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My mom and grandma never pierced their ears, and I didn't until 16. So lo will wait until, or if, she wants to.
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@sarac: I'm not sure how circumcision and earrings are even remotely comparable..? An unnecessary shot and an earring are comparable maybe.
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I live in Mexico and in this culture it's abnormal for girls not to have their ears pierced as babies. I was pretty against it but when she was born I changed my mind. The nurses did it in the hospital on her second day of life, little pearls with a screw back that she won't be able to take off for a looong time. There is nothing to take care of. We have not had to clean, turn or so any of that other stuff I remember having to do when I was a kid. To me it's easier this way because she's too little to fuss with them. and I don't face 5+ years of going, "no, it's a GIRL." While a few years ago I might have felt judgy seeing a baby like mine, now I think she looks adorable. I guess my aesthetic and cultural values have changed.
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I didn't, and will probably do it as a gift later on when she asks for it. My mom didn't let me do it until I was in middle school, and when I finally did it, it was a nightmare. I was pretty good at taking care of them but they were constantly getting infected. My mom had to poke them through again so many times, even if I took out my earrings for just a few hours. But I don't want to pierce her ears until she asks for it so I guess it's just gonna be that way for her too!!
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I am not in favor of any body modification for my LO that she doesn't pick for herself. Earrings will be something to be earned, if she wants them done. I had them done (after begging and begging for a long time) around 8 and the pain lasted for like 3 seconds. I don't remember it. They got massively infected; and even that I don't remember so I dont really fall on the side of getting them done as a baby is a favor pain-wise.
Like other pp, I also dislike dressing little girls like mini adult women, and I think earrings and adult type jewelry goes with that.
So, no for my LO until she asks for them, and earns them.
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I think it is adorable but we will not be piercing DD's ears until she decides she wants them done. I don't feel right making that choice for her.
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i agree with @lawbee11: i remember going with my mom when i was 5/6 and i definitely asked! i never had an issue with ear piercing and will definitely take her whenever she asks. I also have 4 holes in each ear, had an eyebrow piercing and currently have 4 tattoos, so i don't think this is something i could say no to!
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I don't like it for babies. There is no benefit to them, purely for their parents. I took my oldest to get them when she was 5 and asked. She remembers it and talks to her little sister about it. she also was taught to take care of them herself.
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@MrsTiz: Both are body modifications that the child did not personally choose, and might not choose later in life if they had the choice. Ear piercing is pretty reversible, so my feelings on it are really different than my feelings about circumcision. Still, I wouldn't choose to modify my daughter's body when she can't have input. I'll let her pierce her ears when she's old enough to want to and old enough to care for them.
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@yoursilverlining: Yes! You and other PP's have also nailed another discomfort I have with it - the dressing babies like adults. That trend is very hard for me to understand, and all this jewelry really confuses me.
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I would definitely wait until she was old enough to want it, earn it and ask for it.
I was 18 when I pierced mine. -
Not doing it when C is a baby... We're going to wait until she asks.
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Nope. Others have already elaborated but I'd wait until they were responsible for taking care of them and it was their decision. I was so excited when I finally got to have mine done at 13!
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@yoursilverlining: what do you mean by dressing like adult women? I understand the earrings but I can't think of anything else lol heels? Makeup? Or do you mean clothes that look like something you would wear and just smaller?
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We're also waiting until she asks and is old enough to take care of it (and earn it). I was in 5th grade, I believe, when I got mine done because that's when I asked. I believe it was also a reward for my report card.
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When she's old enough to express interest and responsible enough to help care for them, sure.
I'm not a fan of piercing babies ears. I guess I don't really see the point. It's more for the parents benefit than the child's, which when we're talking about holes in the head, is a bit much.
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I'll prolly wait until she asks for them...maybe around jhs? But can't wait to buy her jewelry!
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Ill wait til she asks. I'm honestly not a huge fan of earrings on babies - but it's a personal preference
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@MrsTiz: Yeah I didn't get this either. My baby has earrings and dresses like a baby.
Totally not my kid but this was the poster baby looming over us every time we checked our registry at a local department store and she KILLS me. Maybe this is why I decided to go team earrings LOL
ETA ERG WHY IS THIS PHOTO NOT UPLOADING???
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My husband and I both agree: no way.
We'll wait till she's old enough to decide for herself if she wants to have her ears pierced. Anything before then it's just for me not for her. -
@MrsTiz: Yup; all those things you mentioned haha
Looking at little girls clothing makes me sad for my daughter’s clothing choices. Low-rise hip hugger jeans for little girls (when I say “little”, I’m generally thinking well under 10 years old), crop tops, mini skirts (with no tights/leggings underneath), tops and bottoms with sayings across the bust and butt like “juicy”, “sweet”, other things that are definitely meant to call attention to those areas, tops that advertise for boys/boyfriends with slogans, thongs for children (yes, they exist), Halloween costumes which even for very young girls trend toward the “sexy” versions of things/professions/etc.
Here’s an article that kind of sums it up for me:
“And sociologists monitoring the trend say fashion for young girls has never been more provocative. In a study released last year, Kenyon College researchers found that a third of the clothing at 15 popular stores in the U.S. had "sexualizing" characteristics, revealing or emphasizing body parts and sexiness, according to Sarah Murnen, who co-wrote the study.”
