Thursday, August 21, 2008

To Pierce or Not to Pierce, That is the Question.

Audrey came home yesterday and asked to get her ears pierced. I just don't know whether or not to do it. I planned on getting her ears pierced at SOME point during her childhood if she asked for it. She turns 5 in a couple weeks, so it could be her b-day present. My sister Vickie said she let her twins pierce their ears when they asked to do so when they were 7. She also suggested if I do it to tell Audrey she has to wear her studs for a while before getting changeable earrings. My sister-in-law Vanessa has had her girls' ears pierced since the beginning. Audrey's friend Gloria, who is a month younger than Audrey, got her ears pierced this summer. My mother-in-law is very much against piercing Audrey's ears so young. She'd rather we wait until Audrey is a teenager. Does anyone else have any thoughts on this topic? The funniest thing is, that her inspiration to get her ears pierced came from the neighbor boy who has an earring.

8 comments:

Matchbox Mom said...

I let Janie pierce her ears at 5 also. I didn't let her get other earrings for a year tho.
It's fun and scary...and I don't think my in laws were too keen on the idea...oh well.

Ally said...

I'm not the person to ask. I couldn't until I was 18. I have sisters who are glad that they don't have theirs pierced, which if my Mom would have when they were younger they wouldn't have had that choice. But, I think 18 is a bit old. I'm going to let them choice when they are 12 or 13. YW's age. I have nothing against people who do it to their babies or younger girls. I think it is super cute. Good luck with that decision! You just have to think about if they are old enough to take care of them and keep it from getting infected.

Amy E said...

Personally, I wouldn't do it. She's not old enough to take care of it properly, and if she's anything like my almost-5-yr-old, she would bug me daily about changing them to something else, etc. I think she'll probably get over the desire in a week or whatever and then it won't matter for a while. Eloise has asked about it as well, but I just told her when she's older and she dropped it. My parents made me wait until I was eight to decide if I wanted it done.

Melanie said...

As a former ear piercer...older girls are definitely harder. I say if you don't get them pierced before they are 6 months or so, wait until you are sure they can take care of them - they have to clean them every day and can't change them for a good couple months to ensure no infection and all that good stuff. So if you are sure Audrey is responsible enough tot ake care of them, go for it. I always said I would get my kids ears pierced when they were babies, but I don't know anymore. If I don't, I will probably wait until she is at least 8 or so, so she understands how they have to be cleaned and what can happen if she doesn't take care of them properly. I have to say though, piercing babies ears is so much easier than piercing a 10 year old girl!

Katie said...

Steve says that the girls have to be 12 years old. He says that by that time they will really be able to choose for themselves. I've agreed to this, even though I've had my ears pierced since I was 18 months old. i never wear earings. I did't have a choice,though. I thnk 12 is a good age. The earlier we start letting our kids get holes put in their heads, the sooner they'll be bored with it and want something more drastic. I guess it depends on what you're willing to give in on. They don't need jewlry. They don't need to primp and have accessories. Let them be little kids.

Joy said...

I wasn't able to get my ears pierced until I was 10. I think it's a good idea to wait until she would be responsible to take care of them herself.

Curtis & Elise said...

The age I was allowed to consider it was 12 and I love that idea for my own kids now. I agree with "winn family" about how if they get it done early, they might get other things done (even if that just means more than one hole per ear) later, when some of their friends are getting their first ones done. It's all very subjective, but I'd wait.

Tracy Giles said...

We have decided to let Lily get her ears pierced when she enters Young Womens. That way she will be old enough to take care of them herself and it will give her something to look forward to.