OT-Pierced Ears

[looneybird \(remove NOSPAM from email address to r]

Hi all. I've been away from the ng for some time, but still lurk now and
then. For those of you with younger toddler girls, I have a question. I
always assumed that I would wait to pierce my daughter's ears until she was
at least 13 (given that she wanted them pieced). This is how long I had to
wait and it seemed reasonable to me until my 3 year old started asking me
for earrings. She is always fingering mine and asking for them for herself.
I explained to her that to have earrings, it would require an "owie" in both
ears and that it would probably hurt for awhile. She seems to understand,
but still continues to ask. She'll say "Mommy, I have earrings too?" Then
she'll say "Earrings hurt a while, huh?"

I always thought that piercing young children's ears (especially infants)
seemed to be a form of abuse (please, no flames... I just didn't believe in
it), but now I'm feeling a bit differently. When I was 13, I wasn't mature
enough to take care of my ears and got a lot of infections... my mom
explained to me that I would have to clean my own ears, etc. (one of the
reasons for waiting, I suppose, was to give me responsibility over my own
body?). Now I think perhaps having it done now (with me being the
responsible one to clean and care for the ears) would make more sense.

Anyone have any experience with little ones' pierced ears? Good or bad.
Any opinions of when ears should or shouldn't be pierced? My daughter has
always been a bit "hair challenged" and has been mistaken for a boy... I
think earrings would make her look more girlish. My mother suggested those
magnetic earrings, or clip-ons, but I know Jenna would have them off in a
minute and we'd be searching for them. I know the starter pierced earrings
don't come off.

Thanks, Lynn

[Rhiann1048]

>Subject: OT-Pierced Ears
>From: "looneybird \(remove NOSPAM from email address to reply\)"

>
>Date: Tue, Oct 21, 2003 10:49 AM
>Message-id: >
>
>Hi all. I've been away from the ng for some time, but still lurk now and
>then. For those of you with younger toddler girls, I have a question.
>I
>always assumed that I would wait to pierce my daughter's ears until she
>was
>at least 13 (given that she wanted them pieced). This is how long I had
>to
>wait and it seemed reasonable to me until my 3 year old started asking me
>for earrings. She is always fingering mine and asking for them for herself.
>I explained to her that to have earrings, it would require an "owie" in
>both
>ears and that it would probably hurt for awhile. She seems to understand,
>but still continues to ask. She'll say "Mommy, I have earrings too?"



How long has she been asking? Has she been asking daily for months or is this a
recent event? Maybe wait it out a while and see if the phase passes and
revisit it later if it doesn't. But I wouldn't give in to the whims of a
3-year-old for something like this.

I feel the same way you do(or did) about small children having their ears
pierced. My daughters are also 3 and there is simply no way I would have it
done at this age. But I don't have my own ears pierced, so there isn't any
issue of them wanting something that mommy has.

If it were me, I would just tell her 'no' and that she has to wait until she is
older (or whatever specific age you and your husband agree to). Then stand
your ground. Dana is on this new kick where she wants a dog (and that is *not*
happening as long as she lives with me!). She is told that she can't have one.
End of story.

I do think your mom's suggestion is a good one. Find the cheapest pairs you can
and buy a few. Or maybe just decorate little pieces of paper and tape them to
her ears and pretend they are earrings. Then you don't have to worry about her
losing them.


Lori

[Rhiann1048]

>Subject: OT-Pierced Ears
>From: "looneybird \(remove NOSPAM from email address to reply\)"

>
>Date: Tue, Oct 21, 2003 10:49 AM
>Message-id: >
>
>Hi all. I've been away from the ng for some time, but still lurk now and
>then. For those of you with younger toddler girls, I have a question.
>I
>always assumed that I would wait to pierce my daughter's ears until she
>was
>at least 13 (given that she wanted them pieced). This is how long I had
>to
>wait and it seemed reasonable to me until my 3 year old started asking me
>for earrings. She is always fingering mine and asking for them for herself.
>I explained to her that to have earrings, it would require an "owie" in
>both
>ears and that it would probably hurt for awhile. She seems to understand,
>but still continues to ask. She'll say "Mommy, I have earrings too?"



How long has she been asking? Has she been asking daily for months or is this a
recent event? Maybe wait it out a while and see if the phase passes and
revisit it later if it doesn't. But I wouldn't give in to the whims of a
3-year-old for something like this.

