‘To get the ears pierced or not?’-That is the Question
After I got used to the’ hole’ in my ears, I couldn’t wait to wear different styles and shapes of ear rings, be it silver, gold or just designer brands. My fancy for ear rings continued well into adulthood and by then I owned a huge collection of my favorite ear rings! After taking into studies seriously and in my frantic attempts to clear University and to land a job, I think I left off my fascination for ear rings some where. There came a time when the only jewelry that you would find on me was my wrist watch. The most cherished ear rings I owned was voluntarily given away to all the young cousins and I felt like a great hearted person!
After getting married and coming here to live in Canada, situation did not change. Here, I was more accustomed to taking my chain, bangles, rings and ear rings off while I am home and putting only the chain (which is called ‘Taali’ and it is a symbol of a married woman) when I go out. Obviously, ear rings did no longer held a place for me in the current life and it had to settle down for a back seat ride. I never realized how much I neglected them until now, when some one asked me recently about getting Krista’s ears done. My mind took a quick rewind to these years back and I marveled at the fact that how much I and my priorities have changed!
But just because I have changed doesn’t mean that I will strip my daughter off her roots and tradition. So this is what I have decided. I will wait until she is a bit older so that she could tell me if it is okay for her to get the ‘holes’ in her ears or not. I know that they do painless ear piercing these days and it won’t even take a full minute. If she wants it, I am all for it. On the other hand, if she is not fascinated by this prospect, we will just skip this, nice and easy. No pressure on anybody. With the ear rings or without it, Krista is beautiful and perfect.
Ear holing (sorry, I just coined that word) is just a cosmetic enhancement. Besides, one should also think about the time when one looses interest in dangling rings on their ears and leave the hole empty and wide for the whole world to see (like mine is shown off, now).
…Any thoughts on what your approach would be if you were in my position?
I had my ears pierced when I was six years old. At that point I had been asking my mom apparently for a few years, and I remember my mom not relenting until I proved I could care for my piercings on my own. I didn’t have the luxury of a piercing gun though. They did it the old fashioned way with a needed and thread that was tied into a hoop and knot. I would dampen the thread with alcohol and move it through my ear. Yep…I really wanted that piercing. 🙂 I think it is wonderful that you are waiting on this until you can share with your child her wishes and culture. I too have really let it all go to the wayside which is funny since there was a time when I had five holes in one ear and four in the other in addition to a brow and nose piercing. 🙂 Have a great weekend. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. 🙂
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wow..that is amazing! Thanks for sharing this. I am not a big fan of piercing and I am sure if I was given a choice while my ears were getting pierced (of course I was a baby then lol) I would have said ‘No’. But I should also admit it is really cool to to wear different ear rings on and enjoy them! That is why I thought I would wait so I can get Krista’s take on this and proceed accordingly. 🙂
I got my daughter’s ears pierced when she was 3 months old at the pediatrician’s office. (They offer the service.) she did fine with them, didn’t even cry that much. She didn’t touch them for a year. Then she started pulling them out. I tried every type of earring. But she got them out! Then one day I realized she was eating them and found a little earring in her diaper after she pooped it out! CHOKING HAZZARD! So no more earrings until she is ready to ask for them. Which is coming up soon!
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I hate to admit this publicly, but my daughter had one pierced ear for a very long time. Her dad took her, and she got one done and would NOT do the other. It’s a funny story when he tells it now (she’s since had them pierced w/another hole voluntarily), but at the times he sure didn’t think it was funny. 🙂
I enjoyed your post and I’m your latest blog and FB follower. Visiting today form the Our Everyday Harvest Hop. 🙂
Thank you for taking time to comment! I am glad I posted about ear piercing now that I am getting so much information from my friends. I just visited your blog and ‘liked’ you in facebook. Excited to stay connected!!!
oh no, I did not think of the part that they could put the ear rings in their mouth. something else to think about. Thanks for this. Also, I did not know that pediatrician’s office might offer the service. okay, helpful info. thanks again. I don’t know what Krista’s reaction would be if I do this quite early. That is why I decided to wait and see what she says. Glad you commented on this 🙂
OMG !!! In my opinion its too early for “ear holing” ( lolz…loved it) for Krista. I did it when I was in class 7 and it was done by our family doctor. I want to go for second piercing but we are not in touch with that doc any more and I am damn scared of piercing guns…so its never gonna happen 🙁 😀
you did it in grade 7? Mine was done even before I turned 1! hmmm… The whole idea is just not attractive to me, no matter what age..:)
I was five when I had mine pierced. Honestly I never wear earrings now 🙂 I have two holes on each ear, but only wear earrings once or twice a year. Luckily the holes have never sealed back up, so when I want to wear something dressy I can still wear nice earrings. Since I have boys there won’t be any ear piercing I need to worry about 🙂
yeah.. you are right about the holes sealing back up. Forgot to mention that. With boys, there are limited chances of dressing them up. With girls, possibilities are endless 🙂
First, some say moms shouldn’t pierce their baby girls ears ears because it is cruel. On the contrary, moms are doing them a favor to pierce your dd’s ears. Some pediatricians do it in their office or have a trained nurse perform the procedure for mom. If they are doing it, it can’t be deemed cruel.
Second, I grew up too with a “white bread ”WASPY” mother who didn’t pierce her ears until she was well into her 30s, having been told by my grandmother that only gypsies had pierced ears. At two my mom said I was asking, and asking for them. My best friend had hers done as an infant. I can remember having them
done so it wasn’t a good experience either at this age. I told my mom later how I wished she would have pierced them for me soon after birth.
