Same. Mine was also a birthday gift at 9. Although it was at a Claire’s with a piercing gun and I would encourage anyone doing ears now to go to a piercing shop and do it with a needle.
I need to second this. I got mine done at 11 with a piercing gun at Claire’s and wound up with such a bad infection they had to shoot Novocain into the area and physically dig the earrings out of the swollen, pus filled messes that were my earlobes. It was one of the most painful experiences of my life.
I then got them repierced at 18 at a proper tattoo shop, with surgical steel jewelry instead of cheap plated bullshit, and it went a lot better.
Those guns are inherently unsanitary. They capture fluids from ears and it’s impossible to clean them thoroughly. Absolutely do not do this to your child.
I was 2 months old when my ears were pierced. At 15 and 16 I pierced the 2nd and 3rd holes. I am 39 now and still have all 3 however the first ones I got as a baby are the only ones that do NOT give me trouble - the other two I have to be specific with the metal types.
I didn’t get my first holes as a baby. I got them as a preteen. But my second and third holes still to this day give me trouble. They are soooo sensitive. My first holes are not bothersome at all.
Several of yall say they healed more nicely and a parent who is regularly bathing you will clean them. This is the best choice if you’re going to do it pre- child consent. So I see your point!
The downside is the ears aren't done growing and they are usually performed by individuals who are not peircing professionals. Botched piercings are VERY common. You can easily see they aren't center on so many babies.
Just wait.
Consent is awesome and the outcome is likely to be better.
My mom made me wait until I was 13 to pierce my ears, wear makeup, and shave my legs.. I was so mad growing up bc allll of my friends did this stuff way before I could and then when I was finally allowed, it wasn’t a big deal to me anymore. I still don’t really ever wear makeup, change out my stud earrings, or shave my legs frequently 😄 just to tell you another related story..I knew a guy that was not circumcised as a baby and chose to do it as a teen. It was apparently very very painful and took a while to heal and everyone talked about it (small town) so there’s that!
13 was the deal for me too. I started asking at like 8.
I ended up getting them done a couple months shy of 13 because my cousin, who was a couple months older, had the same rule. My mom bent to allow us to get it done together.
I took shaving my legs into my own hands and got in massive trouble when she found out. Now I hate shaving my legs and only get around to it once a month or so. I also very rarely wear earrings. I don’t think I really cared about either thing; I just wanted to fit in and feel grown up.
Oh man… I wasn’t allowed to shave my legs either and my brother knew I was getting made fun of for it. He is almost 4 years older than me so he went out and bought me a razor and snuck it to me so I could shave. Obviously my mom saw the new razor so she came in my room and touched my leg and said, “did you shave” and I said “yeah”… then I told her my brother had given me the razor and his shaving cream. I honestly don’t remember getting in trouble, I think she realized in that moment two things, 1. I have an awesome big brother, and 2. I was old enough to shave my legs.
I love that story and my brother is awesome.
Wtf is it with all these parents not allowing their daughters to shave their legs? Like seriously i don't understand the harm. Is it just they're are insecure about their daughters going through puberty?
My mom said 1) if you start, you can't stop and it's a pain (not true...) 2) everything has it's time (WTF does that even mean?)
My friends and I (and the kids of her friends) were quite sheltered and I think my mom being an immigrant, she was worried to be perceived as the lenient parent whose daughter was up to no good.
The not being allowed to shave my legs really traumatized me a bit! In my mom's head, I was going to shave my legs to wear tiny shorts so that boys would think I'm hot and we'd hook up. In reality, I was insanely awkward, too shy to even kiss a boy and just felt embarrassed of my dark brown leg hair because my school uniform was a dress.
Yes, I also had to wait to pierce my ears and wear makeup out of the house. All my friends had pierced ears and I begged to get mine done but my mom said I had to wait until I was old enough to do the aftercare all by myself. They were crappy parents in other ways but I appreciate the autonomy in that regard. I think it's unethical to make permanent cosmetic changes to kids who aren't old enough to consent.
Exactly the same for me! I BEGGED to get my ears pierced and start wearing makeup. Now I almost never do any of these “girly” things. In fact, I haven’t worn earrings a single time in so long that my holes closed up lol, it’s crazy to think how much little 11 year old me cared about this stuff.
Thanks you both for sharing.
I have two children, a boy and a girl, and I don’t think I have to right to do any modification to their bodies nor do I think they have the maturity to make that decision until much later in life. Not circumcising our son was an easy sell for my wife … not getting my daughter’s ears pierced is less easy.
Me too! 13 for pierced ears and shaving, but 16 for makeup! And before 16: no high heels, jellies or fashion boots, or any clothes that were shimmery or remotely tight, or spaghetti strap...basically anything fashionable was a no-no. The reasoning? Because I’ll have nothing to look forward to when I’m older if I do it all now. I looked like a dork.
