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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

DD and ear piercing

24 replies

QueenofQuirkiness · 13/03/2016 19:11

Hi, my DD1 is 14 (Y10) and keeps pestering me to let her have her ears pierced.
Personally I am against this until she is 16, not wearing school uniform and IMO old enough to make her own choice.
I've told her no but she won't stop asking and has also told me that when she's 16 she will get her cartilage pierced too....
I am definitely not allowing her to have her cartilage pieced but now I don't know if I should just give in and let her have her ears pierced?

OP posts:
pinkyredrose · 13/03/2016 19:13

She's 14 why on Earth would you not let her?

VinceNoirLovesHowardMoon · 13/03/2016 19:13

Why wouldn't you? It's hardly a face tattoo. She can go off and et it done without your permission you know!

Bluelilies · 13/03/2016 19:15

The large majority of girls get them done by the end of primary school. She's probably the last one left without them done.

They're her ears really so I think you should let her.

ThatAnneGirl · 13/03/2016 19:15

I'm dead strict and even I would let a 14 year old get her ears pierced if he really wanted too.

I told my dd she could get hers done before high school but she didn't in the end. She knew she was too lazy too look after them.

Sadik · 13/03/2016 19:15

Maybe a daft question, but what's your objection to it? I'd imagine most girls (and a large proportion of boys) have their ears pierced by age 14. My feeling is that it's a minor and socially acceptable thing to do that will grow closed if she decides she doesn't like it in the future.

(Indeed, going by dd's friends, lots of them had them pierced in upper primary, wore earrings for a bit, got bored of it and the holes are long gone!)

dementedpixie · 13/03/2016 19:15

14 is plenty old enough to get pierced ears

Sallyhasleftthebuilding · 13/03/2016 19:21

Let her. It's just ears.

If she has to wait until she's 16 and then decided a in 10 in each ear there won't be much you can do about it.

DD13 has her cartilage done - you can't see it for her hair.

phequer · 13/03/2016 19:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

YakTriangle · 13/03/2016 19:27

I'm not sure what damage you think it's going to do Confused and I say that as someone who really doesn't like seeing pierced ears on children. But at 14, I'm surprised anyone would be so against it.

bittapitta · 13/03/2016 19:31

My mum always told me "16" but when it came down to it I got them done at 14 (with her permission!). She ensured I had them done somewhere reputable, I was old enough to do the aftercare myself, I knew to wear simple plain studs at school. Relent OP.

specialsubject · 13/03/2016 20:04

question 1 - does the school allow it? Kids rip earrings out when playing/doing sports.

Clare1971 · 13/03/2016 20:07

If you do decide to I'd suggest beginning of summer holidays - that way she won't have to take them out for PE or cover them with tape if the school do that for six weeks.

Florida41 · 14/03/2016 14:51

my daughter is 14.5 and has her ears pierced twice plus her cartilage once .
she now wants scaffolding but I said not until she is 16 , but I will proberly give in by the time she is 15.5 .
I am firm but fare . her body and she has to live with it .

Original poster
QueenofQuirkiness · 14/03/2016 17:43

I feel like such a mean mum now Blush I guess I'll allow her to have her ears pierced, but probably in August this year as we are going away in the summer and she will be spending time on the beach, or in the pool. Still saying no to the cartilage though Grin

OP posts:
HermioneJeanGranger · 15/03/2016 08:13

Pool/beach won't make a difference to healing. I would personally let her get them done at the beginning of the summer, so they're healed enough incase she needs to remove them for PE. And make sure she goes to a reputable piercing studio and doesn't get them done with a gun.

fieldfare · 15/03/2016 08:17

Let her get them done at the beginning of summer and then they're healed by the time they return to school.

ExitPursuedByABear · 15/03/2016 08:21

Dd had hers done the summer between y10 and Y11 as they are allowed to wear earrings in y11. So I no longer had an excuse.

Murphyslaw21 · 15/03/2016 08:22

Why wait ? If she has them done now they will be healed up by the holiday YABU

ApocalypseSlough · 15/03/2016 08:23

Get them done at the start of the Easter holidays. This is an easy parenting win!

JustDanceAddict · 15/03/2016 12:07

My daughter is a PITA with ears. We have got hers done twice and both times unsuccessful, so she can now wait til 16 and more responsible. Am sure that others aren't so unlucky!

ThereIsIron · 15/03/2016 12:23

Both DDs had their lobes pierced at 7. DD1 (almost 14) had a second lobe piercing a few weeks ago. I think I've temporarily discouraged her from getting a cartilage piercing Hmm

Smurfingreat · 15/03/2016 12:31

My DM said 16, but eventually relented at 14 and took me to get it done so that she knew I was going somewhere decent. We also went for the beginning of the summer holidays so that they could be taken out for games.

I think she realised she was being faintly ridiculous when she informed me that she didn't like earrings on little girls and I looked down at her from 5 inches above with a questioning look on my face!

AugustRose · 15/03/2016 12:34

I would just let her, DD1 got hers done in Year 6 before the summer so they were healed before she started secondary school. To be honest she's only recently started wearing earrings again as she got bored for a while, she's just turned 14.

DD2 (9) mentioned it a while ago but I've told her to wait at another year as I don't think she it reliable enough to look after her ears.

scarlets · 15/03/2016 21:39

Pick your battles. This is a minor thing.

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