Why do parents insist on ear piercings on babies and toddlers?

LuciaDisturbed

LuciaDisturbed

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I am wondering why so many parents think it is OK to put their babies or toddlers through pain and trauma to get their ears pierced at such a young age? Without their consent? I have seen and heard poor babies and toddlers scream at the top of their lungs and cry hard when their ears get pierced (I have a CI). I feel absolutely sorry for them. They never had any say in it. It seems very traumatic for them. Poor babies.

I believe that parents should wait til the child is like 5 or 6 years old and is able to communicate either vocally or using sign language and can understand that ear piercings may hurt and can say if they can handle it or not. I asked my mom to get my ears pierced at age 6 after seeing girls my age with earrings (on my dorm floor at my state school for the deaf), and it didn't hurt because I was able to handle it and I understood that there could be some pain involved with a ear piercing, but I was still insistent on getting mine pierced anyway, even after my mom warned me many times about the pain. It was worth the wait because I had no traumatic experience. I now have 3 holes in one ear and 4 holes in the other. I did not get the additional piercings after the first pair until I was over 18. I am thankful to my mother for waiting until I ASKED for it, and not forcing it upon me. She waited for my sister to ask, too. My sister did not get hers pierced until much later, though, after my mother passed away. I don't know how old she was when she got hers done, I will have to ask her.

Why do parents think it is necessary to put their VERY young infants through pain just so they can "look cute and pretty"? I think parents should wait until the child is able to communicate what they want and if they are ready for the ear piercings and if they can handle the pain that sometimes comes with piercing their ears.

If I have a child I will not have my child's ear pierced until she or he ASKS for it or if I ASK and if the child understands that pain is a possibility and still wants the piercing anyway. If the child does not understand that pain is a possibility or if the child says no or is scared of it then I will NOT have her or his ears pierced until the child actually WANTS it and says she or he can handle the possible mild pain.

I know parents think "it's best to get it over with" but I don't agree with that and I think it's wrong. What may seem mildly painful or is painless to a ten years old can seem like extricating pain to a 6 month old baby. I had a friend who pierced her 3 months old baby. I felt sorry for the poor baby.

I also believe that Claire's and other such cheap chain jewelry stores are bad for ear piercings because with a piercing gun the stud is blunt and not sharp and can end up damaging your ear, especially if you get a upper ear piercing done (where the cartilage is). It can cause the cartilage to crack in the upper part of your ear and you can end up with a bent ear (I've seen it happen). I believe that having your ear pierced with a proper piercing needle (SHARP) is best for your ear because it does less damage to your ears due to the sharpness of the needle. You can go to a body piercing shop for that.

Just my thoughts.

What are your thoughts?
 
Sorry, every parents are entitled to do whatever they make decisions for their kids. =/ For me, I like to wait because it is going to be more fun for me to watch my kids asking me, such as " i want earrings now!" then i ll start of celebrating with kids and take kids out there after that go to good meals and celebrate it. haha

And, I am not going to start it with compare with other than pierced thingy. eh.
 
I have a friend that she took her youngest baby that got ear pierced at 3 months old. It is her decision. She told me that she cried only for a bit then she was fine after that.

I didn't get mine till I was 10. So if I have daughter, I may will wait till when she is old enough like you said when she ask for it.

As for my sons, we are not allow to have it til he is out of our house....
 
1. I wouldn't pierce ears to my baby
2. I wait so they make their own decision about it (as Frisky said, I'd make a celebration out of it) - kinda like a girls' day out LOL
3. I don't agree with parents piercing their children's ears, nail painting, etc. at young age - but parents can do with their child whatever them pleases...
4. I once saw parents (at jewelry store) *force* their child get ear pierced even though the poor girl didn't want to. They insisted since she wanted too... she was crying hard... I felt so sorry for her... everybody has a right to change your mind :roll:
 
I had my ears pierced not long after I was born at the doctors office. You have to remember its not sometimes a parents want as much as it's sometimes sort of a cultural thing to have ears pierced.
 
When my older daughter was three, she wanted ear piercing. We got it done and the one year old baby too. It was just easy to do both at one time.

