Ear piercing for boys - For or against?

msb5262

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

anyone with school age children thinking of allowing them to have a piercing

PLEASE PRETTY PLEASE

wait until the first day of the holidays!

So many times I've had children in my class crying with pain, or their ears bleeding, or children being unable to take part in PE or swimming because they aren't capable of taking their own earrings out (and we're not allowed to help them), or they forgot to bring plasters to cover the earrings, or they've taken their earrings out for PE and someone's pinched them...

it just causes problems in school for the first six weeks so if you can get them pierced at the start of the holidays, life is much easier.


There are still sometimes issues with earrings even after the first six weeks - my DD's school forbids any jewellery at all to be worn, and I must say they've got a point - but choosing the timing for the initial piercing can be helpful.


Just a thought!

MsB

Fuzzy_Duck

Totally disagree with Lotus-eater. In my experience people have become a lot more tolerant of body modifications. Multiple earrings, nose piercings and the odd tattoo are rarely an issue when going for a job, and if you won't be meeting customers face to face you can generally get away with a lot more. Fair enough, we all judge people without even thinking about it- but after speaking to a person we usually see how narrow-minded we are.

For the record, I have had multiple earrings, a lip piercing, an eyebrow piercing, and a stretched nose piercing (best not to ask). The only one that hasn't healed entirely is my eyebrow, as a hairdresser ripped it out. The only people who notice it? People who have, or have had, an eyebrow piercing. And they are hardly likely to judge me for it.

Fact is you are always going to encounter people who don't like the way you look. Who the hell cares? Life is too short to care what other people think. The world would be a very boring place if we all looked the same, and the people who don't like the way you look are the ones who have the problem.

In my view it would be sexist not to allow a boy to pierce his ears if he wants to (same as if he wore a dress! If you disagree with this may I remind you that trousers used to be a male-only item of clothing). The only thing I would be concerned about is whether he definitely wants them, and isn't only doing it because all his friends are, and is he mature enough to take care of them. msb5262's advice is also very much something to take into consideration.

mumps

I don't like piercings, sorry I don't want to offend anyone and I think adults have a right to choose but I hate seeing kids with them. I remember hearing a doctor on tv saying he thought young children with piercings should be taken into care as he had treated so many when it went wrong. 3 of my 4 wanted their ears pierced, 1 girl and 2 boys. I said fine, when you are 18 you can do what you like. The boys never had it done, daughter did, as soon as she was 18, it has now healed and she isn't bothered about getting it done again. I did let them get hair coloured when they wanted as I knew it would grow out and they wouldn't keep having it done, and they didn't. I don't think it should be a gender issue, if I said yes to daughter I would say yes to the boys.

ShowMeTheMoola

I have 25 piercings, my son has both ears done....anyone who has an issue with either of us is not really worth knowing

And before anyone bangs on about job prospects, i am a social worker.

sueeve

I agree with many that I don't like the look, but one thing to think about is that if you don't let him he will probably do it anyway, as my daughter did with a needle in the bathroom. Interestingly they (several of them) didn't get infected, whereas my other daughter (done in a jewellers) did.

pigpen

msb5262 wrote: »

There are still sometimes issues with earrings even after the first six weeks - my DD's school forbids any jewellery at all to be worn, and I must say they've got a point - but choosing the timing for the initial piercing can be helpful.

Not one of the high school here allow jewellry of any kind.. the catholic school allows a small cross/crucifix and they usually all allow a watch..

Which is why I told mine when they leave school. My sister had a nasty nasty infection from a nose piercing so these are all put off as it has left scarring which is unpleasant for sis.

only 1 of my children has ever asked to have a piercing of any kind.. and I said when she leaves school at 16.. she is currently 10!

[Deleted User]

we as girls always thought that males with earrings were homosexual

Amanita_2

Lotus-eater wrote: »

It will never be written down as a reason, because that would be illegal. But having run my own business and dealt with many others for 20 years, having known plenty of those people that actually do the hiring, having worked with high up people in very large firms (not always as an equal, I'm not bigging myself up too much here), I believe what I believe.

There is a perception that comprehensive schools are producing a number shy, work shy, load of idiots with bad attitude. And to be fair, sometimes it's true.

I don't particularly like earrings on boys but the world has moved on.

I am not going to pass over a good candidate for having a tiny mark (if even that) on his ear.

Visible tattoos are a different matter but I work in a conservative industry ( finance/accountancy based).


ps - to the OP I'd let him have it done. I let my daughter have her ears done at 11 but a friend of mine forbid her daughter until she was 16. The girl who had to wait now has 6 or more holes in her ears and probably other piercings which I'd rather not know about!

JBD

My eldest son had his ear pierced, probably before 12. I can't even remember. It certainly hasn't stopped him getting more or less any job he interviews for,including the 2 paper rounds he had when he was younger. And he's definitely not homosexual either [although I would be perfectly happy if he was].
Personally I think 12 is an acceptable age for either sex to have their ears pierced as they are old enough to understand the risks and how to care for it.

Lotus-eater

Amanita wrote: »

I don't particularly like earrings on boys but the world has moved on.

I am not going to pass over a good candidate for having a tiny mark (if even that) on his ear.
( finance/accountancy based).

I hope you're right and maybe I'm wrong about an earring having a chance to change a young boys life, but I don't think I am. Funny thing is that for 2 pins I could argue that people should be allowed to have whatever piercings they like without anybody judging them. Because that is what I truly believe.
In fact I like most piercings on women, not too keen on bellybutton tbh, seen a couple go all manky, but other under clothing ones, are alright in my book