I feel the same way you do(or did) about small children having their ears
pierced. My daughters are also 3 and there is simply no way I would have it
done at this age. But I don't have my own ears pierced, so there isn't any
issue of them wanting something that mommy has.

If it were me, I would just tell her 'no' and that she has to wait until she is
older (or whatever specific age you and your husband agree to). Then stand
your ground. Dana is on this new kick where she wants a dog (and that is *not*
happening as long as she lives with me!). She is told that she can't have one.
End of story.

I do think your mom's suggestion is a good one. Find the cheapest pairs you can
and buy a few. Or maybe just decorate little pieces of paper and tape them to
her ears and pretend they are earrings. Then you don't have to worry about her
losing them.


Lori

[H Schinske]

wrote:

>Or maybe just decorate little pieces of paper and tape them to
>her ears and pretend they are earrings. Then you don't have to worry about
>her
>losing them.

They have "sticker earrings* for exactly this situation. They are those little
pillowy stickers, and come in stars and flowers and what not. I can't remember
where I've seen them, but probably a dollar store, a toy store, or a drug
store.

I would not pierce a young child's ears either. I think twelve or so is a more
reasonable age.

--Helen

[H Schinske]

wrote:

>Or maybe just decorate little pieces of paper and tape them to
>her ears and pretend they are earrings. Then you don't have to worry about
>her
>losing them.

They have "sticker earrings* for exactly this situation. They are those little
pillowy stickers, and come in stars and flowers and what not. I can't remember
where I've seen them, but probably a dollar store, a toy store, or a drug
store.

I would not pierce a young child's ears either. I think twelve or so is a more
reasonable age.

--Helen

[[email protected]]

On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 16:49:02 GMT, "looneybird \(remove NOSPAM from
email address to reply\)" > wrote:

>Anyone have any experience with little ones' pierced ears? Good or bad.
>Any opinions of when ears should or shouldn't be pierced?

We had my daughters ears pierced at 3 months. Maintenance consisted of
daily cleanings with some solution or other (maybe just alcohol?
something we got from the place that did the piercing) , and rotating
the studs until they healed. At the end of that time, we removed the
studs, and switched to some gold earrings, not studs, but something
with a small hoop and a dangly thing on them.
She has never had any kind of infection or any other problem with them
and she is now 5 y/o. She has never pulled them off, or lost an
earring in those 5 years either.


tim

[[email protected]]

On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 16:49:02 GMT, "looneybird \(remove NOSPAM from
email address to reply\)" > wrote:

>Anyone have any experience with little ones' pierced ears? Good or bad.
>Any opinions of when ears should or shouldn't be pierced?

We had my daughters ears pierced at 3 months. Maintenance consisted of
daily cleanings with some solution or other (maybe just alcohol?
something we got from the place that did the piercing) , and rotating
the studs until they healed. At the end of that time, we removed the
studs, and switched to some gold earrings, not studs, but something
with a small hoop and a dangly thing on them.
She has never had any kind of infection or any other problem with them
and she is now 5 y/o. She has never pulled them off, or lost an
earring in those 5 years either.


tim

[Chotii]

"H Schinske" > wrote in message
...
> wrote:
>
> >Or maybe just decorate little pieces of paper and tape them to
> >her ears and pretend they are earrings. Then you don't have to worry
about
> >her
> >losing them.
>
> They have "sticker earrings* for exactly this situation. They are those
little
> pillowy stickers, and come in stars and flowers and what not. I can't
remember
> where I've seen them, but probably a dollar store, a toy store, or a drug
> store.
>
> I would not pierce a young child's ears either. I think twelve or so is a
more
> reasonable age.

I have to agree. Sticker earrings. I had my ears pierced at 9 (and then
again as an adult until I had 6 holes per ear) but I was certainly old
enough to understand the pain involved and *choose* it for the sake of the
jewelry). Sticker earrings. Or...go to yard sales, or thrift stores, and get
some clip-on earrings, and let her wear those for dress-up play, if you wish
to meet her wishes halfway. I'm a firm believer in people making informed
decisions about alterations to their bodies, even something as apparently
non-invasive as ear piercing.

--angela

[Chotii]

"H Schinske" > wrote in message
...
> wrote:
>
> >Or maybe just decorate little pieces of paper and tape them to
> >her ears and pretend they are earrings. Then you don't have to worry
about
> >her
> >losing them.
>
> They have "sticker earrings* for exactly this situation. They are those
little
> pillowy stickers, and come in stars and flowers and what not. I can't
remember
> where I've seen them, but probably a dollar store, a toy store, or a drug
> store.
>
> I would not pierce a young child's ears either. I think twelve or so is a
more
> reasonable age.

