Suitable age for ear piercing?

I'm not a fan of babies or toddlers having their ears pierced, but I'd say 11 is acceptable. I wouldn't be surprised if she is indeed one of the last in her class to have it done.

I had my ears pierced when I was 20, my daughter had hers pierced when she was 8.

It’s up to the parents.

Yes perfect age.. Think my daughter was 11 when she had hers done.
And my Niece took her to get her belly button pieced at 16..its just the start.

My granddaughter had hers done last year when she was 15. That was quite early enough I think.

I made dds wait until they were 13.
I don’t like to see babies or very little girls with pierced ears, but I know it’s seen as perfectly normal in some cultures.

Parents choice.

I had mine done in the mid 1960s for my 11th birthday. I had no earlobes and was unable to wear any earrings and my Mum already had her ears pierced. IMO it can only be ok if the young person can be trusted to keep their piercing clean. My younger grandson had them done when he was 12 as a birthday present.

My mum and I had our ears pierced together when I was in my 20s. I don’t like to see children with piercings but I know times change. I would agree with Greenfinch.

I think the right age for piercing ears has 2 factors

1. They are old enough to ask

2. They are old enough to take care of the wound while it heals

I do not agree with piercing babies and small children who cannot consent to it and may later decide they are unwanted. Also as a qualified piercer when I was young, those little ears may grow and change and the piercings might not be symmetrical.

Usually before going up to high school so 11 is fine I think most of mine were a bit younger but 11 seems a great age certainly not too young I would think she probably is one of the oldest in her class

It’s when they walk in with a false nose piercing as my granddaughter did that you have to worry 😄

Greenfinch

My granddaughter had hers done last year when she was 15. That was quite early enough I think.

I agree with this. My granddaughter’s parents - my son and his wife - are very sensible people usually, which is why I wanted to gauge how normal this is. I haven’t said anything, but I expect they can tell I’m a bit surprised.

We have 4 granddaughters and it seems to be a rite of passage before senior school.

But the normal is younger than you were thinking Grandma70s
Fifteen is much much older than the average child and as long as they are wearing appropriate style earrings it seems fine to me.

I would think your son and daughter in law are still very sensible people you are just out of the loop age wise 😂

I had mine done at young age, but my parents were Italian and they used to be done by the midwives over there when the baby was a few weeks old.
My daughter was probably about 7/8 and she asked for them to be done herself, her father would have preferred she had waited a few more years. It has gone very expensive with places charging between £55 & £100. (Claire's accessories) all depending on the studs that are chosen. I don't like the stud and gun type piercing much prefer the old fashioned sleeper style earrings that you could turn daily.

I waited until i was 30! Dd had theirs before going to secondary school and gd is the same. Hate seeing newborns and toddlers with pierced ears.

That’s interesting 62Granny. I went to primary school with a girl whose ears had been pierced some time before she started school - her mother was Italian. She wore small gold hoops every day which I always thought could be quite dangerous. Needless to say no other children at the little village school had pierced ears back then in the 50s.

BlueBelle

I would think your son and daughter in law are still very sensible people you are just out of the loop age wise 😂

I’m sure I am!

I had mine pierced when I was 2o - haven't worn earrings since I was about 30, due to Nickel allergy. One son had his pierced at 15 (My dad said he was a "poof"). My granddaughters have had their ears pierced - both at about 8.

Mine aren’t pierced and I think my daughters were both done at 13 but I was surprised to see my youngest GD in a photo at less than a month old with her ears pierced. In fact I was quite shocked but they live abroad and it’s custom in Spain to pierce babies ears very young. I did bite my tongue and said nothing.

I think 11 is fine as long as she's able to bathe her ears and look after it herself.
I made DD1 wait until she was 13.

Years ago I remember meeting new neighbours and was shocked to see their baby had pierced ears.

A neighbour had her ears pierced in her 60s. It struck me as an excellent time to get them done - the gold studs or earrings drew the eye away from the wrinkles.

Children in my 9 year old granddaughter’s school must keep pierced ear lobes covered with Elastoplast all day to avoid accidents. It has really helped to make my gd think it’s not worth having done if they’re taped up all day at school 😊