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WOW! I can't believe so many of you are making such a big deal about it. I couldn't wait to get my daughter's ear's pierced. We did it at 6 months with her Dr. My mom got mine done at a few months and I never remembered the "pain." I too was told the pain isn't as bad for infants as it is for older children/adults because of something or another not developed, and/or not remembering.
I didn't realize it was actually something that was a problem for some people. It's funny to me that there are people out there so judgemental that they are willing to throw judgements over baby earrings. I'm not a super religious person but I'm very accepting of others' and tolerant of others'. So much that I think it's preposterous that people actually think of people w/ their babies ears pierced as "low class" and "trashy". I always think people that place judgement should look at themselves in the mirror to internalize why they feel they need to make themselves inferior to others. Sad. But u should try it. I do, when i catch myself which i sometimes do.
Take Care and have a Grateful Week!
Many daycare centers do no allow babies and children to wear earrings to care, for safety reasons-that they could come off and be choked on. I still don't think they are safe, personally. That's just me.
I think that this a cultural issue, and I have to respect that decision. I didn't pierce my daughter's earrings until she was 8, and then it was a big deal. As for a baby feeling pain, well, being born is painful and little boys are routinely circumcised, which is painful. This is done for cultural (or religious) reasons...not for medical reasons.
Maybe in America the piercing of little girls ears before they are aware enough to make their own decision (not talking about when they are old enough to ask for it to be done, only before then...) is a bit similar to having our little baby boys foreskin whacked off. To some, it's a rite of passage of sorts.
Both the ear piercing and circumcision of infants or very young girls and boys require modifying the human body unnecessarily in some way without that person's consent - but, it's been made socially acceptable for whatever cultural or parental-specific reasons.
I wouldn't call circumcision abuse, and I wouldn't necessarily call ear piercing abuse, but I think they are both actions which harm a persons body and don't advocate either of them. Others feel and act differently, and that's what living in the cultural melting pot of America is all about.
We do lots of things to babies and small children without their consent, such as giving them vaccines. Sometimes they strenuously object--it took three adults to hold down one of my daughters, who was screaming her head off. Some people might think, "Well, that's different ... that's necessary!" but the various threads on this forum demonstrate that is definitely a matter of opinion.
Both of my daughters have had stitches. The older one had to have her foot sewn up after slicing it open, and she was bitten in the face by a dog a couple of years after that. The younger one fell and bit her lip open. They've also had to have blood drawn for various tests. All of those things were much bigger a deal than getting ears pierced, and most of it was against their will or amid major protest.
We do lots of things to babies and small children without their consent, such as giving them vaccines. Sometimes they strenuously object--it took three adults to hold down one of my daughters, who was screaming her head off. Some people might think, "Well, that's different ... that's necessary!" but the various threads on this forum demonstrate that is definitely a matter of opinion.
Both of my daughters have had stitches. The older one had to have her foot sewn up after slicing it open, and she was bitten in the face by a dog a couple of years after that. The younger one fell and bit her lip open. They've also had to have blood drawn for various tests. All of those things were much bigger a deal than getting ears pierced, and most of it was against their will or amid major protest.
Obviously it wouldn't make sense to not stitch up a wound that needed it because the child "objected". Ear piercing isn't a medical procedure. I don't think it is the big deal that some seem to think it is, but you can't possibly compare something cosmetic to something medical.
We do lots of things to babies and small children without their consent, such as giving them vaccines. Sometimes they strenuously object--it took three adults to hold down one of my daughters, who was screaming her head off. Some people might think, "Well, that's different ... that's necessary!" but the various threads on this forum demonstrate that is definitely a matter of opinion.
Both of my daughters have had stitches. The older one had to have her foot sewn up after slicing it open, and she was bitten in the face by a dog a couple of years after that. The younger one fell and bit her lip open. They've also had to have blood drawn for various tests. All of those things were much bigger a deal than getting ears pierced, and most of it was against their will or amid major protest.
Putting holes in your babies ears do not prevent potentially deadly diseases - as immunizations are intended to do. Nor are you healing or repairing something that is broken, hurt, or damaged when you take a perfectly fine and healthy ear lobes and poke holes in them for the sake of artificial ornamentation. I really don't understand what sort of argument or point you're trying to make here... where's the logic?
Obviously it wouldn't make sense to not stitch up a wound that needed it because the child "objected". Ear piercing isn't a medical procedure. I don't think it is the big deal that some seem to think it is, but you can't possibly compare something cosmetic to something medical.
At what age would you let your daughter pierce her ears?
When she's old enough to ask for it and be aware of what it entails - some discomfort, keeping the holes clean until they heal, etc. To do it without her knowledge or consent, but just for my own entertainment, is not being a responsible parent.
Some cultures modify children's bodies by foot binding, lip plates, scarring, genital mutilation, rings to elongate the necks, etc. Is all of this ok because it's "in the cultural context"? I don't think so and would not even go so far as to put holes in my daughter's head because I think it's 'cute'.
When she can ask, we will discuss it. Once she's 18, it's purely her decision. Until then, I reserve my veto power. God knows she'll make enough mistakes on her own - we all have. She doesn't need me making them for her, especially when I know better.
I'm not against ear piercing per se, just strongly against doing it with very young children.
When she's old enough to ask for it and be aware of what it entails - some discomfort, keeping the holes clean until they heal, etc. To do it without her knowledge or consent, but just for my own entertainment, is not being a responsible parent.
Some cultures modify children's bodies by foot binding, lip plates, scarring, genital mutilation, rings to elongate the necks, etc. Is all of this ok because it's "in the cultural context"? I don't think so and would not even go so far as to put holes in my daughter's head because I think it's 'cute'.
When she can ask, we will discuss it. Once she's 18, it's purely her decision. Until then, I reserve my veto power. God knows she'll make enough mistakes on her own - we all have. She doesn't need me making them for her, especially when I know better.
I'm not against ear piercing per se, just strongly against doing it with very young children.
I don't understand why you refer to this as entertainment, when the majority of the posters on here who have had their childs ears pierced said they did it for cultural reasons. And then to say that it makes for irresponsible parents is kinda judmental don't you think?
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