I have to agree. Sticker earrings. I had my ears pierced at 9 (and then
again as an adult until I had 6 holes per ear) but I was certainly old
enough to understand the pain involved and *choose* it for the sake of the
jewelry). Sticker earrings. Or...go to yard sales, or thrift stores, and get
some clip-on earrings, and let her wear those for dress-up play, if you wish
to meet her wishes halfway. I'm a firm believer in people making informed
decisions about alterations to their bodies, even something as apparently
non-invasive as ear piercing.

--angela

[shirley]

Kathleen asked for her 8th birthday for ear piercing. We went through the
explanation of care etc. Eventually they healed but she is like me and has
very sensitive ears so that only pure gold will not get icky. Well, we did
buy gold but they got lost, moved etc., and eventually, she wasn't
interested any more. She wears them from time to time but not consistently.
I too felt it was her choice and I thought 8 was an OK age to choose.

Shirley
Chris and Kathleen 1/95

> wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 16:49:02 GMT, "looneybird \(remove NOSPAM from
> email address to reply\)" > wrote:
>
> >Anyone have any experience with little ones' pierced ears? Good or bad.
> >Any opinions of when ears should or shouldn't be pierced?
>
> We had my daughters ears pierced at 3 months. Maintenance consisted of
> daily cleanings with some solution or other (maybe just alcohol?
> something we got from the place that did the piercing) , and rotating
> the studs until they healed. At the end of that time, we removed the
> studs, and switched to some gold earrings, not studs, but something
> with a small hoop and a dangly thing on them.
> She has never had any kind of infection or any other problem with them
> and she is now 5 y/o. She has never pulled them off, or lost an
> earring in those 5 years either.
>
>
> tim

[shirley]

Kathleen asked for her 8th birthday for ear piercing. We went through the
explanation of care etc. Eventually they healed but she is like me and has
very sensitive ears so that only pure gold will not get icky. Well, we did
buy gold but they got lost, moved etc., and eventually, she wasn't
interested any more. She wears them from time to time but not consistently.
I too felt it was her choice and I thought 8 was an OK age to choose.

Shirley
Chris and Kathleen 1/95

> wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 16:49:02 GMT, "looneybird \(remove NOSPAM from
> email address to reply\)" > wrote:
>
> >Anyone have any experience with little ones' pierced ears? Good or bad.
> >Any opinions of when ears should or shouldn't be pierced?
>
> We had my daughters ears pierced at 3 months. Maintenance consisted of
> daily cleanings with some solution or other (maybe just alcohol?
> something we got from the place that did the piercing) , and rotating
> the studs until they healed. At the end of that time, we removed the
> studs, and switched to some gold earrings, not studs, but something
> with a small hoop and a dangly thing on them.
> She has never had any kind of infection or any other problem with them
> and she is now 5 y/o. She has never pulled them off, or lost an
> earring in those 5 years either.
>
>
> tim

[Leslie]

"looneybird (remove NOSPAM from email address to reply)"
> wrote in message
...
> Hi all. I've been away from the ng for some time, but still lurk now and
> then. For those of you with younger toddler girls, I have a question. I
> always assumed that I would wait to pierce my daughter's ears until she
was
> at least 13 (given that she wanted them pieced). This is how long I had
to
> wait and it seemed reasonable to me until my 3 year old started asking me
> for earrings. <snip>

I had to wait until 13 as well. To me it seemed almost like a rite of
passage since my sister and cousin had to wait until 13 also. Now I see all
these kids in my boys' preschool that have pierced ears, including a couple
boys. My boys both have said they'd like pierced ears, but as progressive
and liberal as I may be, I still think they should wait until they're much
older. "The times, they are a'changin'." Boy, I feel old suddenly. :-)


--
Leslie
Alex and Jordan, 06 May 2000

[Leslie]

"looneybird (remove NOSPAM from email address to reply)"
> wrote in message
...
> Hi all. I've been away from the ng for some time, but still lurk now and
> then. For those of you with younger toddler girls, I have a question. I
> always assumed that I would wait to pierce my daughter's ears until she
was
> at least 13 (given that she wanted them pieced). This is how long I had
to
> wait and it seemed reasonable to me until my 3 year old started asking me
> for earrings. <snip>

I had to wait until 13 as well. To me it seemed almost like a rite of
passage since my sister and cousin had to wait until 13 also. Now I see all
these kids in my boys' preschool that have pierced ears, including a couple
boys. My boys both have said they'd like pierced ears, but as progressive
and liberal as I may be, I still think they should wait until they're much
older. "The times, they are a'changin'." Boy, I feel old suddenly. :-)


--
Leslie
Alex and Jordan, 06 May 2000

[Jack H.]

> wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 16:49:02 GMT, "looneybird \(remove NOSPAM from
> email address to reply\)" > wrote:
>
> >Anyone have any experience with little ones' pierced ears? Good or bad.
> >Any opinions of when ears should or shouldn't be pierced?

I am going to wait for her to want them herself.
Same with him.

Jack

[Jack H.]

> wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 16:49:02 GMT, "looneybird \(remove NOSPAM from
> email address to reply\)" > wrote:
>
> >Anyone have any experience with little ones' pierced ears? Good or bad.
> >Any opinions of when ears should or shouldn't be pierced?

I am going to wait for her to want them herself.
Same with him.

Jack

[multimom4]

I'm in the don't do it crowd -- must be something in the water here in the
Pac NW (Helen, Angela and I). I had to wait til 16 and I have sensitive
ears (only pure gold will do) so I still had a lot of pain, infection and
trouble even with proper daily care. I wouldn't want to try to deal with
that with a small child. Stickers. Definitely.

--Janet
Elliot, Hanna and Connor (10/21/96)
and Holly (4/4/01)

"Chotii" > wrote in message
...
>
> "H Schinske" > wrote in message
> ...
> > wrote:
> >
> > >Or maybe just decorate little pieces of paper and tape them to
> > >her ears and pretend they are earrings. Then you don't have to worry
> about
> > >her
> > >losing them.
> >
> > They have "sticker earrings* for exactly this situation. They are those
> little
> > pillowy stickers, and come in stars and flowers and what not. I can't
> remember
> > where I've seen them, but probably a dollar store, a toy store, or a
drug
> > store.
> >
> > I would not pierce a young child's ears either. I think twelve or so is
a
> more
> > reasonable age.
>
> I have to agree. Sticker earrings. I had my ears pierced at 9 (and then
> again as an adult until I had 6 holes per ear) but I was certainly old
> enough to understand the pain involved and *choose* it for the sake of the
> jewelry). Sticker earrings. Or...go to yard sales, or thrift stores, and
get
> some clip-on earrings, and let her wear those for dress-up play, if you
wish
> to meet her wishes halfway. I'm a firm believer in people making informed
> decisions about alterations to their bodies, even something as apparently
> non-invasive as ear piercing.
>
> --angela
>
>

[multimom4]

I'm in the don't do it crowd -- must be something in the water here in the
Pac NW (Helen, Angela and I). I had to wait til 16 and I have sensitive
ears (only pure gold will do) so I still had a lot of pain, infection and
trouble even with proper daily care. I wouldn't want to try to deal with
that with a small child. Stickers. Definitely.

--Janet
Elliot, Hanna and Connor (10/21/96)
and Holly (4/4/01)

"Chotii" > wrote in message
...
>
> "H Schinske" > wrote in message
> ...
> > wrote:
> >
> > >Or maybe just decorate little pieces of paper and tape them to
> > >her ears and pretend they are earrings. Then you don't have to worry
> about
> > >her
> > >losing them.
> >
> > They have "sticker earrings* for exactly this situation. They are those
> little
> > pillowy stickers, and come in stars and flowers and what not. I can't
> remember
> > where I've seen them, but probably a dollar store, a toy store, or a
drug
> > store.
> >
> > I would not pierce a young child's ears either. I think twelve or so is
a
> more
> > reasonable age.
>
> I have to agree. Sticker earrings. I had my ears pierced at 9 (and then
> again as an adult until I had 6 holes per ear) but I was certainly old
> enough to understand the pain involved and *choose* it for the sake of the
> jewelry). Sticker earrings. Or...go to yard sales, or thrift stores, and
get
> some clip-on earrings, and let her wear those for dress-up play, if you
wish
> to meet her wishes halfway. I'm a firm believer in people making informed
> decisions about alterations to their bodies, even something as apparently
> non-invasive as ear piercing.
>
> --angela
>
>