My eight-year-old daughter has just asked a question, one that causes me a little pain. Yes my friends, she asked if she could have her ears pierced.
Helen has asked if she can have hear ears pierced. Mrs Adams and I have said no for now, but a time will come.
As you may have gathered, the answer was a polite but firm “no”. It’s an entirely understandable question, the kid knows people with pierced ears, she thinks it would make her look grown up and she loves mucking around with jewellery and make-up (as much as she loves karate and helping me complete DIY tasks, I should add).
I’m not entirely sure at what age we should grant this wish. If Mrs Adams has her way, I think Helen will probably be well into her thirties before she has pierced ears.
While the question made me wince, Mrs Adams seemed horrified. I’m a little more easy-going and think sometime between the age of 10 and 13 seems about right.
The other thing to keep in mind is Izzy, Helen’s little sister. As soon as Helen has pierced ears, Izzy is also going to want it doing.
Well, in truth I’m not sure Izzy will be so keen. She’s quite a bit more squeamish than her sister so the sight of a needle gun coming towards her ear may put her off.
Yes, okay, call me a snob, call me what you want, but I struggle when I see young girls or boys with pierced ears. If a kid is three or four years old, do they really want to have studs in their ears or has it been done because their parents want it done?
Tell me I’m over-thinking this, but at that tender age I think it’s an issue of consent. A ten year-old is probably worldly-wise enough to consent to a simple procedure like having their ears pierced, but a really young child, well, I’m not so sure they truly get what’s involved.
Ultimately, Helen will get her wish. Aside from anything else, I recall girls, and even a few boys, at secondary school piercing their own ears. Mrs Adams and I don’t want her going down that route so best it is done properly.
The day it happens, we will accompany her to a licensed piercing salon, and she can have it done by someone who knows what they’re doing. She’ll have to wait a little while longer, but eventually we’ll allow her to get it done.
I’ll tell you this much though, she may not be in her thirties, but her age will be in double figures. Oh yes, it certainly will.
It’s definitely one which really raises debate. My niece is now 7 and her parents won’t let her get hers done till she’s 10. I’m not sure if my niece is just going to get bored waiting! 🙂 my parents did mine when I was about 6 and I have to say I hated it till I was a teen.
So you didn’t like having your ears pierced so young? that is interesting. I kind of think your nieces parents have the correct idea. You have to be old enough to know how to clean the wound don’t you?
I was 10 and had it done as a birthday present. I will suggest if E wants it done she waits till 10 too.
As I’m of a similar mindset, perhaps we should take the kids together?
my parents decided I had to wait till i was 14, on my 14th birthday they paid for me to have my ears pierced, they also paid to have my sisters done and she was 11. I now have 12 ear piercings, apart from the lower lobe i only have 1 that was done professionally, when i was in my mid 20’s the rest i did myself in school by the age of 15.
The question is, did you have issues with any of your piercings, what with you doing so many of them yourself?
I’ve never had a single problem with any of my ear piercings, but my eldest son had terrible issues with a lip piercing, that someone did for him and he was 18 after i offered to pay for him to have it done professionally, guess he thought he couldn’t rebel if i paid for it….lol
I’m not looking forward to the day my daughter or son asks the same question. I’m not going to deny that I hate seeing really young children with their ears pierced but I suppose secondary school age is fine. My wife doesn’t have her ears pierced but I had both mine done – in my late teens may I add. In a decades time, you might be faced with the tattoo question! I’m certainly not looking forward to that one either, although I have tattoos all over!
Oh my word, tattoos are another ball game altogether. While I have one myself, I wouldn’t be encouraging my kids to get any, truth be told.
We got my daughter’s done at 10 – in the summer holidays before she started year 6. I felt it was a little early, but most of her friends had got them done in the previous couple of years. I have no regrets at all about letting her have them done.
Now you see Sarah, that strikes me as a sensible age. I will do what I can to hold hold off until then.
I think you’re in the zone, I have two girls but under five so a while off being ‘asked’. When they do, I hope they’re at least ten too!