I think I just gave my wonderful DD a surprise that she will remember for her whole life this morning!

[soapbox]

It is her 10th birthday today (although I swear it can;t be more than 3 or 4 years since I was gazing fondly at my new born)!

I've long held the view that young children should not have their ears pierced and have not given any truck to DD's repeated requests to have them done, even when one by one her friends were all sporting pretty new earrings.

A couple of days ago I looked across at her and realised that she is not a 'young' child any more but a child almost on the cusp of adolescence [bittersweet emotion]

So I gave her a pair of earrings and an ear piercing voucher and you'd think I had given her the world!

Ah this making memories business is so heartwarming at times

That's lovely, she will certainly remember this day forever!

Happy birthday to your dd!

Ah, that's lovely Soapbox. Happy Birthday to your dd. I took 10.8yos jeans off the line this morning (sorry, not romantic I know) and they are so big and grown up looking and I can't believe it really.

We watched The Culture Show last night and Mark Kermode said "I'm 44 and it seems true to me that time speeds up as you get older" and I think he's right.

OH WOW fabuloso

Happy birthday to your dd, Soapbox.

oh that is lovely, she will be so pleased

I went to see my friend at the weekend and her eldest is 10 and looks about 14

she kept putting lipgloss on and pouting, bless

now last year she was all childish and splashing in the stream, what a difference a year makes

Oh that will have made her year. I remember being desperate to have mine done, dreaming about it, and then the day I was allowed (think it was on my birthday actually) I was so pleased.

Oh god DD is 8 soon and desperately wants her ears pierced - I have told her when she leaves primary school but knowing she would be so delighted makes me think I should do it sooner!

Happy Birthday to your DD Soapy!

I'd always said 16 but I let dd have hers done for her 15th birthday. Like you, I looked at her and realised that if she was responsible enough to cleanse her face every night, she could cope with earrings!!!

I still do a double take when I give her a kiss in the morning to wake her up, and she's lying on her side.

She's still my baby.

Happy Birthday Soapbox's dd.

well done Soapy. I still remember the day my mum said I could have mine done. I bet shes jumping round the place in school today.

Thank you for all the birthday wishes and the lovely comments

She is such a wonderful girl and seeing her so excited was wonderful.

I think she was most surprised because I am not renowned in the family for changing my mind about things like this It is a bit of a moment to myself that being a bit controlling isn't always the best approach!

I could have saved myself a fortune on the other things we bought her - as soon as she saw the earrings nothing else mattered

Ah, lovely soapbox. Happy birthday to your dd and what a wonderful surprise for her

Oh lovely. I've succumbed to ear piercing before the summer holidays for my 11-year old (who has now bought herself eyeliner (but hasn't quite mastered how to apply it...))

DGd was 13 in April, plasters the make up on 9in a very Teenage way) Mascara always looks like spiders, so I took her to have her eyelshes dyed for her birthday, she loves it, and I love the fact she dosnt look like a 60's reject (she also had a manicure done with pale pink polish, she was so made up

I was finally allowed for my 14th, and yes- I've never forgotten it! I still love having the pierced now- hope she has a lovely day!