OT-What age to get ears pierced??

[phillmolly]

Ok, at what age should a little girl get her ears pierced? I have a niece who is almost 6 months, to pierce or not. and I am not going to say what way I am leaning because I really want to see what you guys think:flower3

 

[daisyduck123]

My DD got hers done on her 12th b-day.

We'd always told her that she could get it done when she was old enough to take care of them herself.

 

[abbybeth]

My parents had me wait until I was 16 - so that I would be making the decision on my own and would be taking care of them myself. Unfortunately, I was involved in sports year-round and MHSAA rules don't allow any jewelry in bball or track, so I had to wait until college (since NCAA track doesn't care!)

It irritated me at the time, but I think they made the right decision. Both parents worked in the medical field and boy did they have some piercing stories!

 

[MSSANDRA]

I think that they should be old enough to be able to truly understand what is happening and able to at least take a part in the care of them. We had our DN's done when she was 5, a special treat for being our flower girl in our wedding. At our preschool of 2's 3's and 4's, about 1/2 the girls have their ears pierced.

 

[taximomfor4]

I would say it has a lot to do with family tradition, culture differences, etc. It is highly individual. We did all 3 of our girls as soon as our pediatrician gave the ok. ..she suggested waiting till their second tetanus shot (4 months old). We did it then, and it was a piece of cake - they hated being held still for that few seconds, but were fine after... they were used to the earrings forever, so never got into playing around with them...and we did it knowing that if there was a single problem, we'd take the earrings out and let the earholes close up.

Do we regret it? Not at all. Do our girls regret having pierced ears? Not at all. My youngest (4) never even needs her earrings changed, they are just used to it so it's no big deal.

 

[Stephres]

I was 12. I noticed that most of the girls in my daughter's preschool class got theirs done on the fifth birthday. I asked my daughter if she wanted to get hers done when she turned five and the little chicken said, um, maybe when I am six! I have no problem waiting until she is ready. The other moms said that they don't require as much care as when we were kids, if that helps any.

 

[solferino]

DD can have hers done when she starts her period, IF she wants them done. It's her decision at that time.

 

[alikat99]

My thoughts are that she can have them done when she wants them done, and she can at least share in some of the responsibility of keeping them clean. I figure that it's her decision if she wants holes in her ears, so I'll let her decide. She's 5 now, and has asked a couple of times. I'm honest with her and tell her that it will hurt for a little bit, and that she'll have to take care of them, but then she can have earrings. But, for now, she's not ready to take the plunge. But, if she changed her mind tomorrow, I'd let her do it.

 

[macmahony]

My girls all had them done before they knew they had hands (before 4 months). I don't regret it, they love them, and we have never had a problem. They only wear studs, no hoops, never had an infection, red ear or anything. It all depends on what you as a parent feel is the right age.

 

[CastleCreations]

I did both of my girls when they were babies, but unfortunately the both played with the earrings. So they have the holes, but they don't wear earrings. They are 4 and 5 now, and still play with them. So every month, I push earrings through and let them wear them for the day, just to keep the holes open.
Someday, I hope they want to wear them, and leave them alone...LOL

 

[Camping Griswalds]

I was 12. So was my sister. It was a tradition. When I came home, my father said, "now you have holes in your head." One of those things that parents say that sticks with a kid. It took the joy out of it for me, and to this day, I'm not really into "earrings." I think with my daughter (who will be three in August) I will try to talk her out of it. With multiple piercings and tattoos so popular now, I am hoping that if she dosen't start, maybe she will never do it. I feel the same about my boys as well. I tell them I remember when they were newborns, and how amazed I was at their perfect bodies. I don't ever want them to change it in any way! Especially my oldest whom has had three surgeries, and three scars, so I tell him they are tattoo enough as far as I am concerned. He is 14 and has friends on sports teams that have pierced ears, and it seems all of the girls do, and several of the girls have pierced belly buttons too.

 

[Tikicampers]

I was 10, and though I may not wait that long, DD will definately be older when she gets it done. I'm thinking not before 5, it will depend on when she starts asking, and if I feel she's ready. It just seems to me that it is a right of passage, part of being a girl. Plus she is so perfect just the way she is now, I don't think earrings could add to it.
I know some cultures pierce babies' ears as a general rule, and if I came from that background I'm sure I would too. However, I don't so I won't.

 

[Smileybug]

My daughter was 3 months old.

 

[Princess Stitch]

I think I was about 6 when I got mine done but I wish my parents had done it when I was a baby. Once the first one got piecred it hurt so much (at the time, it's really not that painful, but I guess I was a wimpy kid!) that I didn't want the second one done. Well after struggling and crying, they got the second earing in, but it's not centered where it's supposed to be, so my earrings have always been uneven If I have a little girl, they're getting done when she's a baby. They're really not that hard to take care of.

 

[cccm]

DF had problems with DM when she wanted to at the age of 29 (1974). His family was of the belief that pierced ears were not for ladies.

We were allowed to get ours done at age 13 as long as we took care of them.

My sister told DD for her first communion she would get her ears pierced for her. She was too scared when she went to get it done. She still has reservations and won't get them done. All I had done was show her the web site that showed what could happen if you don't take care of your ears.

 

[Tikicampers]

I love the first communion idea! I think I'm going to go with that, disregard what I said earlier.

 

[Tink561]

I had my dd's ears pierced at 1 year. We've had no problems.

 

[chipndales]

I was six. My DD who is 9 wants nothing to do with it. I also worked as a certified ear piercer for ten years. On a professional level, the best thing I can suggest is that she's able to sit still and if you can have them both done at the same time, please do. If she freaks out once in the chair, let her down. Forcing her to go through with it only stresses her out, you out, and the ear piercer out. Under one year of age is really the least stressful time to have them done because in actuality, it really doesn't hurt that much, but after a year old, they know fear.

Personal standpoint, I always said if I had a little girl, I'd do her ears before her first birthday but my DH was adament she be old enough to ask. Disaster. She asked at 8, then cried when she got into the chair and felt worse when her friends came into school with them pierced. She beat herself up for day. Sigh. I regret it to this day, not having them done that early.

 

[badblackpug]

I was 12. I let my girls get theirs done when they were old enough to ask for them, and understand about ceaning them and not playing with them until they were healed. About 2nd/3rd grade.

 

[dementia412]

Having this issue. I let my 7 year old do it and she messed with them, kept losing them, so I let the holes close. She can do it again when she is more responsible and really want them (she doesn't really care right now, and never asks for them to be reopened). My 4 yeal old is always asking for them, and I don't know how I can keep telling her no! I think she would be much better about earrings than DD7, but she's only 4. I was 11 when I got mine, and I paid for it myself. I think that is the way to go. When the kid wants them and is willing to fork over the cash themselves.
I honestly can't stand seeing babies with earrings. I just don't see the reasoning behind hurting your baby to make it cuter. But whatever, that argument never gets anywhere when people get into it.