Grandsons getting ears pierced

[Welsh_Dragon]

I am retired, but when I began work in the City of London, the profession I chose forbade employees etc from sporting beards, and even now men cannot wear earrings etc and any tattoos, whether on males or females must be fully covered, even during the summer months.
I would not have my children’s ears pierced. It is their body and if they wish to pierce it, then I feel that this is a decision for them to make when they are old enough. However, I acknowledge and respect @BlueStarryHat’s traditions and culture.
My son spent last year in South America and whilst in Ecuador had one ear pierced. When he first came home, my eyes were automatically drawn to the earring, but I vowed to myself that I would not comment on it for three days, and by the end of the three days, I had (almost) stopped noticing it. Having said that, I am presuming that when he finishes Uni and starts job hunting later this year, the earring and the man bun will disappear for interviews. I think lopping off his long hair will bother him more than taking out the earring.

 

[ford family]

My DH is the only guy I ever went out with who didn’t have an ear piercing. Heck my dad’s friends had piercings. For reference we’re 53 and my dad would have been 71 in April. I’ve never thought anything about it. If my DS wanted to get his ears pierced I’d take him to get them done just like I did my girls.

If a grandparent had a problem with it they’d just have to get over it. I got my first tattoo at 35 and every time my grandma saw it she’d act all surprised like she’d never seen it before. Then she’d shake her head sadly and tsk. I would just laugh but some grandkids might not blow it off so grandparents might do well to keep their opinion about such things to themselves.

Gosh!
Old people having and voicing their own opinions!
The things you have to put up with, eh?
What do they know anyway?

ford family

 

[DisneyOma]

I am retired, but when I began work in the City of London, the profession I chose forbade employees etc from sporting beards, and even now men cannot wear earrings etc and any tattoos, whether on males or females must be fully covered, even during the summer months.
I would not have my children’s ears pierced. It is their body and if they wish to pierce it, then I feel that this is a decision for them to make when they are old enough. However, I acknowledge and respect @BlueStarryHat’s traditions and culture.
My son spent last year in South America and whilst in Ecuador had one ear pierced. When he first came home, my eyes were automatically drawn to the earring, but I vowed to myself that I would not comment on it for three days, and by the end of the three days, I had (almost) stopped noticing it. Having said that, I am presuming that when he finishes Uni and starts job hunting later this year, the earring and the man bun will disappear for interviews. I think lopping off his long hair will bother him more than taking out the earring.

Perhaps he will choose to work in a more tolerant place and keep the long hair and earring?

 

[wenrob]

Gosh!
Old people having and voicing their own opinions!
The things you have to put up with, eh?
What do they know anyway?

ford family

Well, I’m an “old people.” LOL

What purpose does it serve to judge someone’s self expression? When you do that with your kids or grandkids you’re just creating unnecessary conflict. And it won’t change anything except maybe make them not want to come around and deal with you expressing your opinion about their personal choices.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Another interesting first topic for a new person.

That being said, unless you've lived under a rock the last 40 years, you've seen men with piercings. It's not 'new' nor is it 'trendy', any more than women having their ears pierced.

We didn't pierce the girls ears until they were old enough to care for them, and wanted them done. If DS17 wants his done, we'll take him to get them done, as he is old enough, lol. I do ask they don't do facial piercings or gauges until they are older, as those can be detrimental to their employment prospects, depending on the path they choose (for example, SoIL#2 can't have visible tattoos or piercings, as he is a Marine; SoIL#1 can't have visible ones, as he works in an office setting that doesn't allow them; DD#2 worked at WDW and wasn't allowed a facial piercing or visible tattoos or 'non natural' hair color).


And I agree with @wenrob....it's not anyone's place to judge other people's self expressions. A piercing or tattoo isn't hurting YOU, so leave it alone.