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@yoursilverlining: I totally agree with you on the clothing but I just have no idea what that has to do with earrings.
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@yoursilverlining: I don't care if my daughter screams " I hate you all my friends are..." but no way in hell even when it freezes over am I buying her sluttly abercormbie american eagle hollistor clothing. NO way. If I see it, I'm burning it.
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Just wanted to say, I’m not actually that against earrings on babies in general – my husband’s family is Mexican-American and most baby girls have their ears pierced because that’s more traditional there. Doesn't bug me at all.
I don't think inappropriate clothing and earrings necessarily go together, in my post I made 2 points (or meant to lol) - no earrings for my daughter and why, and then secondly; I agreed with other posters who said they didn't like girls dressed like adult women. I was just agreeing with pp on the second point; I don't think earrings and sexy clothes are the same, although I think for some parents the lines get blurred the more generally grownup things we offer little kids. I see some people mark earrings and jewelry as "cute", along with stuff I think is totally inappropriate. If that makes sense.
For me personally, earrings are more an item to be earned because *SHE* wants them; not because *I* want them for her.
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When she can ask for them then we will get them done. I don't want to make the decision for her!
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Same with majority - I will wait until she asks. I didn't get mine pierced until I was 14 or so. I rarely wear earrings now.
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Not as a baby. Probably not until middle school and she can care for them herself. I'm not used to seeing babies with them, and it looks so strange to me. Nothing is sweeter than a newborn, and it needs no adornment. I would feel so guilty to have them pierced and watch her cry.
I'm also in the "allergic to apparently every metal" club, so I never wear them myself. I try every now and then, and recently discovered that one of my piercings has closed up.
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Whenever she wants them
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@sloaneandpuffy: Totally agree with all your posts so far. My DD is 8 months old now, and honestly I can't believe I have waited this long to get her ears pierced. I should have done it ages ago. I am hoping to get it done in the next couple of weeks.
In my culture, not piercing th ears of baby girls is abnormal. Earrings are not viewed as something to be earned, they are part of the regular attire and a girl of any age without earrings prompts endless questions. It is also traditional for the grandmother to buy a very expensive first pair of tiny studs for baby which my mum has done so I really need to get on with the piercing.
I will take her to a pediatrician to have it done though, I'm not a fan of going to Claire's etc.
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I have the best memory of my mom taking me to get them done in between kindergarten and first grade. I asked for them, and my parents were hesitant but let me get them as a special treat. If we ever have a daughter we'll do the same - when she asks, and when she can help care for them.
I had them done as a baby but after I unscrewed an earring back and swallowed it, losing the earrings in the process (on a pair of ruby earrings, no less) my mom gave up on them and decided to wait to re-pierce til I was bigger and asked.
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@plantains: Haha YES I didn't even mention the gift issue. Here earrings are a super popular baby gift. They sell them at the hospital gift shop!
When I was still on the fence and thinking about not piercing, I had a nightmare that my mother in law came over to my house and was rifling through everything trying to find the earrings so she could get the baby's ears pierced.
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I'm thinking I'll wait until she's old enough to ask for them and care for them. That's what my parents did for me. However, pretty much everyone I know IRL that has a girl got them pierced when they were babies. Guess when we have a girl on the way, hubby and I will reconvene on the topic.
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I'm kind of going against the norm and not piercing her ears as a baby. My mom keeps asking when I will pierce them and then I remind her that my sister and I had our ears pierced when we were old enough to ask, but still young enough that she took care of them for us--I think we were 3 & 4 yrs. old.
I don't think pierced ears relates to inappropriate clothing, dressing sexy, or little girls dressing as women. I see baby girls in many different cultures with earrings who look like baby girls! I don't think, "Hey, why is that baby girl dressed like a woman with those earrings on?"
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When I was younger and dreamed of having babies I always thought I would pierce them as a baby. Now that I'm older and pregnant I have fond memories of my mom taking me when I was 7 to go and get them done. It was SO exciting and I want my possibly daughter to get to experience that.
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No, I would wait until she could ask, and then I would probably ask her to think about it for a while. I never pierced my ears, but I do wear clip earrings sometimes, and I would be happy to buy my (hypothetical) daughter some clip-on earrings if she wanted. I know ear piercing is a minor procedure with not very significant health risks, but I feel like in a small way it suggests that it's okay to permanently alter your body for superficial reasons.
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@Weagle: Agree!
If I ever have a girl, I would allow her to probably when she is in junior high. I don't personally know any friends or family who pierced their baby or toddler's ears.
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We'll wait until she asks for it. I didn't get mine pierced until I was nine, and I rarely wear earrings now.
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@PrincessBaby: I remember too when i was little and I got my ears pierced. It was horrible, and that's something I will always remember. I will definitely do it when my daughter is a baby. I don't want her to have to remember it like I did.
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I think this topic has come up before and I'm still on the side of her doing it when she is ready - and as a reward! I got an A on a test when I was 8 or 9 and my Mom and I went out for a girls day. I got my ears pierced and we got lunch, just the two of us. It was a memory I won't ever forget. I want my daughter to have that, too!
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