VOTE what age you consider old enough for ear piercing?

[lexcat]

Sorry if this has been done to dead but most links talks about babies. I agree with most of them that it's cruel. Personally (I think) I feel if a child is older enough to understand it hurts and older enough to look after their own ear fine. I would say that was about 6-7 (depends on the child).
Just intrested in people's view as my mother and father don't like piercings at all so I grew up with a very strong view on piercings. But then started seeing 7-8 with ears pierced at dd school, then dd 7 asking for hers to be done made me really think about it. But their is still a small part of my the programming from childhood their going not till she's 16-18.

Sorry but I have to bump this has I can't beleive I been out done by weather a child should have lemonade at thier party.
Personally dd has lemonade at partys since about 4. A party a treat so they have lots if thing they don't normally get.

I think I was 11 or 12
that sort of age seems fine to me

3???????

Oh my far too young- they are still babies

13-16

At opening stage of negotiations - 16
Possible compromise - 13

I probably am over-defensive but I just don't like the look of pierced ears on pre-teenage girls, as I think it's inappropriately adult for them. I also think there's an issue here about informed consent - my daughter might well accept at the age of (say) 8 that having her ears pierced would hurt, but would she really understand that? Medical treatment without informed consent is an assault and I think similar considerations apply with ear piercing.

I don't belive in what a child asks for they should get...mine got their ears pierced when they were old enough to understand the pain and the discomfort and the bathing with antiseptic etc etc AND when I thought they were ready

Its a personal bug bare of mine i am afraid

My 2 year old is old enough to ask for a lot of things showing her independant streak.
that does not mean she gets her own way!

My issue is that it can rip out of a childs ear and is also fundamentally a grown up thing which little children will have plenty of time to do once they are grown up

Its a personal bug bare of mine i am afraid

My 2 year old is old enough to ask for a lot of things showing her independant streak.
that does not mean she gets her own way!

My issue is that it can rip out of a childs ear and is also fundamentally a grown up thing which little children will have plenty of time to do once they are grown up

going to agree to disagree!! feeling sick with morning sickness!

Its just not my cup of tea but whatever you want to do thats up to you and your family.

for whats is worth I wont allow dd to have nail varnish or make up etc- I am prob a bit old fashioned- I think little children grow up far to quick these days and I would like keep my dd as young as possible for as long as possible

the attitude is a bit differant over here and it is common for 3/4/5 year olds to have it done. when i moved here at 7 there were only 2 girls in a class of 32 who didn't have it done and only one of those 32 ever had an accident with them (and it wasn't that they got ripped out, she was fiddling and decided to shove the back of one down her ear canal which imo she could have done with a small part from a toy so not really preventable by not allowing here earings)

it was the same in holland and germany where i lived before ireland. in fact i think the british standpoint on this is fairly unique in europe and even further afield.

i wasn't surprised or traumatised by the pain when i was little.... my mother warned me and i understood what pain was at that age. and i had it done with the gun which is incredibly painful.... if it's done by needle or just with the earring itself it's almost painfree (have experianced all types).

btw... whoever wanted their kids to have it done in a piercing studio... the law over here is 18+ unless a parent is with you so if it's the same there you may have to give in earlier than 18

Agree Pinktulips. It's just not a big deal in Belgium.

My dd1's nursery school teacher painted nail varnish on her finger nails - she's aged four - again that would never happen in an english school! It didn't bother me in the slightest.

when i was painting my nails recently both dd(3) and ds(almost 2) insisted on having theirs done.... was very cute, we all had matching nails for about a day til theirs wore off

had we been in england i think SS mght have been called on me

11

I let my daughters paint their toenails, too.

Probably agree with other posters who said 11 ie. when they begin secondary school and are old enough to make up their own mind.

Think I had mine done at 7 though after much mithering for my birthday.

DD7 she's been having a real tough is time because she put her neck out nearly 3 weeks ago. Lots of pain and she's been so brave that I decided to say we will look into who does ear piercing and the cost then consider having them done. Since them she's got cold feet but we are going to see about it when her necks better.
It great to read everyones view keep them comming.

I had mine done for 13th birthday, my mum had hers done for my wedding
It would have to depend on school rules as regards taking them out for PE etc

16, when they leave school and don't have to wear uniform or do PE any more.

It doesn't bother me in theory if babies and little girls have it done, but does it still need daily / frequent cleansing? What sane mother wants to do that for their baby / child along with all the ordinary care?

I imagine I'll consider letting DD have hers done from age 10, but would prefer it if she waited until age 13+.

Aack, is painting toenails an MN no-no, too? Why??????
I let DD (6) paint her nails & toenails, she always concludes the session by painting mine and her little brother's, too.