 

[rottiemom]

I find this thread interesting. My son (almost 17) started asking to get his ears pierced over the summer. At the time a few friends of his had just had theirs done and I was concerned that he only wanted it done because they had done it. After a few months of him asking repeatedly we agreed (mainly I was afraid that he'd get them done anyway and end up with crooked holes or an infection). So while his friends had gotten theirs done on the boardwalk or at a mall kiosk I made an appointment with a piercer at a local tattoo parlor. He is happy and they healed up beautifully.
FWIW my husband has pierced ears and I have multiple piercings on my left ear. The 2 crooked ones were done with a piercing gun so I much prefer the accuracy of a needle and a trained hands.
In my culture girls get their ears pierced when they're a few days old. My mother did not do that with me, she waited until I asked and was old enough to care for them myself (I was 12 and my doctor pierced them). My mother had gotten hers pierced as a baby and always had problems with them. She took finally took them out and let the holes close up when she was very young. So I appreciate her waiting until I was old enough to ask, although at the time I hated having to actually go through the piercing part .

 

[Colleen27]

Yeah, I'm not sure how new that is. My kids' grandfathers both had pierced ears, and they'd be 72 and 68 now if they were still with us. Oddly enough, only one of the three boys in my kids' generation of the family does. But my daughter has enough to make up for them all - doubles in her lobes and doubles in her cartilage, plus an industrial on the left ear and her tongue and navel.

And before someone asks if I'm okay with that - I had doubles in my earlobes, left eyebrow, navel and tongue all pierced when I was younger. At 40, I'm down to one in each ear and my tongue. That's the beauty of piercings; they're a low-commitment body modification. You can just let them close if you decide you've "outgrown" (or just don't want to be bothered with) them. I have urged my kids (2 of 3 of whom are adults and don't need my consent) to be extremely cautious about tattoos, which are far more permanent, and about things like gauges that don't readily heal or hide simply by taking out the jewelry, but in our family, piercings are no big deal.

 

[tzolkin]

Honesty, and I'll say it, I don't really "get" peirced ears on men or women. I don't really understand punching a hole in myself to hang jewelry from, and I don't necessarily find it attractive (not unattractive either but I don't see the need). I get some people like it and like to do it, and that's fine for them, but it sure isn't for me!

In my family all the girls had theirs done as infants so mine are pierced but I have not worn earrings in at least 20 years. I'm just not big on jewelry other than occasionally a necklace that complements and outfit.

Having said that, I am presuming that when he finishes Uni and starts job hunting later this year, the earring and the man bun will disappear for interviews. I think lopping off his long hair will bother him more than taking out the earring.

This really depends on where he plans to work. My husband is a professional and has never had any issues with his "man bun". For probably 15 years his hair was waist-length. The last couple years he has been growing it back out as well as a long beard.

 

[mjkacmom]

Earrings on men don’t strike me as a new thing. My husband has had both his ears pierced (two in each ear) since I met him at age 14. He stopped wearing earrings probably 20 years ago.

Our teenage son just got his ears pierced a few weeks ago.

All girls in my family (except my daughters) had their ears pierced when they were infants.

It is very common for girls to get their ears pierced here as babies (Italian and Hispanic cultures). I wish I did, my girls had so many issues, a lot having to take them out for sports. I also wish I had taken them to a piercing professional and not claire’s, piercing pagoda, or a local pharmacy.

 

[KMarston]

See and aside from his Electric Company days I always remember him with an earring.

Just checked out some photos and you’re right! I’ve never noticed until that selfie with the waitress!

 

[georgina]

I would not have my children’s ears pierced. It is their body and if they wish to pierce it, then I feel that this is a decision for them to make when they are old enough. However, I acknowledge and respect @BlueStarryHat’s traditions and culture.

Someone on a previous page mentioned circumcision. I'm not sure if it is customary in the UK. We chose not to have it done to our DS. He had long hair all through high school, but no piercings or tatoos.

Gosh!
Old people having and voicing their own opinions!
The things you have to put up with, eh?
What do they know anyway?

ford family

My mom was a very critical person. Backhanded criticism such as 'you're wearing THAT?' It was a steady stream of negative opinion. She was not a much loved grandmother for that reason, my kids didn't like to spend time with her. Having grown up with that, I couldn't blame them.

