OT: At What Age Did You Pierce Your Daughter's Ears?

[sskem96]

I had planned on waiting til my kids asked to get them done, but I ended up piercing dd10's ears shortly before her 2nd b-day. She still didn't have any hair, and my friend's aunt, who had 4 daughters under 4, asked me how old HE was. I was sick of people not being able to tell she was a girl, so I bought a self-piercing kit and did it myself at home.

DD7 had hers done shortly after she asked for it, she was 3. We had hers done at Claire's because we knew a girl who worked there.

I pierced ears for 3 years at Walmart while I was in college, and our requirement there was that they had to have their 2 month immunizations first, so I did pierce some pretty young ones, they seemed to do pretty well. Now I assist with circumcisions. Let me tell you, the pain of piercing ears is NOTHING compared to that.

 

[Not so Dumbo]

well, I have decided that as a parent I have been given the responsiblity to make the best decisions for my DD until she is old enough to make them for herself. Because, in the long run I believe it will be more benificial than not, I would like to have them pierced now. My reasoning first is, I would like for her to forego remembering the pain when she is older. When she wishes that she had them done but is too scared to do it. If they are done now, they will be healed by the time she wants to start changing them out. I will also be able to wash and take care of them for her, so that I make sure they don't become infected. They will pretty much just be something that has always been there for her, no big deal.

However, DH has expressed that she not have them done now because he dislikes how they look on baby girls, and so I'm holding off for now. So DH, if you're reading this ( and I know sometimes you do) I'm coming after you (where's the focker sign when you need it)

Thanks everyone for you humble and some not so humble opinions.......It's been interesting to say the least.

 

[DaisyD]

yes, that's how it began but somehow piercing a baby girl's ears was considered by some as equivalent to piercing a baby's tongue, stretching its neck, and mutilating its privates.
Just call me "Mommy the Mutilator"
ps. My cat is declawed too!
surely I'll be on the "Hell Express"

Well give me a ticket too because I had both girls' ears pierced and both cats declawed! I haven't read the whole thread but just wanted to say it amazes me how some get their panties in a wad over such a mondane thing. I don't think its anyones business if you want to pierce YOUR child's ears or get your son circed. Who cares!

 

[meandtheguys2]

Well, of course not, DD. Heck, my panties aren't in a wad at all. Just interested in how people think, and justify the things they do. Believe it or not, people can give other opinions without giving a crap one way or another what others do!

Frankly, unless someone came here talking about something that was truly abusive (physical, emotional or sexual), I could care less what choices others make.

The rest is just talk...discussion...get it? People are different...it is what makes the world interesting...

 

[12BNWDW]

I had my daughters ears pierced at 3 months. She cried for all of 20 seconds and we have never had a problem (she is now 8). After the initial piercing, we bought screw-back earrings to make sure they wouldn't just fall out. I think because they have always been there, we've never had a problem with her messing with them. I can't imagine having them done now! The drama that would go along with that would be more than I could take!

 

[rwrocksme]

This is a BAD idea! Earrings are small and she could choke. Also, she may not want her ears peirced, and if she does, going with her mom and/or a friend is something she'll want to remember. Besides, do you want to go through the trouble to keep her ears clean?

 

[MyZoeJane]

It is a personal choice by all means. Every family is different, however I think some of these opinions are getting a bit off topic. My daughter had a cyst cut out just above her eyebrow as a baby, should I have not done this because she didn't say it was ok (it wasn't hurting her)? My son get c-sized, should I have waited? It's a small hole in each ear. If the child/adult didn't like it she could just take out the earrings.

The OP asked if we thought she should wait until her DD was old enough to ask to have them pierced. There was nothing about my post that did not apply to the OP.

And having a cyst removed is medical. It could eventually impede her vision... grow... and get worse. Not comparable.

And circumcision is mutilation. I have strong feelings about it, and hopefully you're able to listen to a person's strong feelings without taking them personally... but circumcision is unnatural and it is a horrible thing to do to a child IMHO. If you did fair and thorough research, an intelligent person would have no choice but to come to the same conclusion.

Anyhow, that's not the subject here, I don't mean to hijack... I simply feel that it's only fair to wait until a child is old enough to give informed consent to an elective, non-medical procedure before you go making decisions for them about their bodies.

 

[DaisyD]

This is a BAD idea! Earrings are small and she could choke. Also, she may not want her ears peirced, and if she does, going with her mom and/or a friend is something she'll want to remember. Besides, do you want to go through the trouble to keep her ears clean?

