How old do you think a child should be to get their ears pierced?

[tigwig]

My 6yr old asked me yesterday. She will be 7 in June so I said yes she could have it done for her birthday or save up her pocket money if she wants it doing earlier. My mum said shes too young but shes such a wimp with pain I doubt she would dare go through with it anyway! Is 6 too young?

[saxy_jag]

I think if she has her mind set on it and you're happy for her to go ahead, there's not too much of a problem. You need to decide for yourself, though, how responsible she'll be about caring for her ears immediately post-piercing, because she will need to keep them clean by daily bathing and will need to keep the sleepers/studs in for a week or two.

PE teachers used to insist that earrings be removed or covered for sports, but I told my teacher what she could do with that idea (I was 12 when I had mine done) and neither she nor the earrings were ever a problem again. If your daughter is quite sporty though, it's a point you might want to consider as pierced ears can be quite vulnerable in some sports.

[carrust]

I think pierced ears on kids looks chavish, especially on boys. Don't get me started on tattoos where the age of consent should be 95 :-)

[LoftyLottie]

I have seen a six year old with a torn ear lobe just from enthusiastic playing in the playground. Not a pretty site!!

[LoftyLottie]

Are you going to get a tattoo when you are 95 then carrust! I agree with you by the way.

[cazzz1975]

I would wait until they get past the age of running around constantly, more near 10 where they all walk around linking arms. 6/7is still very much a climbing and running around like a nutter age.

[carrust]

I 'king HATE tattoos lofty. But I might consider one when I'm 95... That'll be in 60yrs :-)

[cazzz1975]

plenty of time to plan what you are going to have done then carrust :)

[cazzz1975]

the 70s/80s were awesome, no constant streams of judgemental people. very live and let live :)

[boxtops]

Doc: //Mine, against my wishes , were done at about 7. //

That made me stand back in amazement, until I realised doc must be talking about his daughters....

[bednobs]

When they can ask i think they are old enough

[LoftyLottie]

Well, being young in the late 60s/70's - anything was acceptable and I joined in with it all. But I still think that earings on children look common. This is not judgemental. It's what I think. I didn't say that children who wore earings are common though, just that they look common to me - much the same as little girls do wearing high heels and looking like mini adults. If they want to dress up with grown up clothes, etc, for play reasons then fair enough - but let them use clip on earings.

[jno]

cazzz, the OP asks for a judgment of whether seven is old enough and people are answering. Saying Yes is just as judgmental as saying No; different judgment, that's all.

[cazzz1975]

I didnt mean it in that way jno, we live in a society now where anything that anyone does is analysed, debated and often misjudged. more often negatively than positively (blue badges for example), my opinion was based on a practical reason as younger children are more at risk of having little accidents than older children.

[cazzz1975]

as for the answers received I hope tigwig receives enough response to help her make a balanced decision.

[4getmenot]

I think they should defo be a an age to be able to ask and understand, hate seeing tiny children with pierced ears. Maybe take your daughter to accessories where they usally pierce them in view so she can watch it being done then decide

[karenmac60]

My daughter first asked when she was 7 or 8. I said ok, but I explained that it was quite sore - that it involved punching a hole in her earlobe and that she would have to clean them with special liquid twice a day or she would end up with a nasty and painful infection. She waited till she was 10.
Also, as Pixi says, you'd be best to leave it till the start of the summer hols. My daughter's school doesn't allow jewellery at PE so she would've had to take them out during that initial period when you're not supposed to remove them.