 

[GreatLakes]

I don't see many earrings on men any longer. It seems to come and go. I got my ears pierced in the late 90s but stopped wearing earrings about 20 years ago so they have since closed up. Maybe they are on the comeback again.

 

[wenrob]

Someone on a previous page mentioned circumcision. I'm not sure if it is customary in the UK. We chose not to have it done to our DS. He had long hair all through high school, but no piercings or tatoos.




My mom was a very critical person. Backhanded criticism such as 'you're wearing THAT?' It was a steady stream of negative opinion. She was not a much loved grandmother for that reason, my kids didn't like to spend time with her. Having grown up with that, I couldn't blame them.

I was just sitting here trying to think of ANY warm fuzzy moment with my grandpa and I can’t. He had an “opinion” about the way I dressed, the music I listened to, my boyfriends, my generation was THE worst. It certainly didn’t make me want to hang out with him. And you don’t think I made sure to wear my Diary of a Madman t-shirt, plaid and black boots every time I went over there? I loved him dearly but I struggle to find nice things to tell my kids about him.

 

[tzolkin]

It is very common for girls to get their ears pierced here as babies (Italian and Hispanic cultures). I wish I did, my girls had so many issues, a lot having to take them out for sports. I also wish I had taken them to a piercing professional and not claire’s, piercing pagoda, or a local pharmacy.

Yes, my family is Italian. I chose not to have my daughter's ears done as infants. I remember once I was out with my niece when she was about 6mos and someone in the store was confronting me and questioning why I had her ears pierced but didn't have the older one (my DD age 2) done. I was like... "Uh, she's not my kid"

Someone on a previous page mentioned circumcision. I'm not sure if it is customary in the UK. We chose not to have it done to our DS.

We also chose not to have our son circumcised and received a lot of criticism over it. I found it rather bizarre how concerned people were over the appearance of someone else's *****.

 

[okeydokey]

Gosh!
Old people having and voicing their own opinions!
The things you have to put up with, eh?
What do they know anyway?

ford family

If you want to sour your relationship with grandchildren by nagging at them for their fashion choices, feel free to give unsolicited advice.. Seems like a weird thing to cause drama over.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

Hopefully he's not going to Miami beach afterwards.

I really need to know what this mean. Or do I? I think I already know. I pray I'm wrong, but fear I'm not.

 

[aprilgail]

my godson got his first pierced ear at 5 and the second at around 9.

 

[Orion Nebula]

Not a new thing...men/boys have been getting their ears pierced as long as I can remember.

I got my ear pieced in 1996, which was very trendy back then. Right now the kids are going all out 90s because it's "retro", my daughter even has "mom jeans". I mean... seriously...

 

[Orion Nebula]

Yeah, I'm not sure how new that is. My kids' grandfathers both had pierced ears, and they'd be 72 and 68 now if they were still with us. Oddly enough, only one of the three boys in my kids' generation of the family does. But my daughter has enough to make up for them all - doubles in her lobes and doubles in her cartilage, plus an industrial on the left ear and her tongue and navel.

And before someone asks if I'm okay with that - I had doubles in my earlobes, left eyebrow, navel and tongue all pierced when I was younger. At 40, I'm down to one in each ear and my tongue. That's the beauty of piercings; they're a low-commitment body modification. You can just let them close if you decide you've "outgrown" (or just don't want to be bothered with) them. I have urged my kids (2 of 3 of whom are adults and don't need my consent) to be extremely cautious about tattoos, which are far more permanent, and about things like gauges that don't readily heal or hide simply by taking out the jewelry, but in our family, piercings are no big deal.

I never cared what my teens wanted. It's their problem if that tattoo ends up looking melted in middle age.

 

[fortwildernessishome]

I don't have any feeling about earrings on boys, one way or the other. But, I am surprised that so many have responded on how common it is now and how common is has been over the years. I have known very few guys with peirced ears and don't think I know anyone currently! Apparently I must be living under a rock!! Ha, ha!