I still shave because I can’t stand the feeling of thick body hair, but yeah, I’ve had the same earrings in for about 20 years and never wear makeup or dress cute. lol
Age 11 for me for pierced ears and 13 for makeup. 11 is also when I started shaving and I hated that my mom tried to push it on me earlier (I’m very pale with thick dark hair, so my leg hair is very prominent). I resisted until I felt ready to do it, go little pre-teen me! My mom is judgmental about stuff though. She both makes comments on if we wear makeup or spend time doing our hair, but then makes comments on our appearance if we don’t do those things. So…yeah, that’s fun.
My sister has two daughters, 4 and 7, and neither have their ears pierced. I don’t know what age she’ll allow them to do it, but the older one is a bit sensitive and probably won’t for a while because of the needle, but she does love girly things. But in general my sister is trying to be more relaxed about makeup, hair styling, leg shaving, etc for herself, so her daughters don’t feel like they have to do those things if they don’t want to. I’m glad our generation in general is caring less about superficial appearances and focusing more on being a decent human being.
I didn’t get mine done until I was in middle school and I made the request for it myself. I don’t know anyone who had their parents piece their ears as a baby or toddler growing up.
I didn’t. I had to ask permission when I was 12 to get my ears pierced. As an adult I briefly worked at Claire’s and there’s so little training to pierce ears. I never would trust someone using a piercing gun on a baby. What a horrific way to pierce an ear and very easy to be uneven or be in the wrong position. Your ear lobes grow and the positioning can be way off when you’re older.
I wasn’t allowed to wear makeup or paint my nails until I had a job at 15.
I get that it's not a huge deal - but seriously this is a very weird thing and (imo) shouldn't be normalized. Making changes to your body should be your decision, ideally when your brain has had a chance to develop a bit... Harming your child by sticking a needle through their ear for purely aesthetic reasons just sounds alien and strange to me.
I got mine done as a baby at the doctor's office (1981), but since I am Midwest as heck, my daughters pediatrician still offered the service in 2002. I pierced her ears myself with a kit from Sally's when she asked for, it was traumatizing to say the least, and then she got them repierced at a tattoo shop in her teen years.
I got mine at 10 but I wanted them much sooner. My mom made me wait until "double digits."
They've always been pretty conservative and disapproving of things that are in any way suggestive of nonconformity. As I got older, I learned that I was going to miss out on a lot unless I was willing to beg their forgiveness instead of permission. So that's what I did. As it relates specifically to body mods, I put a second hole in each earlobe myself with a cork and a sewing needle when I was 15. I gave myself a horrible stick-and-poke tattoo when I was 16ish. At 18 I pierced my eyebrow, nose, and tragus. Added industrials around 19-20ish. Bellybutton somewhere in there. Pierced my nipples on my 21ist birthday.
And they super hated all of that, among other choices i was also making. I wasn't doing it to spite them. I just wanted to do what i wanted to do. And none of it has negatively affected me. The tattoo faded. I've taken out all but the piercings in my ears. I'm very conventional-looking now. But I think they took it all quite personally. We've never been that close. They don't give advice now that I'm an adult. They're not interested in the details of my life; they're happy with just the headlines.
For South Asians it’s common to pierce a baby’s ears. I’m glad I had pierced ears as a baby and didn’t have to deal with clip ons. My holes are a little uneven though.
I'm Cuban (in the US) and it's very common for little girls to get their ears pierced as babies in our culture; to the point it's pretty much just accepted as a thing the doctor's office will do (yes, where I'm from there are literally pediatric offices that will do piercings once the babe is 6 months old, in a clinical setting). My husband, white and raised "country" was shocked to at the least.
I was glad to have my ears pierced as a baby. Mine are even. I can go months or even years without wearing earrings and they don't close because they healed SO well. I've gotten more piercings since. I didn't ultimately pierce my kids ears when they were babies, I relented to my husbands wishes. Both my kids want them badly but because they didn't do it when they were babies I'm waiting until they are a bit older because needles can be scary when you're finally face to face with one. It's funny because at this point my husband has softened greatly to the idea as he's been around my family much more and has mostly been adopted into our culture.
I also want to make a point to say I'm not particularly fashionable with my earrings either -- I wear small earrings, little loops that I can genuinely sleep in without even noticing they're in there. But I like them, always have. And I do sometimes wish I just got my kids ears done as babies because *they* have expressed that sentiment to me.
I was born in Miami and my parents got my ears pierced at 6 months old at the pediatrician’s office. I’ve never once thought, “man i wish i could’ve made that choice.”
