taking care of newly piercings

[Belle4mygrl]

My 3 year old daughter soon to be 4 (where has the time gone??) got her ears pierced Friday. She did great compared to what I thought she would do. The problem I am having is she is having a terrible time letting me clean them. I mean she is downright throwing a hysterical fit. There aren't red or hot. So, my ? for you is how or what can I do to clean them without traumatizing her more?

Please no flames. I know I am the mother and I should set her straight (trust me she is a very VERY strong willed child) or Yes, I know I am the mother we should have waited -- stories. Please give me some ideas to help this be a more pleasant time. We go to WDW in 5 weeks. I want the ears to be healed so we don't have to worry about soreness.

TIA

 

[Minnie_me]

Can you do it while she sleeps?

Can you give her a cotton ball (maybe just wet with water for her) and let her do one ear, while you do the other with alcohol? and then switch?

 

[vcgirl925]

I'm not trying to debate getting girls ears pierced. But my number one reason for getting my dd2 ears pierced when she turned one was just that, cleaning them. At 12 months she let me clean them without a problem. All i had to do was clean them for one month straight. Just twisting them and putting peroxide on them. After that i NEVER clean them. Only when i change her earings i clean the new ones, clean the old ones, and wipe her ears down. I've never had an issue.

I don't really have any advice.....give her a lollipop maybe while you do it? I know you shouldn't bribe with food but the girls ears have to get cleaned, kwim? Good luck!

 

[Stephres]

When my daughter was this age she was horrible about brushing her teeth. I made a sticker chart with things she liked to do and included brushing her teeth. She loved to stick those stickers on there and would be excited about letting me brush her teeth. I would maybe pick three things (one for each year of her age) and see how she responds. Good luck!

 

[J&J'sMOM]

My daughter had her ears pierced this year ( age 2), as a reward for being potty trained! I would wait until she is asleep and then put some cleaning solution on a q-tip. A few swipes in the front and back and a quick turn, and that was it! I did it for about a month, and haven't done it since. She hasn't let me change her earrings at all yet!

 

[noodleknitter]

My daughter had her ears pierced this year ( age 2), as a reward for being potty trained! I would wait until she is asleep and then put some cleaning solution on a q-tip. A few swipes in the front and back and a quick turn, and that was it! I did it for about a month, and haven't done it since. She hasn't let me change her earrings at all yet!

A reward for you or a reward for her?

oP, just drip a bit of alcohol on each after her regular shampooing. Give a little twist, and she should be fine.

 

[mamaLori05]

dd had her's peirced before her 3rd b-day. They make her look sooooo grown up!! Where has the time gone!!!!

Anyway, I would see if she will do it herself. She's probably just scared that it will hurt to clean them. (I know that was what dd would say when I had to clean hers). Give her a cotton ball or q-tip with the solution on it and let her clean them. I'd say if they are not infected, then she should be fine. I think as long as they get a little of the solution in there that is all that matters. Maybe even have her just squirt the bottle on her earrings a little after she has cleaned them. Yea it will make a little mess, but that's okay. I'm not sure where you got them peirced, but we did ours at Libby Lou and when we went in for our check up, they gave us more solution on the house. You could maybe go back to where you had them done and ask for more solution if you run out. Good Luck!!

 

[J&J'sMOM]

A reward for you or a reward for her?

oP, just drip a bit of alcohol on each after her regular shampooing. Give a little twist, and she should be fine.

Definately for HER! She asked for them, so they became her reward! Never had an accident since the earrings went in.

 

[Belle4mygrl]

Ladies, thank you so much for the ideas.

Last night, I gave her the qtip and she "cleaned" them herself. Then with minimal hysterics she let me clean them. I told her to turn them and she did. AND this morning! absolutely no hysterics. She let daddy clean them and she got a present (bubbles) when I went to the store.

Oh, yea, for added measure I did squirt some of the antiseptic on it.

Thanks again for the help.