Ear piercing for boys - For or against?

Lotus-eater

thorsoak wrote: »

I have to disagree with you there - both No 1 son and SIL are men in authority who do make the rules - especially SIL. They had earrings as teenagers/young men - but outgrew them (just as No1 Son outgrew his Kevin Keegan perm) as they grew into jobs where sich accoutrements were not looked upon with favour!

Better they start at the bottom of the tree and learn to climb, than start at the top and have to cling on so that they don't fall!

There are always oddities to the rule and people who do and achieve more than their starting point should allow. All praise to them (I'm just waiting for the first quote from my text there )
BUT, on the whole, it's a bad idea if you want your son to get somewhere, if you don't believe that, you're totally blinkered, or daft.

sock-knitter

Gloomendoom wrote: »

What if he wanted to wear a dress? Would telling him no still be sexist?

if he wanted to wear a dress, i would allow it, he would soon learn it wasnt socially acceptable lol

thorsoak

Lotus-eater wrote: »

There are always oddities to the rule and people who do and achieve more than their starting point should allow. All praise to them (I'm just waiting for the first quote from my text there )And I'm the person who does
BUT, on the whole, it's a bad idea if you want your son to get somewhere, if you don't believe that, you're totally blinkered, or daft.

Quite frankly, I am absolutely gobsmacked at such a sweeping statement!

I expected my children (and their partners) to achieve just what they have achieved! All four of my children have achieved Uni + education AND employment. All four of my children are in long-lasting stable marital relationships - and I would have expected no other. My OH had an accident which sadly curtailed his career and eventually his life. But it did not stop his children from achieving all that we have hoped for them - despite the wearing of earrings when they were teeanagers!

Actually - DS 2 & 3 did not bother with earrings....but there again - they were in a different "style setting!

Take a look at Sir Richard Branson ...or Sir Alan Sugar -or Peter Cruddas - they did not conform exactly with City/business profiles - but they have made a success of their lives!

An earring in a 12 year old does not mean the end of his "career" - it is what he does with his life that matters!

diable

I had both ears pierced 30 year ago but I was a bit of a punk/alternative dresser so it was ok my Mum nearly had a heart attack when I dyed my hair black and had a semi Phil Oakley haircut.

Just tell your son he'll look a little gay, especially if he wants the spangly type of earrings or does he want a Prince Albert?

thorsoak

BTW - in actual fact, I think they look absolutely dreadful - but one has to have the confidence in one's own children to realise that fact for themselves!

thorsoak

Traditionally, I understand that fishermen/seamen always had an earrring in their right ear so that St Peter (a fisherman) could catch them & take them straight to heaven were they to drown!

Sweet_Pea_2

I have 2 DD's, the eldest had her ears pierced when she was 8, for her birthday. The youngest is now 12 and has not had hers done because she thinks it will hurt!

TBH I don't like to see boys with earrings, but if I had a son I would have to let him have his ear/s pierced because I have allowed my daughters to, in order to be fair. OH does not have any piercings but I asked him what he thought and he thought the same as me - he isn't keen but would not say no.

I am happy to let them experiment with clothes/hair etc a little, as long as they do nothing that is permenant such as tattoos which I hate, and am not keen on those stretcher type things in ears either. I remind them constantly - you may like it now but in 5 years time you will hate it and regret it.

With regards to previous comments about children with earrings coming from chav families etc - my DD's went to a "posh" primary school and quite a lot of the girls had their ears pierced when they were about 8 or so, they only ever wore studs and did not come from chav families (daughters of church ministers, doctors, teachers, lecturers etc) I'm afraid I can't speak for the boys though because I didn't take any notice of what they did, DD's really only had friends that were girls so these were the children that I noticed.

JC9297

Lotus-eater wrote: »

But it does judge him.
He will be judged for the rest of his life, because the piercing will always be obvious.

It will be obvious and I don't care what the others say on here, because you can always see it.

I've had many friends and been through a few different carnations, but always come back to the fact, that the ones who really make the difference are the ones who make the rules and the ones who make the rules are not the ones who have earrings.

I hope my kids are the ones who don't have the earrings, or if they are, then at least they are happy. And I want to give them the chance to start at the top of the tree and not the bottom.

Sorry, if I've annoyed everyone else on here. But that's the way it is.

Are you seriously suggesting that people look closely at people's earlobes to spot the telltale signs of having worn an earring 20 years ago?

Yes, I'm sure an interviewer will change his/her mind immediately about the candidate with the outstanding CV when they realise he wore an earring for a couple of years as a teenager!:rotfl:

JC9297

Sweet_Pea wrote: »

With regards to previous comments about children with earrings coming from chav families etc - my DD's went to a "posh" primary school and quite a lot of the girls had their ears pierced when they were about 8 or so, they only ever wore studs and did not come from chav families (daughters of church ministers, doctors, teachers, lecturers etc) I'm afraid I can't speak for the boys though because I didn't take any notice of what they did, DD's really only had friends that were girls so these were the children that I noticed.

I think generally people seem to feel it is OK for girls of this age to have pierced ears, it's earrings in babies/very young girls and boys of any age that most disapprove of.

peardrops_2

Gosh - well I've spent an hour catching up on this thread! I appreciate everyone's comments and realise that everyone has different opinions.

I would just like to say that I don't feel I'm being sexist against my son (well not in my mind) - I'm being a hypocrite yes! I did allow my daughter to have hers done (after 3 years of nagging I eventually gave in) and did it with the understanding she wasn't wearing anything except gold to avoid infection - she wasn't wearing gypsy hoop earrings - and wasn't EVER having the hole enlarging thing going on! She has stuck by that so far so all is well there.

I expect I will give in with my son too - the nagging has only just started so he's another 3 years until I match my daughter and crack! When I ask him why he wants it done it is basically "it looks good and all my mates have it done"!