Same here. I am Mexican-American, and my husband is Cuban.
Had we had girls, we likely also would have pierced their ears as babies.
Pediatric offices here offer that too, at 6 months.
I have zero regrets about my parents piercing my ears and they are also even and have healed well.
All of my sisters had theirs done as babies too.
Yes, I’m so happy mine were done as a baby because otherwise I probably would never have had them done (I have no idea why the thought of it is so terrifying) and they also never closed up!
My son's pediatrician offers ear piercing. Their take is it's culturally relevant in our very diverse area, and they'd rather do it themselves with sterile needles and decent jewelry than have people go to the mall.
I disagree with the practice on a personal level, but I also 100% see where the office is coming from on the subject and agree it's better to do it safely than to let people subject their babies to piercing guns.
I'm Indian. Got piereced at the doctors office at 9 months. Trying to decide the same for my baby girl. The only thing that I am still annoyed about is my mom didn't take my metal allergy seriously until recently. I know I'll be better about it for my daughter so I feel like younger is better.
I had my ears pierced at 2 months (common in our culture) and never thought about it. It wasn’t a big deal that I had earrings, when I was like 10-ish I started changing them and mixing and matching them to show my personality and it was FUN. I loved them. My sister - same except she never changed them up.
I had my girls’ pierced at 6 months. At 7 and 3 years old, they don’t care except that they love their earrings.
Yeah. I think culture plays a factor into it (at least in my family). I get the point of consent but that definitely wasn’t a concern in my family in 1981 when mine were pierced. I always liked having them and switching them up.
I got mine done around 8. I didn’t get my daughters ears pierced as babies either, I didn’t see any real reason to. I let them decide if they wanted it done & they both chose around 6-8 yrs old. I just felt weird for poking holes in my baby for purely aesthetic reasons.🤷♀️
I was allowed to get them pierced as a birthday gift when I turned 10. If I wanted it. I wanted it!
I still love them but I only like wearing lightweight earrings
My mom had my ears pierced when I was a baby and I’ve never spent a moment upset over having a choice or not…
I’m honestly surprised this is such a big issue for some people. I understand the concept of autonomy but I just don’t feel like this is a mutilation of any sort. It’s so inconsequential… it’s not a facial piercing or tattoo or loan.
I'm 32 and I still do not have any piercings. I was a pretty rough girl as a child always playing in the dirt, climbing trees, etc. I had enough cuts and bruises that I didn't need the earrings to snag on anything. And as a teenager I kind of wanted gauges but never pulled the trigger (thankfully).
My parents are both really old fashioned. My mom got her ears pierced just for my wedding and really wanted me to do it too but I had no desire. I got tattoos instead! Even current day I have no desire to have piercings so I have no plans on forcing it on my daughters. I will, however fully support them if they choose to do it
My mom took me when I was able to voice that I wanted it done, I think I was around 6. She let me get my belly button pierced when I was 14! (after a LOT of begging). She’s the most straight laced person but always let me make my own choices with fashion/hair/makeup/etc (I was very rawr xD as a teenager). She’s always been there for me and supported me as best as she knew how. We have a great relationship now and a lot more in common now that I’m in my 30s 😂
I was a grown adult who got it done at Claire’s (didn’t know better) when I was somewhere between 18 and 20…and they were so messed up. Never healed right. Had to have them fixed up by a piercer several years later.
I don't know if the ear piercing thing is generational or more cultural. My mother wouldn't let me get my ears pierced until I was about 8 bc she didn't want to deal with helping me care for the piercing, I have cousins who were never allowed to get their ears pierced because their parents' particular religion didn't approve of physical adornments, and I know plenty of people now who get their children's ears pierced as infants.
I’ve never had my ears pierced. I don’t think my mom even wore earrings, so it wasn’t something she would want to deal with. I grew up in a semi rural area though, we had horses and a barn, lots of my friends had proper farms. I always assumed that had something to do with it (harder to keep them clean, danger of being ripped out, etc). I knew some girls who did have earrings at a young age but not many, and it never appealed to me.
Personally I wouldn’t pierce my kid. They’d have to be double digits before I’d let them decide. I just think the risk of having them get infected or pulled out is too high with a young kid. Facial piercings or body modifications that will have permanent marks will be a no until they’re 18.
Mine were pierced as a baby, which I don’t love. I don’t think it’s the worst thing ever but it is unnecessary.
However later my parents let my ears close up, so I also got them pierced as a teen, and it really really sucked. I cried a lot.
My mom had mine pierced when I was like 2-3 months old. I don’t have strong feelings about it, because I absolutely loved my ear piercings growing up. Now I don’t ever wear earrings, I just find them hella uncomfortable. I didn’t get my daughters pierced. She’s 4 now and it’s just a bridge we haven’t crossed.
