Baby EarPiercing discussion on GMTV - Now!

[Milliways]

I was watching and thought of you lot. They are having the same arguments that we all were a few weeks ago!

Maybe Pheasant shooting will be on telly in a few weeks as well

inflicting any type of physical pain on a child is child abuse. in society it seems okay pearce a childs ears but a mother even tells her children off in public and you get looks of discust. It wrong, its as bad as slapping you child around the face and hurts alot more. I know I was old enough to remember the pain when I had mine done.

looks common

come on girls! in Spain they all have their little girls'ears "done"! They don't know the pain. It's just normal there.I had my daughter's done for her sixth birthday....bearing in mind I had the strictest mother on earth but who did let me have mine done at eight!...I am the most worried mother in the world....no denying...some would call me paranoid....but I have to admit I've been thinking of having my 5 yr olds' done and even my six yr old son cos he thinks Beckham is the beesknees!Admittedly, I've had to rethink cos exactly a yr from the day she had her ears pierced, she got an infection and the doctor told me to take her earrings out and wait until she's older. But she doesn't want that. I've compromised and told her she can wear earrrings for parties etc.Don't make such a big thing about it....no I'm not a mother who doesn't care...believe me I'm the most paranoid mother in the world....but for god's sake...! I read when I was a little girl that ear-piercing can improve somebody's eye-sight....!Yes I know the risks...i've got the most disgusting looking ear-lobe in the world cos I got into a position where my earlobe was ripped. But stop this high-horse attitude...girls love jewellery and they LOVE piercings...NO! it doesn't mean I'll let them have their navels pierced but what's ironic is that I bet at least half of the people reading this have got theirs done....!

might as well nail my colours to the post. I think it's an issue of consent - and do not think young children, let alone babies, are capable of giving informed consent. Their bodies are theirs, not ours. It is our job as parents to protect our children and look after them - bodily and mentally - for as long as they can't do it themselves. Getting their ears pierced just isn;t in the job description, as far as I can see. And I can't think of any justification for it. It's taking a liberty

I have piercings, ears 12 times but only wear earrings in the first 3 on each side, nose, navel, tongue and upper lip, but I refuse to let my kids have their ears pierced until the are old enough to look after them themselves. I was 12 when I had my ears pierced for the first time. DD1 did ask a few months back if she could have her ears pierced (she is nearly 5) but I havn't done it as I feel she has no idea what it actually entails (she has CP and learning problems) so I left it. No doubt she will ask again soon.

agree 100% hatsoff

Hate it.
My sister works in Claire's Accessories (sp?) and i went to see her the other day and there was a baby about the same age as my dd2 (3 months) awaiting to be 'done'!
Silly mother standing behind giggling with her hand over her mouth as if she was being very naughty and as if she was dreading what was to come.
Why do it then?
I couldn't even go in the shop, i had to walk away. I think it's awful and should be banned!
I think of all the worry over vaccines and diseases and just can;t understand why someone would deliberatley open their child up to risk of infection for the sake of a little peice of gold that they have no bloody idea what it is.
Also aside from all that, babies are beautiful because they are so pure and simple. To adourn them with jewellery actually takes away from that beauty in my opinion!

Phew, can you tell a'm against!!

blimey sm - I've always pictured you as a sort of silvery cat-like figure. not someone with 12 studs in their ears

Stop!I used to go on holiday as a kid and watch all these gorgeous little babies being christened/confirmed. They were treasured little human beings WITH EARRINGS IN....! I lived in Ireland for 3 yrs and saw all these 2-5 year old girls in their beautiful christening/confirmation gowns and they all had their ears pierced....! It's not altogether acceptable but it's not a crime .... for god's sake get over yourselves...i don't ever accuse me or any of my mates for child abuse.....bollocks to that!

I don't wear 12 anymore HO, that was when I was a college rebel!! many people on here are shocked when they hear I have piercings

cutekids you agree its not acceptable, but in the next breath you condone it there is no way I would cause any unnessary pain on my children (immunisations excluded of cause) Its wrong to hit slap kick shake a baby or child but you can stab them right though the skin with a piece of metal wheres the childs rights the. Personally I would campagne to make it illegal to do any piercings on a minor same as tattos.

I'VE TAKEN MY KIDS FOR THEIR IMMUNISATIONS AND ALL THREE OF THEM HAVE HAD A FIT OF GIGGLES...!WHETHER THIS IS BECAUSE I'VE TALKED THEM THROUGH IT AND TOLD THEM THAT IT "HURTS FOR A SECOND". I DON'T KNOW. ALL I KNOW IS THAT MY SIX YEAR OLD DAUGHTER-AT THE TIME-SAID SHE DIDN'T CARE HOW MUCH IT HURT, SHE WANTED HER EARS PIERCED COS HER MATES HAD HAD IT DONE. IT'S ALL A STATE OF MIND REALLY. THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT I DON'T WORRY ABOUT EVERY SECOND OF MY KIDS' WELL-BEING...BELIEVE ME YOU'D PROBABLY THINK I WAS THE MOST PARANOID OF PARENTS! HOWEVER, I ALSO KNOW THAT KIDS...ESPECIALLY GIRLS...LOVE TO WEAR JEWELLERY AND I HAVE TO BE HONEST...IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST DARING THING I'VE DONE FOR MY DAUGHTER! SHE WANTS TO GO ABSEILING,TOBOGGANING,CLIMBING ETC. I BET THERE ARE SOME MUMS OUT THERE WHO DO THAT....BUT I COULDN'T PUT MY KIDS THROUGH IT SO...WHO'S RIGHT AND WHO'S WRONG?....!

