4yo Ear Piercing

[GreenMeerkat]

My 4 year old (almost 5) keeps asking for earrings. She's using the argument that her friends at school have them (which some of them do). I am not a fan of ear piercing on babies and young children at all!

I have explained that it involves a big needle that will need to be put through her ear and that it would probably hurt, and I've shown her YouTube videos of other children having it done. She is still determined.

I'm not happy, but if she has decided this herself and knows all the facts, should I allow her to get it done? I'm not convinced she will actually cope once she sees the needle mind...

I saw a baby (probably 6months) asleep in a pram last week with rather large hooped earring. Both my friend and I were both so shocked! No only did it look ridiculous. What about the fact that she can easily rip them out!

I think giving her an age is a useful technique. You can have them done when you are 10, for example, lets her know that it will happen but she needs to be patient.

I remember being told I couldn't have them done until I was 9, and waiting very excitedly. Clip ons and earring stickers in the meantime.

Why can’t you just say no to her?

@MrsPatrickDempsey I can, and I have, but knowing my daughter, it will not be the end of it.

Having had the discussion with my dh over what age dd can get pierced ears my argument would be when they are old enough to look after themselves ie. clean the piercings, clean earrings, understand the risk of infection and know what to look for and be responsible. Just keep saying no, 4 is too young.

My personal opinion, no. I think it looks awrful on chikdren.

You daughter is too young to decide, you’re the adult, if you say no it’s no. If she fancies a tattoo wound you let her?

Won't be the end of it? Then she gets a consequence for pestering.
You choose when you think it's appropriate.

You are the parent and the answer is no.
Your child is just four, if you can’t assert yourself now you have a very difficult fourteen years ahead of you when the demands will be much more intense and the reasons far more eloquent.

My dd wanted to dye her hair pink and become a unicorn at 5 will you let her do that as well?

Backbone is needed

'No you're too young, you can have your ears pierced when you are 10 years old'

Repeat until she loses interest (which will be soon because she's so little and they never focus on one fad for long at that age)

Sorry but I really don't like it on young kids, I think it looks a but chavvy, ( I know that's not very PC but is my honest opinion )

You don’t need excuses, just say sorry darling I think you are too young. If she pesters you remind her that the more you hear about it the longer she will have to wait.
This tactic got my daughter to 11, which I felt was a better age.

I wanted my ears pierced at that age and my mum was adamant I wouldn’t get them until I’d done my 11 plus. I apparently nagged her constantly for years. She was (and still is) very hippyish and hated pierced ears on anyone, let alone small children. I did it myself with a pair of earrings my friend gave me when I was 8. I just pushed the earring through until I had a pierced ear. Dm was furious but tells me now that she wishes she’d just given in as I never shut up about it for years. I haven’t even worn earrings for the last decade.

I think 4 is a bit too young to fully understand the pain and she may get upset if you get there and she decides against it, or only gets one done as it hurt too much.

Yes I think It's ok I know she's only a child but I'd let her have it done. Better to be done as a child than as an adult

she's 4. Just say no, do not negotiate with her. You are in charge.

Maybe suggest that she can have them done at a certain age. I was eventually allowed to have my ears pierced when I was 10. I was old enough to know what happens and how to look after them.
We always said that if our DS's wanted their ears pierced that they would have to understand how they are done and how to look after them. Neither my 19 year old or 14 year old have any interest of having their ears pierced.