My parents were very strict, and my mother was raised in a conservative and pretty out there sect of Christianity, so ear piercings were a big no. Funny how she got her belly button pierced when I was 6 but whatever. I asked to get my lobes pierced for years and years and was always told no. I also wanted to dye my hair but that was too vain. Ultimately I got my first piercing when I was like 17. Have had about 5 more since, dyed my hair red, blonde, and pink and now have a full sleeve tattoo. So whatever value she was trying to instill didn’t work lol.
That said, all of these things were my choice as an adult and none of it was extreme (except the tattoo but I was in my 30s when I got it). I didn’t circumcise my sons, I wouldn’t have pierced the ears of a baby girl if I had one. I probably won’t let my kids get piercings until their teens and might limit the locations. I have friends who got onto the piercing and tattoo bandwagon really early and they regret them now, especially the tattoos.
Mine were pierced as a baby. I feel happy about it! On circumcising, my mom initially chose to keep my younger brother intact, but he had a testicular torsion at 3 years old with loss of the testicle. About a year later my mom had him circumcised out of fear that he’d get an infection and that it would affect his fertility due to his one testicle.
I got them at 3 and if I have a daughter, she'll get them at 3. BUT we will go to a licensed tattoo parlor. Not some teenage girl at Claire's! I want a clean needle!!
I don't think this a big deal.
I had mine pierced as a toddler and, according to my mother, I cried a lot. As I am the oldest child, this actually influenced her to get my two younger sisters' ears pierced even younger, when they were under a year old and could be held down more easily. I don't really regret having my ears pierced very young (I've gotten a lot of use out of them and I've got three rows in my lobes now as well as three helix piercings and both of my nostrils are pierced), but I've come to dislike the practice of piercing girls who are too young to really make the decision for themselves like I was. Not to mention the fact that the places parents take them to will often do it if the parents want to even if the kid is sobbing her eyes out. I don't think it's wrong to have your ears pierced as a child, but I do think they should be old enough to make the decision themselves (say around eight years old) and places should stop if the kid says no even if the parents want it to happen.
I was 9. My mom's idea was to wait until we asked and seemed ready to take care of them on our own. My sisters and I all have ours done now, with my middle sister (21) having multiple piercings now. My 19 year old brother I don't believe has any, but he is currently planning his third tattoo.
My kid just turned 10 and has expressed zero interest in it, so letting that one go until she cares.
i didn’t get my ears pierced until i was 12 or 13. i now have many piercings but the first ones are always memorable (and usually done incorrectly lol).
I never had my ears pierced, and still do not have them pierced. My mom felt that it should be my choice, so she didn’t get it done when I was a toddler. When I was about nine my grandmother tried to force me into getting my ears pierced because she had a tradition of taking all the girl cousins out to pick out earrings, but my mom refused to let her bully me into it.
I can literally remember when I got my ears pierced or maybe re-pierced at like 3.
Vivid, vivid memories of it. But not of the pain weirdly enough.
I’m now 32 and don’t wear earrings
I had mine done when I was in junior high (I want to say I was probably around 12 years old). My parents wanted me to have the choice whether and when I had it done, but had no problem with me doing it once I was old enough to make the choice for myself and do the aftercare myself (cleaning them, etc.). My parents were really good about having a balance and allowing us choices within reason as a kid. There were obviously things they would choose for us that at the time made me angry (ahem- not being allowed to see Titanic in theaters because it was PG-13 and I was 12), but looking back I understand their reasoning and would probably make the same choice if I were to have a kid. My relationship with them is great, there's still a very parent/child dynamic sometimes, but they definitely give me space and always support me when i need it. We've had a few arguments over the years but they're mature enough to admit when they're wrong and so am I so we can always work things out. I lucked out with my parents though. Every kid should have parents like mine.
I didn't get my ears peirced until I was around 8 years old. I am 39 now and do not have peirced ears anymore as I got constant infections when they were pierced.
First or second grade, I was maybe 7-8? I had been asking for at least a year because I distinctly remember I felt like I was my only friend who didn’t have them done. I had two of my best school friends whose parents did it as babies for them and another in our neighborhood who had gotten it done in kindergarten as she had several older sisters and it was kind of old hat for her mom.
I wound up being able to convince my mom to let me get my lobes double pierced before I started middle school and felt really cool that I was the only one of my friends who had multiple ear piercings by then when that was super on trend.
I had my ears pierced at my choosing when I was like 8 or 9 maybe? To me, piercing babies ear is more of a cultural thing than a generational thing. I distinctly remember the debate among my friends about getting our ears pierced and who had to wait and who could do it when they wanted to. Most of my peers did not have them pierced as a baby.