It was actually easier to clean their ears when they are babies. When they get older they sometimes fight you to do it. I had my oldest DD's done when she was 10 because she wanted them. She refused to clean them because that would hurt. I had the worse time with her and those earrings. With my youngest I had them done at 7 months and it was the best thing I ever did. For one thing, they make screw on earrings so no chance of them popping off and baby choking. Though that is a long shot anyway even if they did come off. She also just laid there when I cleaned them and turned them. No whining or crying at all. She didn't even cry when they were pierced where as the older kid begged and pleaded to get them done and then whined about it for a couple hours afterwards. My youngest is now almost 8 y/o. She loves her pierced ears and looks forward to getting earrings for all occasions. She takes care of them herself and knows how to take them out and put them in. So it is totally up to the parents of their children and certainly not up to folks that post on a bulletin board.

 

[Fintastic]

DD is three years old and I don't plan to pierce her ears until she's at least ten. I don't care for the look of earrings on babies and little girls.

 

[*MickeyFan*]

The OP asked if we thought she should wait until her DD was old enough to ask to have them pierced. There was nothing about my post that did not apply to the OP.

And having a cyst removed is medical. It could eventually impede her vision... grow... and get worse. Not comparable.

And circumcision is mutilation. I have strong feelings about it, and hopefully you're able to listen to a person's strong feelings without taking them personally... but circumcision is unnatural and it is a horrible thing to do to a child IMHO. If you did fair and thorough research, an intelligent person would have no choice but to come to the same conclusion.

Anyhow, that's not the subject here, I don't mean to hijack... I simply feel that it's only fair to wait until a child is old enough to give informed consent to an elective, non-medical procedure before you go making decisions for them about their bodies.

Thanks for sharing your Opinion.

 

[*MickeyFan*]

Oh, one more thing. The thread states " OT: At What Age Did You Pierce Your Daughter's Ears?" not weather or not it is right or wrong.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

I asked to have my ears pierced since I was 4 years old. My mom finally relented when I was 6 1/2. My niece (7 mos.) is getting hers done next week. I am not sure I would pierce my daughter's ears so young but at least if the daughter doesn't want it later, they can heal over fairly quickly. Compared to being c-sized, ear piercing is pretty reversible. Either way it's your call.

 

[kribit]

I would like to add that it is customary in some countries to pierce babies ears shortly after they are born.

My dd was 3 and she asked for them, but I have friends who pierced their dd's ears much younger....their children are fine.

 

[LIBLULA]

I got my daughter's ear pierced when she was 3 months old. I never had any problems cleaning them. She never pulled at them. She's now 7 and she loves them!!!!!!!!!!!:

 

[Destination Disney]

4 months.
She cried, but by the time I was paying for them...she was done!
She forgot all about what happened and was more interested in the "shiney" objects near the register!

Never had a problem and she has NO idea they are there. Well, actually she did discover them once, when she discovered her hair!
To her, they are just a part of her!

She looks FABulous!

 

[LuvOrlando]

I let DD7 choose and we just did in September.

I suppose it would have been easier if we did had her ears done when she was a baby but allowing her to make such a big girl choice was worth the wait. One day she came to me & asked. We went to Libby Lu & she was very brave. I am very happy I let her choose.

 

[Tess'smom]

I waited until she asked to have them pierced- no actually begged to get them pierced. She is 11 years old. She loves them and she was ready to care for them. I wanted to wait until she could appreciate them.

 

[aes74]

Hey, I got mine done when I was eighteen!!!! What do you think about that!! I must be THE only person on the board to be THAT old!! I just never wanted it done until then...I was perfectly happy before that!!

One reason I didn't do it when my girls were babies...between changing diapers and cleaning and feeding...I didn't want one more thing to take care of!!

 

[sPaRkLeSpAz]

I got mine pierced when I was about 7 months I think. I got my second holes when I was 10.

 

[PrincessasMommy]

3 dd's so far here - all with pierced ears....

DD#1 - waited until 8 months and she played with them and they became infected, learned to do it younger....

DD # 2 - done at 9 weeks - never an issue!
5 minutes of crying.

DD # 3 - done at 7 weeks - no problems there either!
Used Emla (freezing) cream - not a tear!

If this is DD #4 she will have it done at 7/8 weeks also.