i hate ear piercing on tiny babies. My friend got her babies done at 6 weeks. I thought it was a bit cruel. I suppose 2 is ok.
MIL bought my ds for christmas a gold bangle with his name on.. i havent looked at it since and he will not wear it. I was very upset about it strangely that she didn't even mention it to me! NO way is he wearing it. I don't believe in boys in heavy jewellery especially gold bangles. I hate it when you see bearly walking children with big gold chains on and crosses it looks minging!

i stand up for nutcracker, her children wanted it done therefore she didn't force it upon them. Anyway if a mother wants to get her childs ear pierced then let them. I don't know how i would be if i had a girl!

i can't understand this thread at all. however, i have to admit that when it comes to makeup on my kids it's a totally different ball-game ---and my kids are on stage alot,so i've had to swallow my pride a couple of times!I can't bear to see my kids in heavy make-up-discluding stage makeup which is part of the deal. When it comes to my daughters putting make up on-and my son!-I have to pull back. I find it difficult even when my Mum puts lipstick on my daughters. Maybe we've all got different feelings about jewellery and makeup?

Have to say I don't like it either, but don't hold it against people who've had their very young children's ears pierced.
I also feel it should be a matter of personal choice for an older child, say secondary school age. My dd loves my earrings and wants hers done too - she's nearly five, so has quite a while to wait and it will be her decision, which I will allow if and when that time comes.
What I do wonder though, is why, oh why, must we be able to see it happening in Claire's. It does make me feel ill when I see it being done to a very little one, or when I hear them cry with the pain. That is my personal feeling though and not meant to offend anyone. I just hate the fact that it is done in full public view right at the front of the shop - I really do not like to see this being done to anyone.

ps nutty - I don't think you're any of the afore-mentioned things! Just don't like it myself, but my 6yo neice has hers done and she loves her earrings.
Agree with you on most other things though.

Cutekids, firstly, I have no idea why you feel the need to SHOUT.

You said >>
ALL I KNOW IS THAT MY SIX YEAR OLD DAUGHTER-AT THE TIME-SAID SHE DIDN'T CARE HOW MUCH IT HURT, SHE WANTED HER EARS PIERCED COS HER MATES HAD HAD IT DONE

i dont agree with young babies and todderlers having there ears pierced. I think maybe atleast 5 or 6 and thats only if its all there idea.

Cutekids - you quoted

I read when I was a little girl that ear-piercing can improve somebody's eye-sight....!

Am feeling sick at the thought of babies being held (down) while their ears are pierced. Really.

I wouldn't go as far as to say its child abuse.... thats a tad extreme!!!

But I definitely wouldn't get any of my childrens ears pierced until they could consent... and sit there of their own accord to have it done.... not held down! Having a baby's ears pierced is a reflection of the parents vanity.... much the same as dressing you're kids in designer labels. They don't care about self-imgage. Whenever they are old enough to be aware of image then they might start asking to have their ears pierced. My ds is nearly 4. If all his friends had their ears pierced then I imagine he would probably ask to have his done too. I wouldn't let him just coz I do believe it looks tacky..... but thats my opinion and therefore my vanity.

I'm really shocked at the way some ppl seem to think that getting ears pierced is some form of child abuse. When I was a child, I had my ears repierced three times before the age of 12, because I really wanted it done, but because I was about 8 by the time I had it doen the first time I kept playing with them and they got infected, then the second time I had to take them out for an op and they healed over.

So, my dd had hers done as a baby. I took her to a place where they did a lot of babies, and she cried less than she did with her immunisations. They had lollipops and so she was quickly distracted. Being so young, she never touched them, and now even if she dows need to take them out they wont close over straight away. She is 5 now, and loves having her earrings - her fav are some little dolphins.

If she ever didn't want them she only has to take them out, she does have a choice - I think if I had left it til now then she would never have left them alone and would have had infections and all sorts.

Kelly1978 - I think the point about choice is more that ear-piercing is a vanity thing.... not a medical procedure. Surely your child has the right to choose how vain she wants to be?

I mean I squeeze my feet into pointed toes shoes for vanity reasons, which hurts! Would anyone here squeeze their babies feet into odd shaped shoes just coz it made their legs look thinner?? Doubt it.

S'pose thats the same thing.... a bit of pain for a better image. Babies shouldn't be decorated like that..... until they can ask.

Just coz she got a lollipop afterwards doesn't make it any better. There definitely should be an age restriction.

I agree with Toothache it is for vanity not a medical procedure that is necessary. For those who are piercing their baby's ears how far would you go? Would you pierce their belly buttons too...surely this is the same thing?