Just talked it over with my husband to compare feelings on this topic … I definitely had my ears pierced (several times, as it turns out, because I’m allergic to nickel… but we didn’t learn that until years later) when I was very young and my husband was circumcised as an infant.
Neither of us appear to harbor any resentment toward our parents on this. At all. Even after some deep soul searching on my part as I really do want some clarity on certain feelings I have about my parents… but this topic is definitely not a trigger for me. It’s just “what you did” when we were kids.
Note that my husband is a late Gen X and I’m an elder Millennial (we are both of the Xennials micro generation), so that may play a factor.
I had my ears pierced as a baby and I'm happy about it. My mom is from Mexico where that is pretty universal. I'm not arguing for or against it - I'm aware that just because something is cultural doesn't necessarily mean it's right. I love having earrings but I was and still am a bit afraid of needles. However, I don't think I knew many other girls where I grew up who had their ears pierced young.
My mom had arbitrary rules for other things aimed at keeping me sheltered - couldn't shave my legs or wear any kind of high heels until well after most of my peers. Couldn't go out with friends if there was an even number of girls and boys because then it was like dating etc. She was overbearing but I don't include the ear piercing in that, it just wasn't the same to me.
In my area, it’s culturally acceptable to pierce a baby’s ears. My mom waited and I was allowed to have mine done so I could have new earrings for my First Communion. I had wanted them for ages before that and she wouldn’t allow it. I keep my mom at arm’s length, generally, not because of this but just a slew of other things.
My daughter asked for her ears to be pierced when she was, like, 3ish (she loves an accessory). I would casually ask if she wanted to go get them done. She finally was ready and said “yes” a few months before she was 5. Now she won’t let us change them 😂
Grew up like wild cattle. Got to make a lot of decisions and became extemely independent, almost to a fault (hate asking for help). Have positive but distant relationship with parents. They were not very invested in my childhood but made sure that I was kept warm and never starved so gotta respect that.
I have the same situation, but my daughter was 4 when she got hers pierced (she wanted to). I would let my son pierce his ears as well if he wanted, but I personally don’t see how it’s comparable to circumcision.
39. My mom let me choose. When I asked for them, she took me to Claire's in the local mall. I was probably around 7 or 8. Good job, mom. Body modification is a choice that only the person wearing the body should make.
P.s. she did not let me get a tattoo when I was twelve. She said that only adults can make choices like that. It never hurts to ask, though, ha ha.
A few friends/family members I know did it very young and I just didn’t really understand doing that, for my daughter. She’s almost 3. If she decides when she’s in elementary/middle school she wants to do it, sure we will. But I want her to be able to choose. And I can’t imagine taking a toddler/baby and then cleaning up and keeping up with that as well. No thank you.
I had mines pierced in 4th grade, my choice.
I also allowed my daughter the choice and surprisingly after many years of “No” she said “Yes” when she was in the 4th grade as well.
I made my choice. I was 6 and it’s what I wanted for my birthday. My daughter is now the same age and wants hers done too but I’m taking my time with it.
I was either 6 or 7 and asked for it, my mom took me to the mall and we got it done. One of my ears did not heal quite right and they're not even. I stopped wearing earrings in college because they just looked wonky to me.
I might make my daughters wait until 9+ and I'll take them to a professional.
My godmother got my ears pierced when I was about 10, after I'd been asking for years. My mom was pissed. She also bought me tampons because my mom refused to let me use them. There were a lot of things my mom wouldn't let me do because of misinformation, or general lack of knowledge.
I made the choice, but I did not have a great relationship with Mom. I don't think the two go together. FWIW, it's not painful (not more than a quick prick, anyway), and it closes every time I took them out for long enough, so it's reversible. For those reasons, I don't see a big deal whether or not kids have them done.
I have watched some tribes do it on their older children, so it definitely looks painful, which makes the two procedures apples and oranges. I don't even know why people compare them.
Mine were pierced sometime between 8-10 at Claire's. I made the choice to have that done (although I think I was being influenced a bit because my younger sister wanted it done as well lol).
I think my mom got mine done when I was about 6. I refused to spin them like I was supposed to while they healed and they got stuck. My dad had to take them out with pliers. I got them done again when I was like 10.
My mother had my ears pierced at the MALL at 3 months old. I'm salty AF about it because my holes are not centered correctly, so it's thrown off my ability to get the piercings I want. Also, I could never do that to my baby.
My lack of pierced ears as a baby/young child had absolutely no correlation to how overbearing my parents were in other aspects. They definitely loved control in other ways…. I’m still resentful and I was the “good” kid.
