She wouldn’t be a little girl, if she didn’t want her ears pierced at some point in her life. And for every girl, this time comes differently. Some know from the moment they are old enough to notice sparkly, dangling earrings that they want their ears pierced, while others are to busy playing in the dirt to really notice, or think that getting their ears pierced would be an indication that they are a ‘girly girl’ and resist the urge. Either way, the ultimate decision is up to parents and it is important to consider several things before allowing your daughter to get artificial holes in her ears. Who knows, it could start with earrings and end up with a tongue piercing, tattoos and a naval ring? You certainly don’t want to go from getting your daughters ears pierced, to taking the blame for their love of tattoos.
Some families have their daughters ears pierced when they are just newborns. Although cute and definitely a tell tale way to differentiate your baby from the boys it isn’t without risk. Ear piercings must be taken care of properly, from the beginning to avoid infection. Some infants, with highly sensitive immune systems may have allergic reactions to the medal, or can set up an infection that is in the ears themselves that is difficult and dangerous to treat. One of the benefits to piercing an infant’s ears is that the fear factor is non-issue. Most will cry momentarily and then be soothed by a breast of bottle. Still, babies have hands that are prone to wandering and it may be just a matter of time before they start grabbing their earrings and pulling at them, which can lead to a tear in the ear. Pediatricians normally do not recommend against having an infants ears pierced, however as a parent you have to think about the reasons for doing so and all the associated risks. A baby or toddler is often just too young to take care of their ears or avoid situations where the earrings may be pulled out. If you do get your infant daughters ears pierced, do it at the pediatrician’s office if they offer it. (Most do) This way it will be done safely.
The majority of parents wait until their daughter is old enough to desire ear piercing for themselves. This can happen at any age, depending on the child. There are some things to consider first. If your child is in elementary school, you are going to have to be honest and let them know that there will be a pain factor. Obviously, to an adult the pain is not so significant that it warrants NOT piercing your ears once or more. However, to a 6 or 7 year old, taking a needle through the ear can be pretty dramatic. For this reason, it is best to explain the procedure to your child as well as try to detail the after care procedures. If your daughter is not very cooperative with medicines and routine things like tooth brushing, then getting your daughters ears pierced might need to wait. Explain that she will be responsible for allowing you to clean her ears, twisting the earrings, and making sure that everything stays clean. Additionally, if you go ahead with the ear piercing, try to find a place that will do both ears at once. There are plenty of little girls walking around with one ear pierced because they were too afraid to get the second one done after feeling the first one.
Choosing a place to get your daughters ears pierced is important. You should resist doing it yourself, or getting them done somewhere that is not clean or kid friendly. The make up counter at your local department store or Wal-Mart may not be the best place. First of all, these people aren’t trained or licensed (which is required in some locales) and you could risk your daughter getting a pretty serious infection. The best place to start is your doctor’s office. At least they will have hygiene at the top of their priorities and they will be experienced with piercing children’s ears. If your pediatrician doesn’t offer it, call around to jewelry stores or other places to see if they have someone on hand who can do it properly. If your child is leery, then let them check it out before they have it done and allow them to stew over it for a while. It can be frustrating as a mother, taking your child to the shop to have it done, then spending an hour or more waiting for them to stop crying so the technician can do it. Try not to force it. This may be an outward sign that they just aren’t ready.
Another word to the wise, at any age – is if your daughter is involved in sports, you should probably wait until after the season is over! Most rules and regulations for competitive sports require that little girls do not have earrings (or any jewelry for that matter) during the time of competition. If you get your daughters ears pierced, the studs or starter earrings are required to stay in for 6-8 weeks, without being taken out. Putting on helmets, as well as following the rules of the game can make it a bad time to take the plunge into pierced ears.
If your daughter doesn’t seem interested in getting her ears pierced, but you are remember it will be just one more thing to take care of. Let’s face it; little girls are no cleaner than little boys or puppies for that matter. There is nothing wrong with waiting if your child doesn’t want to do it! There is plenty of time to get your daughters ears pierced when they are old enough to go themselves and do it with friends. It seems today that children are growing up faster and faster. Remember there is nothing wrong with the girl who doesn’t want to do it, for whatever reason. When the time comes, your first concern should be safety and choosing a piercing place that is reputable and hygienic.
