Ear piercing for boys - For or against?

balletshoes

jetta_wales wrote: »

But you could and likely would, take any out for an interview.

and the OPs son is 12 .

heretolearn_2

Against.

Which makes me a hypocrite as when I was a teen it was quite daring and 'sexy' for boys to have a pierced ear. My boyfriend did. I also have adult friends now who have assorted piercings.

But earrings on boys (and girls actually) at that age just screams chav or underclass-class and I would be embarrassed to be seen out with them in case everyone thought we were a chav or under-class family.

I'm sorry if that offends some of you with kids with earrings, it's just a personal view, your kids you do what you like of course.

I think it comes from having lived for a long time on a council estate where nearly all babies/toddlers got their ears pierced practically at birth and then spent the next 3 years of their life roaming the streets in a nappy and dirty vest. That's the sort of people I connect children with pierced ears with, rightly or wrongly.

On the other hand, he can always take it out, he isn't marked for life.

jellyhead

FatVonD wrote: »

I'd say let him have it done but I'd suggest waiting until the summer holidays as he won't be able to take it out for 6 weeks and will have to cover it with a plaster for PE if you get it done at any other time.

Yes, if he brings it up again tell him that it would have to be done at the start of the 6-7 week summer holiday. That gives you a bit of breathing room to make the decision together.

My son was in year 9 when he wanted to grow his hair. We agreed but with conditions. He must keep it clean, and if he have to remind him to wash it all the time then it will have to go short again. He knew he'd be going to college one afternoon a week during years 10 and 11, and if college wanted him to get it cut then he must do so (there will be some sort of work placement in year 11). He had to check with the place where he'll be doing his year 10 work placement that it's okay. They said only if it can be tied back, so they wouldn't have accepted it at that horrible in-between stage.

A year later he is thinking of getting it cut shorter, but not short - and is already thinking that he doesn't want to tie it back for his year 10 work placement which is only 6 weeks away. He has bambi eyelashes and a baby face. He looks like a pretty girl if he ties his hair back. He is small and delicate, bless him

I suppose with an earring the only concern is that he will keep it clean and not stretch the hole or whatever. He can remove the earring for school, college, work etc.

jellyhead

Lotus-eater wrote: »

if it's an interview for a plumber I doubt the earring that had been there, will make a jot of difference, but if it's for a different type of job, it may.

Maybe he wants to be a plumber. Maybe he even wants to be a chav. I'm sure there are decent chavs. The only chav I know (they are rare here) is a lovely person. If you saw him at work you'd never guess what he wears outside of work.

Suzanne_Louise

I don't like ear piercings on males as I just think it looks stupid! I laughed (inside myself only) when I asked her what she was getting her fiance for his birthday and her reply was 'well I bought him a Dior ring for Christmas, so I'm going to get him the earrings to match' - now to me, that's just odd!!!!!

islandlass

Against! My 15 yr old (male) hates boys with earrings too - guess I am lucky!

jellyhead

I asked my 14 year old when he came in from school, and he says earrings aren't just for chavs. he doesn't want one though, they're 'too emo'.

msb5262

msb5262 wrote: »

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

Just 24 hours after I posted the above, I went into school and spotted a child in my class with freshly pierced ears. Could the parents really not have waited until the holidays began?

jellyhead

A lot of the parents I know get it done for a child's birthday.