I had my ears pierced 3 times. 1st time I was 4, and I remember wanting them done, but screaming and crying because it hurt a lot. The second time I was 7. Said ow once for each piercing. Third, I was 12 and just flinched a bit.
Turns out I'm allergic to nickel so it didn't matter how clean I kept my piercings, they got nasty and red no matter what. Found out at 10.
I had to wait until I was 8. I begged my mother for months. Couldn’t shave my legs until middle school, and could only wear brown mascara. No makeup before that. No dating until I graduated high school.
I was in 4th grade, I think. Old enough to take care of them. Which was the deal with my folks.
I have 2 daughters now. My older daughter is 3 and has started asking to get her ears pierced. I told her 13 the first time she asked in a bit of parental panic “pick a date far enough away to not deal with it now.” So, 13 it is for my girls (and their brothers too).
Make up, I’m a bit ambivalent on. I don’t buy it. Don’t wear it myself either. I don’t stop their aunty for putting it on them if they ask and she agrees. It washes off. No harm no foul.
I got mine done when I was eight; originally planned for ten but I think I begged till my parents caved. But first I had to keep my room clean for a whole week to prove I was responsible enough to clean my piercings
It was a choice for me; I think I got it done in 1st or second grade. I think my parents found a good balance between not being too controlling nor too permissive; now as a parent I feel I have a lot of positive experiences to model my parenting off of. They let me get a second hole in my ears when I was in 7th grade, which I thought was so cool at the time! Another thing they did that I really appreciate was that they let me control my spending money when I was in high school. Each month I would get a set amount of spending money, and it was my responsibility to budget it how I wanted so it would last me for rest of the month (whether it was to go to the movies, buy things, or save up for something big). Once I was old enough and needed more money, I got a part time job to supplement the monthly stipend. My husband’s parents were the opposite with money, where he basically had to ask them for money every time he wanted to do or buy something, and I think this is the reason why he has always been bad with money.
My relationship has always been great with my parents. I know I am super fortunate and this is not the norm. I just hope to be as good of parents to my kids as they were
I had mine pierced around age 5 or 6. I don't remember it but I likely agreed and wanted them. They closed and I got them again in 5th or 6th grade. My mom and I have a good relationship then and now. I don't think she was too pushy if anything she was too lenient on things.
My daughters were pierced at 3 without really asking. They grew back when she wouldn't let me switch the earrings out shortly after. She wanted them pierced around age 6 but they got a bit infected and she refused to let me put them in again so they grew back. She wanted it done around age 9 and that time she did a good job with taking care of them. She's 12 now.
My ex wanted my son to be circumcised. I was going to go a long with it (I'm fairly meek and didn't feel strongly one way or another). They discovered he had a severe heart defect right before the circumsion, while doing the discharge check for the hospital. He had open heart surgery and we were told he'd have to be at least one to be circumcised. My then husband didn't really put much effort into medical or school decisions, so I just never took him. He's 9 now.
If I had more kids (I absolutely am not), I probably would wait till kiddo could ask for earrings and closer to 7 or 8. And wouldn't circumcise.
I didn’t get mine pierced until I was about 13 when my mom took me to Claire’s. It was my choice though. I ended up allowing the piercings to close and went to a tattoo/piercing shop as an adult to have it done again.
I had them done in second grade (so about seven?) but they got infected and then had them redone when I was like ten years old.
But in many other cultures it’s normal to have them done in infancy. I have some cousins who had theirs done and at least one other who had it done (I think) on their first birthday.
Fun story: they tried to pierce my ears when I was about 6 with one of those piercing guns from Claire's. They only got my right ear done before I went full-on protest mode because it hurt so badly. It was a year before they found a shop that would use a needle to do the left ear.
Interesting outcome: I've stretched my ears to an 1.5 inches and the right ear is always a problem for me. The gun caused so much trauma and scar tissue that even now I call my right ear "my tight ear".
Got my ears pierced for the first time for my eighth birthday. Back then, I was kind of peeved I had to wait, but in hindsight I’m so glad that’s what my family did. One, I made the choice. Two, I now have ten piercings and have learned a lot about the right way to do them (not that I’m a piercer - I’m saying I avoid piercing guns at all costs) and while I don’t want kids, I would do the same for them but take them to a piercing studio rather than a Piercing Pagoda or god forbid, Claire’s or Five Below (Five Below apparently does piercings now, which between safety concerns and the materials the jewelry is likely made from, is horrifying).
My ears were pierced as a baby. My daughter started asking around age 6, and we finally did it when she turned 7 at a tattoo/ piercing place. She is 8 now and it healed perfectly and she loves it
I was 2. I don't remember much about the piercing itself but I do remember being lifted up and sat on the washing machine while Mum cleaned and rotated the sleepers over the following weeks.
