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November 21, 2012

169 Comments

It has begun, my girls are growing up and no longer want to play with dolls, dress-ups and be princesses.  Today begins a new journey; today my eldest daughter (and the big sister) has led the way for the others; today she had her ears pierced for her 14th birthday.

This might seem quite a small event to the eyes of an outsider, however, it IS a big thing when there are 4 girls in the family ~ 14, 12, 11, and 9.

For years I decided I was not going to allow ear piercings until the age of 16; mainly due to the fact that I had mine done when I was 10 years old, my sister was only 7 (too young in my book).  I remember the amount of trouble my mother had with the infections, swollen and even bloody earlobes.  My sister was far worse than I and since then I decided no girl of mine will have her ears pierced until she is old enough to care for them herself.

Ear piercings go all the way back to B.C. in history, and today it is a common practise not only to pierce the earlobes, but all parts of the body.  Europeans tend to pierce their baby daughters at the very early age of 3 months old (or earlier); having an Italian mother, I recall my cousins with these HUGE earrings “sticking out like a sore thumb” on this little baby.  I am sure my mother must have been the odd one out because her daughters had not been done yet!

So what made me change my view?  After all I did say NOT until SWEET SIXTEEN!

My main reason for changing my mind was due to maturity. Seeing my eldest daughter is already a ‘woman’ and quite capable of looking after herself; I then decided that if she does get an infection from her earrings, she should be able to deal with it accordingly.

My other reason is that I have also been taking her ‘shopping with mum’ lately and we always go to the jewellery section in the department stores.  A lot of her friends (not all though) already have their ears pierced and she often buys them gifts for birthdays or Christmas.  So I thought perhaps it was time to change my views (her dad said it was alright too) hence present shopping will be so much easier now as well!

Of course, my daughter was extremely excited, when I told her weeks ago that she could have them done; however I didn’t tell her we were actually getting them done on our recent shopping trip (yesterday). We did a girly shop and I brought along her 11yr old sister and 13yr old cousin (who already has her ears pierced).  We went the day before her birthday and I headed straight to the pharmacy/chemist and asked for an appointment. Unfortunately, we had to come back at a certain time, so my daughter was a little scared and worried about it all ~ but excited at the same time.

Her cousin was giving her some horror stories and I am sure she was having second thoughts.  However, in she went after 10 minutes of picking out her first stud earrings that will need to stay put for the next 6 weeks.

I must admit though, I was a little nervous for her too; it had been over 30 years since I had mine done and I wasn’t sure how she would reacted to the ‘punch’ in the ears. I do remember getting mine done, however not the painful part.  Fortunately, she was able to have both ears done at once and the ladies were very encouraging too.

As for her spectators; myself, my niece and 11yr old daughter, we all watched while my brave girl was put through a couple of seconds of torture.  She was a little glassy eyed at first, but then smiles all round.

This proud mum took photos; the cousin patted her on the back and the little sister said “mum, can I have mine done too”?!  What do you think I said?

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  • Try to go to a professional to alleviate some worry, also so they correctly line up the correct spot as ears aren’t symmetrical. Though some ears are just more sensitive.

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  • My daughter had her ears pierced at age 7 for her birthday. Oh what a drama! The gun jammed twice, so much blood, terrible experience

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  • I hate needles so I wasnt keen to take my girls at all. I made my husband take them instead. My eldest wanted her ears done so had them done at age 5. It wasnt pretty and she ended up with an infection and having to take the earrings out and let them close up. She then got her ears re pierced when she was 21..lol
    My middle daughter had hers done age 7 and the youngest at age 10.

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  • I like piercings. I have my ears done. Like nose and eyebrow piercings, but not enough to do

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  • Interesting! A really good article! Thank for this read!

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  • Well done, Lisa. I admire how you handled this issue. I had my ears done when I turned 18, but decided with my girls, I’d allow them earrings when they started high school (age 13). My oldest decided on her own to wait another year and so, at 14 has just started raiding my measly few pairs of ear rings now she is past her 6 weeks after care. My youngest daughter is only 3, so she has a long wait ahead of her. But she admires her sister and states quite definitely that she is going to get holes in her ears when she is a big girl too. As for my boys, they’ll have to wait until they leave home. (Sorry boys, I’m not a fan).

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  • I don’t think piercing ears is a big deal all got all my sons one ear pierced before their first birthdays and my son when he was 11 got his lip pierced .ears are nothing these days

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  • I got mine done when I was 11 or 12. I think if I have a daughter I will let her get them done at the same age or even 13 as she is a teenager and it would be something special for her to remember.

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  • I had my first at 7 then the second hole at 12… then at High school we would pierce our own ears at lunchtime with a safety pin and a Zooper dooper … I’m all for hygienic professional piercings

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  • The reason why girls ears get infected is because they’re being pierced inproperly with a piercing gun. To prevent infection I recommend going to a tattoo shop and having your child pierced properly. These girls at the mall with their piercing guns have no training, no health certification and have no clue what they’re doing.

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  • Had my daughters and my granddaughter done when they were infants. I found the tiniest little 14K gold hoops perfect for little ears and not one got an infection or any problems. My granddaughter now wears the little hoops on the top of her newly pierced 2nd hole.

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  • What’s the fuss? A simple ear piercing like that should happen when you feel right about it ( culturally or as a family or as an individual) I had my ears pierced when I was a baby and all has been good.

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  • I am in 2 minds about this. I have 9 week old twin girls and would love for them to have earrings but i don’t know if I should get it done tyoung or wait till they ask for it.

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  • I didn’t really think of this as a debate, in my family we pierce ears from age 1 but I guess it’s a cultural practice I took for granted

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  • i think that there is no problem with it. just keep up the aftercare and make sure that you keep hair away from it while it is healing.

    Reply

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