about earrings today, fingers crossed ;)

My dad was a 'strictly ONE hole per ear or I disown you' brigade

OP posts:

nutcracker · 16/07/2007 17:25

I think age 6 is fine.

I am one of the horrible and tacky people who's dd's had them done when they were about 3. Neither had an infection, as I cleaned them every day and neither have ever had an accident involving their earrings.

IMO it doesn't look tacky at all, not unless they have huge dangly hoops, and just cos they have their ears peirced it doesn't mean they will then also be wearing mini skirts and tops with innapropriate slogans.

JoolsToo · 16/07/2007 17:26

CountessDracula · 16/07/2007 17:28

yuck yuck no

I think 13 is appropriate
I had to wait til 16

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