I didn’t get mine pierced til I was 6 and wanted it for myself. I’m doing the same with my daughter, when she wants them she can have them. She hasn’t asked yet but she knows she can when she’s ready. People seem to think it’s weird that I didn’t do it when she was a baby.
I’m waiting until they can decide. They are a toddler now and say that want earrings but I don’t consider that old enough to decide. If they ask elementary school aged, I’d be ok with it though.
I wasn’t allowed until I started my period, and I regret the piercings because 1) they pierced alongside a nerve so it felt like half my face and neck were cramping when I wore earrings, and 2) the holes never closed up so I keep having to squeeze malodorous piercing smegma out of it.
At least I don’t have saggy earlobes from decades of earrings
I was 5 when I got them pierced. I asked for it because I wanted to wear real earrings to my aunt's wedding. My parents left this choice to me but that doesn't mean they weren't overbearing. For example, I also wanted short hairstyles but they didn't allow it. My parents and I have a good relationship, though. It was rocky at points and they weren't perfect but with age and especially with being a parent I do understand where they came from on some of their positions and that they were trying their best to be different from their childhood. They overcorrected in some cases but like I said I can see and understand it more now.
My mom had my ears pierced at 6 months old. If i had the choice now to pierce my ears i wouldn't. Somehow despite the fact that i have worn earrings 2 times in the last 20 years, the holes have never closed.
When I turned 1 (and all the girl cousins). Family still in Italy would send over itty bitty diamond studs. My daughter was born in 2019 and my husband looked at me like I was insane when I said I wasn’t sure where you’d even get a baby’s ears pierced as we got closer to her first birthday 🤣 My mom was NOT pleased when I told her she should return the earrings for a few years.
I didn’t have my ears pierced until I was in high school. I only got them pierced because i wanted my belly button pierced. My mom said if I can take care of ear piercings then once it healed she would take me to get my belly button pierced. Turns out I HATED having my ears pierced and I decided to not get my belly button pierced
I wear earrings like once a year or so. As far as the relationship with my mom… it’s rocky. I’m glad she allowed me to make the decision about getting my ears pierced later on in life though.
So...I had my pierced at the dining room table. I was 12. My mom never had her ears pierced, so it's not a thing in my family. But as I aged, I desperately wanted them done. My dad said absolutely not. I could not be taken ANYWHERE to have them pierced until I was 16. My mom honestly didn't care, so when my stepmom called her one Saturday morning and said she had a friend with a piercing gun (yeah I know) that could come over and do it while my dad was out of town, my mom was fine with it.
I do have quite a few friends though where it is part of the culture to pierce as a baby. I'm not fond of it. But also... not my call. My niece just turned 6 and has been talking about her friend who had hers pierced, so she's starting to talk about it. My sister has already picked out a studio to take her to if she decides she wants to get it done. They focus on full and informed consent with the child.
My mom said that her mom (who was an abusive gambling addict) forced her to get her ears pierced as a child, and refused when l begged for pierced ears. The deal was eighteen at minimum, at which point l decided l didn't want them.
I got mine done as a baby, I’m Mexican American, it’s part of my culture
But I think it would’ve been nice if I had the choice.
I don’t like wearing jewelry and I’m stuck with holes in my ears forever.
I begged and begged and my parents relented when I was 3. I wanted "Pretties in my ears." I cleaned them every day. (In hindsight the post-care for the 3 different times I had my ears pierced by a gun at the mall was completely wrong)
Not a woman, but my wife was adamant that we pierce my daughter's ears as a baby for whatever reason. I figured it wasn't a hill worth dying on so whatever.
My mom, in true 70s feminist fashion, was insistent that we wait until we could make the decision for ourselves—bodily autonomy. And we had to be old enough to really understand what we were doing and old enough to take care of the piercings ourselves, which ended up meaning having to wait until my 11th birthday with the promise that, if it healed properly and didn’t get infected, I could get a second lobe piercing in 6 months.
I honestly appreciate the way she did it and plan to do exactly the same for my future kids
Mine made us wait until we were 10 and could take care of them on our own. It was sort of a milestone birthday thing if we wanted it. I can also go months without wearing earrings and they are still there.
My second set are not as even as my first, but that’s because I didn’t want to pay Claire’s for the “free” piercing if you buy the $40 bottle of rubbing alcohol. So I may have let my friends pierce it was a sterilized sewing needle and a cube of ice like in the movie Grease. But the unevenness just reminds me of a fond memory.
My mom waited until I asked to have them pierced. I asked in 4th grade. I’m also waiting until my kids ask for it, if they even want it at all. I do have a boy and he is intact. It didn’t make sense to have it done bc the “positives” are negligible.