Third, I know a lot of people have strong feelings when to pierce a child’s ear. “Let them decide” is being replaced by parental decision when mommy intuition knows, “earlier is better” from either personal or friend’s experiences of unpleasant childhood ear piercing. I think it just depends on your own personal choice whether or not you wish your baby or little girl to have pierced ears.
Fourth, cultural traditions and perceived gender of their child are important. Cerebrally, as mothers of girls of all ages, we know it celebrates their femaleness and femininity. After all, they are little girls, right? Growing up I remember many of my little girlfriends were not allowed to get their ears pierced. I could never understand it…but when their parents did finally let them, it always seemed they’d get infected because they were constantly touching them or trying to change out the earrings before they were supposed to. Many said it was painful, but all cried having a great deal of angst leading up to and including the actual ear piercing.
Fifth, I never pictured myself piercing my baby’s ears, but we did it at 6 months. However, I’d say you’re thinking about it while pregnant or soon after giving birth, then your mommy intuition is telling earlier is better. Our ped encouraged me to do it when mommy could care for them. She gave me some info how to find the right person, place, type of earrings and post care instructions. This was very helpful in making it a good experience for us.
Lastly, if your’re on the fence “to pierce or not to pierce,” drop me an e-mail if you’d like our ped’s thoughts for moms having their dd’s ears pierced.
What should you do? Well, it is a personal decision, but I’m glad I gave her the “gift of pierced ears” as an infant and will thank me later.
Angie
angietune@hotmail.com
This is a great perspective! I totally appreciate you taking time to comment and sharing your thoughts. As far as I am concerned, Krista is going to have a say in getting her ears pierced or not and I am also buying a little time with that. It is also because, I am no longer sure about the whole thing after my own experience. I would really gladly contact you when we come to the point of doing it and thank you in advance for extending your help. Please keep reading my blog. It means a lot! See you around 🙂
Thanks for visiting & commenting on my Diana Rambles blog. I am following you now.
I am not sure what I would do. I am going to allow my daughter to get her ears pierced when she is older. She is Chinese and it’s a custom to wear red during your zodiac year. We plan on letting her get them pierced with a red stud earring when her sign comes around again (12 yr cycle). I used to have 3 holes in one ear and 1 in the other and wore all kinds of fun things when I was younger. After having kids it’s been much easier to just wear a post earring. It’s a simple diamond stud and I never take them out.
It is indeed fun to wear all sorts of ear rings as part of the make over not to mention all the fun that Krista would get in picking the style she wants. That is why I am not dead set against this. After all, it is her ears and her life 🙂 Thanks for visiting!
Vinma, thanks for following Carole’s Chatter and my Blog Tips blog as well. I have followed you right back. Cheers
Thanks for the follow Carol! Looking forward to your tips on blogging 🙂
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Thank you very much for your kind words and taking time to read my blog. I will be posting as often as I can 🙂 So, please keep reading.
My oldest daughter was 8 when she finally let me take her and my youngest was 6. It’s just one of those, either take them when they are too young to know, or let them decide. lol
yeah, kind of like ‘do or die’ 🙂 Thanks for sharing your thoughts here.
As others have said, it’s a very personal decision! I think it’s awesome that you’re including your daughter in the decision, this is something I’ve done as well. My daughter wants to get them done, but she’s scared of the pain. When we do go get her ears done, we’ll go to a body piercer, but again it’s a personal decision. I honestly don’t think there’s a right or wrong decision here. 🙂
you are right, there is no right or wrong decision. As long as I listen to my daughter’s take on this, I would be making the right decision. Thanks you for commenting 🙂
Following you back via GFC. Thanks for sharing!
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Thanks for checking out my blog, following back! Can’t wait to get to know you! Good luck with your decision.
The Real McCoy(s)
Thank you for the follow and thanks for the best wishes 🙂
I had mine done when I was 8 and I remember it being a very special Mommy/Daughter date where we went to get them pierced, then out for lunch and we picked out my first set of earrings that I could put in after they healed.
I would say dont do it now if you are not comfortable and maybe make it a special event when she is older?
Great post!
What a wonderful Idea!!! Thank you. That sounds lovely 🙂
Thank you for commenting.
Amazingly this was an issue within my family over the weekend. I planned to have my 6 year old ears pierced as a special mother daughter day because my husband did not want them pierced until she was 13 years old. BUT! Grandma had them done over the weekend. I was not happy. Maybe consider waiting until you can make it a ‘coming of age event’ between the two of you. Stopping by from SITS.
Blessings~
Alethea
Thanks. That is what I was thinking too. A Mother-Daughter event. It sounds wonderful 🙂
Thank you for also stopping by and commenting 🙂
I would DEFINITELY wait. We had a horrific experience with my daughters ears. She damaged her ear somehow, maybe playing with her sisters, who knows but the earring ended up getting stuck INSIDE the skin of her ear. I didn’t notice until her bath that night and had to peel the dried blood off the ear. We had to take her to the ER to have them surgically remove the earring. They told me it happens ALL THE TIME. I won’t take the chance again until my girls are much older and able to care for their earrings/ears on their own.
oh my god, that is horrible! But when you think about it, it does make sense. If you have the baby’s ears pierced at an early age, they will be at a loss to how to take care of it properly. All the more reason for me to wait. Thanks for this 🙂
Mommy’s Small Victories’-“Thanks Vinma for visiting. I was having trouble commenting on your earring post but I would agree to wait for your daughter to make me decision herself. My parents had my ears pierced as a baby so I don’t remember the experience. But they are very sensitive so I can’t wear them for more than a hour and I save that for dates with my Superhubby.”-
Thank you very much for commenting- Mommy’s Heart
I am glad mine were done when I was a kid cause I’d be too chicken to do it b