For moms of girls who DIDN'T get their ears pierced as infants, are you considering doing it now? Katie will be two in a couple of months, and I'm thinking that it would be fun to get her ears pierced now, so I can give her some tiny (chip)diamond earrings for her birthday. But would it be torturous to do it now? Should I just wait until she's a little older? I asked her if she wanted earrings (like mama and gaga have) and she said she did... but I'm sure she doesn't really know what that entails...

I haven't pierced Lily's ears, and I don't plan to do it until she is old enough to make the decision herself. I think we will probably do it for her 13th birthday or something, and have a mommy/ Lily day. I just don't feel right about doing it and having it hurt her and not understand why I had done it to her. I don't even like having her get shots, because I know it hurts and scares her, so I know I couldn't handle the ear piercing.

I can't envision doing it to Caroline now, even though I would totally love her to have earrings. She's too concerned about strangers getting too close to her, let alone somebody punching her ear with a staple gun (in effect!) But, what has a good result at keeping me calm is my desire to make it as special and fun as my mom did. I asked to get my ears pierced when I was 4 or 5, and she took me out to lunch, earring-shopping and then got my ears pierced. It was really fun and made me feel important, and here I remember it 20-some years later, so I want to make it that memorable for Caroline. If she's 5 when she asks, fine - if she's 15 when she asks, that's fine too.

I don't think I'll be doing Sierra's until she's old enough to ask AND old enough to take care of them herself.

Disclaimer: I don't have children, and believe that as parents a decision like this is TOTALLY your call!

I was once in a jewelry store where a mom & dad were getting their toddler's ear pierced and have never heard more bloodcurdling screams! My friend and I left the store, and still heard the child all the way across the mall. I am sure each child is different (and maybe there were other circumstances) but you would've thought this kid was being tortured...

ARG! I just lost a really good post!

I'll try again:

I just wanted to come back and say that I was totally not trying to be judgmental in my post earlier. I just couldn't handle piercing Lily's ears. It is totally a choice thing... either way you will NOT be a bad mommy.

I also wanted to say, if you do decide to do them, be sure to make them do BOTH ears at one time. MY sil had Sierra's done when she was 18 mo, and after they did the first one, it was almost impossible for them to hold her still enough to do the other one. Also, I noticed the last time we were at Lily's pedi that they have started piercing ears there. You might check with Katie's pedi to see if they would do it if you decide to. I know if I was doing Lily's I would feel much more comfortable having it done in the doctor's office than in the mall or a store.

Anyway, Katie is a doll without them, but she would be cute with them as well :)

Cecily, I didn't think you were being judgmental. I have my doubts about doing it, which is why I asked in here. So, no worries. Katie has expressed an interest in wearing earrings, but I'm not sure she fully understands what that really means, in terms of pain. I mean, let's face it... she screams bloody murder when I try to pick the playdough out from under her fingernails, and (I swear!) that doesn't really, actually hurt her. So, I have my doubts about attempting to pierce her ears. Plus, with her curly hair, it would be hard to see her earrings, anyway. :lol: But on the other hand, it would be really cute, and she is interested in doing it. I'm still giving it some thought, but I'm leaning towards waiting a while longer. :nod:

In primary school, one of my friends was running around and caught her earring on something and it ripped her ear open. My mother had always told me I couldn't have my ears pierced because it was a catching hazard, and then that happened right in front of my eyes. That's why I'm pro waiting til they're older, and I think Cecily's idea about doing it as a 13th birthday present is a good one. I was allowed to have mine done when I turned 13 and my best friend got hers done at the same time, and it was a really special occasion.

Of course, it's up to the individual. I don't have a problem with people who get it done earlier.

I don't think I'll be doing Sierra's until she's old enough to ask AND old enough to take care of them herself.
Ditto for Anna. We had to be old enough to change them ourselves, and take care of any infections. My mom is really squeamish, so my dad took me to get them done about 2 months before I turned 12 -- that way I could wear my new earrings on my birthday.

Sarah

I was adament about not doing it when she was an infant (although had much persuasion from family members). Now Ive been thinking about it..I know it would be adorable, but we wont be doing it until she's quite a few years older.
My Mom had mine done when I was 2 and I did well with the actual piercing but I would not ever let her clean them...supposedly I screamed and screamed each time she tried to..so Mom took them out and I got them re-pierced when I was 8.

