Ear piercing ..... what age?

This is going a bit too far, even for me!

Do you consider yourself a "chavvy type" then *Madge51?

I just think there are far more important things to worry about re children growing up than if they do/do not have their ears pierced! It is a tiny hole and which arely causes problems in future life and will close up if not used! Of course there will be stories of some children who have a bad experience...but some kids stick peas up their noses but we are not about to ban peas!

I think the bigger deal we make out of things the more likely a rebellious child will want to do it!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earring

good enough for Shakespeare!!

I was 36 and couldn't believe it hurt!! My daughter was 14. We both love our earrings but I can't wear anything but gold and silver.

When they're old enough to decide for themselves and pay for it themselves.

Never had my ears pierced and never wanted to. My 26 year old daughter feels exactly the same way. Don't think we've missed out on anything.

I've noticed the prevalence in lots of foreign cultures from Italy to Africa, Syria & Greece. Perhaps it's a cultural thing in those part but not here in GB. Here it appears to be more of a fashion thing and I have to say I associate it more with 'chavvy' types who call their babies Chantel & Aurila.

I had mine pierced by a friend in the kitchen at home when I was 16 and my daughters had there's done when they were old enough to pay for it themselves.

I know people think my comment about child abuse sounds extreme, compare these 2 things.
If you smack a young child and leave a red mark or bruise which will disappear in a few days that is child abuse.

If you make 2 holes in the child's ears which will be with them for life and will be used to hang ornaments from that is sociable acceptable and considered pretty.

You can presume I particularly dislike children with ear rings.
Even in adults I find it strange people make holes in their bodies to hang ornaments on themselves.

I think you are right that it is not against the law for teachers to remove or replace children's earrings, Penstemmon, but my school did not allow it. Probably the parents who objected to the ban would have been the first to complain if a teacher had hurt a child's ear, or earrings had been lost or damaged!

I let DD1 have her ears pierced far too young, at about 7 or 8. She had an accident in the playground one day and while bathing her I couldn't see one stud earring. I assumed it had fallen off but she assured me it hadn't. I had to take her to A&E to have her ear cut as it had swollen and completely covered the earring.
DD2 had to wait till her teens.

My daughter had hers pierced aged 1 that was 34 yrs ago. She never cried, never had infection, never had a problem in school and I've never regretted having them done. That doesn't make me a bad mother, nor does it constitute child abuse. She has always been very happy with them done. When she was older she had a second set done and her belly button which she did take out when she was recently pregnant with her first child

Never, if I had my way. I hate the idea and even as an adult I feel sick at the thought of having it done. Both my girls waited until their 20's!

Awful acanthus, I am cringing at the thought.

I speak as a mother of a grownup DD who had several areas pierced in her late teens, early twenties and would like them to heal up now!

Hate it, hate it, hate it. We forbade our three daughters from having their ears pierced until two of them were old enough to have it done without telling us. Minxes! I once overheard a conversation on the bus: "You gonna 'av 'er ears done then?" (Motioning to a tiny baby) Reply: "Yeah, but I 'spec she'll scream 'er 'ead off..."

I think it is child abuse? When people have written about children screaming when having it done. What about other piercings, what's the difference ? Are they acceptable? how about a bar through the child's eyebrow. Just because ear piecing has been happened for years doesn't make it right. You are making a mark in a child's body that will be there for life.

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Son said he wanted one ear done when about 11 because the boy next door had an earring. So I said 'Yes OK let's go right now and get it done', and grabbed my coat. 'No, not right now', he said. Funnily enough that was the end of it.

Cannot stand them and don't understand people that do that to their babies. It should be the child's decision when they are old enough to make it. Will it be tattoos next? Katie Price, for all her millions, makes some awful decisions, I admire the way she is with Harvey but why can't she just let her children be children for the few short years they are.

Not true re teachers not allowed to remove. Might be an individual school rule but it is not against the law. Another 'H&S gorn mad' myth!! Babies and small children cannot really consent to anything that happens to them from being baptised to ear piercing to eating baby rice!!! As long as it does not have any long term harm (as in FGM,witholding innoculation) parents need to make these decisions for their childen and not be "judged"by those who make a different choice.

I went and had mine done when I was about 14 , I seem to remember it was £1,10 shillings which included the tiny sleepers . I re pierced them myself when I was about 17 with a sterile sewing needle !

Good for you, ninathenana - babies and toddlers can't truly be said to have consented to piercings. There's a safety aspect too. When I taught infants the school had a rule that children had to remove earrings or studs before PE lessons, as they could get caught and tear the ear. Teachers were not allowed to remove or replace children's earrings in case they accidentally did damage and the school got sued, so children who couldn't do this for themselves had to miss PE lessons. Some parents used to get quite upset about this.

Let us not demean child abuse by including ear piercing. That is ridiculous.

Had mine done at 21, I don't agree with children being done, its cruel and unecessary

When a female child is old enough to know whether they want their ears pierced, around 8 is acceptable, because at that age they like pretty jewellery, but they have to be well prepared for how it's done and how to look after them for quiet a few weeks until the ears have settled down. Any younger than 8 is cruel in my opinion.

There is a safety issue with children having their ears pieced, especially if they wear hoops. They could get caught and tear the ears.

I am surprised it has not been seen as child abuse before a child is old enough to make an informed choice as I am sure if holes were made in other parts of a child's body it would.

I had to wait until I was of an age to make my own decisions and when I could pay for it myself and I subsequently made sure that DD also waited in the same vein. My own DM also thought it was 'common'.

Other piercings are often done to shock and/or to ensure others look only at the piercing rather than at the person one is facing. One girl told me that it is something to hide behind. Sadly many piercings clearly look grotesque and are acknowledged to be a form of self abuse. It is good that surgery is available for those who are recovered.