They both loved earrings as children and the younger daughter got another set of holes after age 18.
 
Got my ears pierced at 3 months old. Dont remember being in pain so I wasnt traumatized. :dunno:
 
I wouldn't pierce a baby's ears because in my opinion, they do not look good with earrings at that age. Little hair and ears sticking out. When you're older then you look better with earrings on.

No offence intended.
 
even when I was a child, I thought earrings on babies were strange. but the adults looked good in them.
 
I always thought those little earrings on babies looked so cute. I got my daughter's ears pierced when she was 3 months old. She cried for no more than a few secs and was content after that.
 
My sister consented to piercing my niece's ears when she was a year old. I happen to agree with someone above. It's a parent's decision

Don't like it? Don't do it to your kid.
 
I think 5 years old it too young to ask a kid if they want pierced ears. And little kids are also getting so dirty , their ears could get infected. I think it should be up the child if they want pierced ears after all it is their body , not the parents!
 
Bottesini said:
When my older daughter was three, she wanted ear piercing. We got it done and the one year old baby too. It was just easy to do both at one time.

They both loved earrings as children and the younger daughter got another set of holes after age 18.
Click to expand...

So you let a 3 years old decide what to do their body!! I can see you ran our house , it sure was not you!
 
whatdidyousay! said:
So you let a 3 years old decide what to do their body!! I can see you ran our house , it sure was not you!
Click to expand...

:P Forgot to mention, I still have a great relationship with my adult daughters and my two granddaughters.

How is yours with your children?
 
I don't frankly understand why anyone of any age wants to pierce anything! Where is the line? Cut the ears off completely because they are "prettier" that way? All the jewellery in shops says not to use it on kids under 36 months. I have to assume that includes earrings, I have not looked. So then that leaves children alone with a choking hazard. If my daughter asks then I will evaluate whether she seems old and wise enough at the time to understand the permanent and lasting nature of her decision and that she is capable of doing the 6 weeks of aftercare. No, these holes do not always close up, my ears were pierced and despite not having worn earrings since I was at school I still can if I ever want to, I just haven't wanted to. All I ever got from earrings was desperately infected ears.

Rather an irony that so often our hearing aids are referred to as being dreadful and ugly yet people are prepared to have a needle stuck through themselves to adorn their lower ear. Confusing!
 
in the U.S., I don't know how old the babies can be before they are allow to pierce their ears. But I do know that new earrings are somewhat locked so babies can not grab it easily.

I remember the time we beg our mother for earrings because they were so pretty. Our mother say ok, and had our ear pierced. my dad was furious with her, because he did not believe in earrings in young girls. ... or earrings at all. I don't know if it due to the fact that he is a mormon or he just don't like earrings. But we didnt' get as excited about our earrings after that.
 
Had my daughters ears pierced when she was 3 months old.

Better to have it done at a younger age since they older they get the more they touch and bother the peircing site. I think it is less risk of getting infected in infants than in toddlers and children.

My daughter did not scream. She just cried a little and it was done.

It is not as extremely painful like some people say...
 
Babyblue said:
Had my daughters ears pierced when she was 3 months old.

Better to have it done at a younger age since they older they get the more they touch and bother the peircing site. I think it is less risk of getting infected in infants than in toddlers and children.
Click to expand...

See that's what totally confuses me, it's said as if it's an essential, it's going to have to be done at some point anyway so best get it over with when the child is young. What about just not doing it at all? I can see that if you think of it as something that needs doing then there are some possible advantages to getting it out of the way early, but it's not something that needs doing!

If I had a child with a benign growth which needed to be removed for safety but there was no hurry then I'd be inclined to get it done when they were small for these kinds of reasons, but I don't see the hurry to get something completely optional done. You never know, the child may never ask.
 
My two nieces who got pierced ears when they were babies. It is just a cultural thing. They are half Mexicans.

I am half Mexican. I did go to Claire's to have my ears pierced when I was about 11 or 12. My mom is German and prefers to let me make my decisions. My mom never has her ears pierced. Yet..
 
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