My father did this to my great aunt when he was about 18 months old! Taught her not to follow the fashion of dangly earrings when she was going to babysit....

~Anne

In primary school, one of my friends was running around and caught her earring on something and it ripped her ear open.

We will be piercing Janelle's ears the very second she asks for it to be done! I joke with DH that I'm going to teach her to ask for it...I was completely against piercing baby girls ears untill I had my baby girl, now I want it done so badly, but DH's mind didn't change, so I have to wait till she asks!

If you ask Katie if she wants earrings (like Mama and Gaga have...), she'll say she does. But I don't think she *really* understands what all that entails. And it isn't as if she's asking for them herself... you have to prompt her. So, I'm thinking it's too soon. However, I really can't wait until she asks for them. I don't know why, but I have this overwhelming urge to get it done.

I had Riley's done at 8 months and I'm so glad I did. We've had no problems with them at all, and she's actually learned to take them out herself :eek: Riley cries harder and longer when she gets shots than she did when we had her ears pierced. We use a Q-tip and wipe them with solution after baths.

When Cortney was here over Valentine's Day, we took Morgan to have hers done. Morgan totally freaked at the beginning when they were just wiping her ears :) After that she was fine, they did them both at once, and she cried for maybe a minute. And I know she LOVES them now!

It's your decision. Some people like them done earlier, some don't. In the end you have to decide what you want to do.

I do not have a girl (yet - maybe in August), but I have thought on this.

I would not do it for some of the reasons mentioned above:
1. If you let it be the child's choice, it could be a fun thing for mommy and daughter to do together. Kind of a right of passage in a way.

2. I had mine done when I was too little to remember - I think I was 3. I had long hair and I always got my hair tangled around my earrings and I just pulled it out. One time, I pulled and ripped the earring right out of my ear so I now have a big scar there. Actually, you can't really see it anymore, but my earrings are uneven because I had to get a new one up a little higher.

3. Definitely get them done at the same time. My mom said I had one done and then we had to go see Santa so I would stop crying so that we could go back and do the second. I'm surprised I even allowed it at that point. I know a lot of people that get them done at the same time so it would not be weird to ask this.

Morgan asked to get hers done quite a few times so we did last month (and loves them now). If she decides she doesn't want them when she gets older we'll just take them out. I got mine done when I was almost 3 and had been asking for it for almost a year- I never have regretted it for a minute. (and neither have my parents) And I don't know if this is somewhat witchy, but here it goes......if you are notgetting your daughters ears pierced JUST in case they don't get ripped out then it seems to me you shouldn't let her ride in cars JUST in case her fingers get slammed in the door, or eat food JUST in case she chokes. I don't know, JMHO.


Here is the link to the pictures of that day : http://www.onceuponalife.com/showthread.php?t=2485

If she just likes the look of earrings, you could get little sticker ones to put on her ears for now. That might be fun for her if you decide not to actually have her ears pierced yet.

I'm DYING to get Rebekah's done! I wish I had done them when she was a baby because now I feel like I missed my window of opportunity.

Rebekah loves to have her ears cleaned with q-tips (crazy kid) so I think she would handle the cleaning ok. And she loves my earrings and says she wants them, too. I'm just too chicken to actually go do it.

Oh, and we still get the "He's so cute" comments when she's not obviously dressed like a girl so that's pushing me to do it, too.

I haven't gotten the girls ear pierced and I don't plan on it until they are older and can take care of them themselves. I didn't get mine done until I was 11 or 12 so I'll wait until then and let them decide if they want them or not rather than doing it now.

Dawn

Oh, and we still get the "He's so cute" comments when she's not obviously dressed like a girl so that's pushing me to do it, too.
If we don't put Janelle's hair up in pigtails we get them to...even when she is wearing a dress! I don't know who puts their boys in a dresses but it must be a lot of people to make so much confusion! Obviously no one puts their hair in pigtails though. :banghead: Anyway, I keep hoping that my fil/smil will just take Janelle to pierce her ears against dh's wishes...I know, I'm evil...but they've already bought her saphire and diamond studs, they are just waiting on us...I don't know how long they can hold out.

Cortney, it was because I saw the pictures of Morgan, and she did so well, that I started considering doing Katie's now. If I knew Katie would do as well as Morgan did, I'd do it in a heartbeat!