When and where to get childs ears pierced?

Valli

As the law stands teachers (in fact all school staff) are NOT allowed to help with earrings - taking them out, putting them back in, even if there's a problem AFAIK.

Becles

I think it's best when the child has passed the rough and tumble play stage - probably around 12-ish.

I had mine done when I was 9. When I was 10, I was carrying on having a fun fight and my brother, the dog and me were all rolling about on the floor. The earring got caught on something and it tore out completely. The pain was incredible and the blood spurted everywhere.

I've not had them done again, as it put me off for life. I've got a two year old daughter now, but when she starts pestering, I'll not let her get them done until she's a teenager and less likely to go through what I did.

liney

I have a son, not a daughter, but if i did and she wanted hers pierced then I would make it gift at the end of her last term at primary school so that she'd have them ready for secondary school.

I can't imagine why anyone would decide to inflict unnecassary pain on a child who is unable to express it's wishes. I can only assume that having a baby or toddler's ear peirced before they can speak to say how much it hurts means the parents don't have to feel guilty.

And no, my son won't be having his ear pierced but that's another thread i think

Jo_F

I had mine done when I was about 8, can remember going to a jeweller's in the centre of Manchester.

My daughter, (now 14) had hers done when she was about 8, to be honest, I can't remember where. but my son, at 6 wanted his doing, just one, and there was no talking him out of it, so I let a guy at the local market do it, after watching the performance they were having in Claires that day. He has never had a problem with it, and that was 6 years ago, the only problem has been him losing his studs and wearing mine.

I went to have mine done about 15 years ago in Blackpool, they got the gun stuck with the first one, and had to dismantle it around my ear and shove the earring back in quick, so I stuck with just having the one done.

Had my navel pierced at the local salon, but that rejected after about 6 years, and my tattoo guy says that he won't risk redoing it, as it will just reject again and he doesn't want to take my money if it's only going to last a couple of weeks.

For any more piercings, I would go to my tattoo guy, as I trust him.

mumps

My daughter got hers done at 17 years 9 months. I always swore she couldn't get it done till she was 18 but gave up the fight early. My son swore I had ruined his life when I wouldn't let him get his done at 14, later admitted that he was glad I didn't let him.

Re young children, I saw a doctor on TV once and he was saying he thought anyone having a young childs ears pierced should be charged with child abuse. He worked in A & E and said he often had to deal with children with infected ears or other problems. I don't remember if he actually defined what he meant by "young children."

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

DD1 had them done for her 6th birthday. With a 'staple gun'. At a beauty salon I attended regularly - no problems, ever. DD2 had them done for her 6th birthday (it would have been hypocritical to say no when DD1 had been 6). At a beauty salon, with a staple gun, the whole place was spotlessly clean (as was the first). No problems, ever.

They were both perfectly capable of keeping the piercing sites clean, hands clean before touching, etc, and the school had a rule of taping them for PE until age 10, then they were expected to take them out. No problems at all.

Piercing was their choice, I had mine done at 9 - not by choice, but mainly, I think, for my mother's benefit - I've had a slightly malformed left earlobe since birth and I suspect she is rather embarrassed by it.

I encourage DD2 to change from studs to rings for holidays, as I think they are the easiest of all to keep clean, but having their ears pierced was pretty much their first decisions - they could have chosen to say no, but I felt that they had the right to make choices over their bodies.

If they were to choose to have a tattoo or other piercings once it was legal to do so, I would have no problem with it - I might not particularly like it, but they are the owners of their bodies, no one else.

And nobody has the right to criticise them (or me) for the decisions they made.

shiningdove

I had my ears peirced when i was 13, i was no way allowed to before that time. They were done at claires accessories with some things that i could only really describe as something that reminds me of a hole punch. They were sort of right and they sort of went on to your ear like a peg and punched a hole through. Pain wise?.. not to bad i suppose.



Should probably mention i'm 19 now.

freakyogre

I wanted mine done for ages when I was younger, my dad always said no and I could have them done when I was 16. Once I turned 16 I really wasn't bothered about it, but did eventually have them done. It didn't hurt that much, just stung a bit.

Now I rarely wear earrings at all, infact i'm surprised they haven't closed. I then got my belly button pierced when I was about 17, my dad didn't know, but has seen it since and doesn't seem bothered.

Personally I think 6 is far too young, but I suppose it depends on the child and parent(s) as to what age they have it done.

blackcoffee

My daughter at 6 isnt the most hygienic of children, (too much information, but she forgets to wash and wipe regularly, the state of her hands after school is vile !!! ) she is desperate for contact lenses too !!!lol!!!

Surfbabe

DD had hers done at 16 and had a second piercing done when 17 1/2 in USA. Wouldn;t let her have them done any earlier and she is glad she didn;t.

re Contact lenses - our optician won;t do them for under 16's