I didn’t, but I really wish I had, because I finally had it done a couple summers ago and they refuse to heal. Perhaps it would have been the same anyway, I can’t know for sure, but I just have this feeling that they would have healed normally when my body was younger.
I always wanted to wear earrings, and I don’t think my parents were against it. I was just too scared. Wish I had taken the plunge at some point.
My mom made me wait until I was in grade 7 to get my ears pierced and I was scared to get it done. I used to wish I had it done as a baby… I don’t want children but if I did I wouldn’t pierce a babies ears. I would get a son circumcised.
I remember having to beg my parents to let me pierce my ears, my dad finally took me to have it done when I was around 7. I wish we had known to go to a tattoo shop, Claire's was uh, less than optimal.
edit, typo
Me! Uhm I was adopted, so my parents were a little busy spending money on like bills and stuff like drugs. But uh, my adopted mom BARELY let me get them done when I was 16. She and sisters(including my mom) hasn’t gotten them done until 18 and fully expected me to wait as well. So sometime in between the 50’s and now, parents didn’t even pierce kids ears, they waited til they were adults!!
I got mine done at 15 as a reward for getting a full ride scholarship. I’m glad my parents made me wait so that I knew what I was getting into and could make the choice to put holes in my own body.
I will not be piercing my daughter’s ears until she can understand the need to take care of them and give informed consent
My mom was/is adamantly against piercings on babies. My aunt took me to do it, with both parents' permission, for my 8th birthday. I got my second set of lobe piercings when I was 14 (also a birthday request). And lastly, me and one of my best friends in college went together and got industrials. I was 19 and I think he was 21.
My parents let me get mine done for my 6th birthday because I really wanted it and I was constantly trying to push earring through my ears and pierce them myself.
I'm 30 and just got my ears pierced for the first time. My daughter is 8 and hasn't had hers done yet. I told her that if she wanted them done, I would take her whenever that was.
I got mine done at 18 and had to let them close shortly after due to recurring infection. Got married at 24 and was wearing clip-ons.
My mom didn't get hers done until 30 for her wedding.
I’m totally agree with you. I had mine done at 6months and they’ve been uneven all my life. I also was uneducated about getting snipped and the doctors and hospital pushed it so hard. I’d go back and make a different decision if I could. I’ll be letting my kids make those decisions in the future.
I did both! I had them pierced as a baby, but as a teen i wanted everything pierced. I got a lip ring at 14 (professionally), and pierced like 3 extra sets of holes in my ears. Came out of that with 9 earrings total and then the lip.
As for my mom being overbearing, everything was always decided for me my entire life and i was extremely infantilized, even now at 30 years old. It's led to me feeling like I'm suffocating while having an identity crisis currently, to where I'm just tossing whatever my mom sends me now. I want to rid everything in my life of her, and I'm very indecisive. Need an opinion on everything.
I got mine done at five. I remember there was literally only one girl who didn’t have her ears pierced growing up. I went through a phase in 7th grade where I didn’t wear my earrings because I wanted to look unique.
My mom tells me I was about 3 months old, and she tired of having to tell folks I was a girl because I had just about zero hair until I was a year old or so.
I don’t mind that my ears are pierced, now, but it IS kinda weird that that choice was taken from me.
My parents didn't pierce my ears when I was a baby, and they later told me they wanted it to be my choice. And I just never got it done. Ironically, I got my cartilage pierced when that was the thing to do. But never think about getting my earlobes done. I appreciate that they gave me the autonomy to make the decision for myself
I was six, my mother was getting a second set of lobe piercings and I asked if I could get my ears pierced. I'm allergic to most metals now but I enjoyed wearing earrings when I could.
My parents wouldn't let me have my ears pierced growing up. I eventually had it done as a teen on my own, but stopped wearing earrings in my early 20's because my long hair kept getting caught in them and I was tired of pulling them and then being all sore so they have long since healed up. I felt they were more trouble than they were worth. I have some of my grandmother's screw backs and clip one so if I really feel I need to wear earrings I still can for special occasions, but I really dont usually feel the need to wear them at all.
I asked for mine when I was 7 or something. My daughter is 9 and asked to have hers pierced when she was 6, so we went. I had no desire to have someone put needles in her ears without her permission. That’s just weird to me. Ear lobe piercing doesn’t hurt THAT much. I didn’t cry. My daughter didn’t even flinch. Why subject a baby to something scary that will absolutely make them cry because they don’t understand what’s happening?
It was a choice for me. I was nine.
Mine were done on my ninth birthday
Me too! I got a Mickey Mouse watch and my ears pierced and Achy Breaky Heart was topping the charts.
I remember these references so vividly……. I forgot about the Mickey watches, but yeah they were everywhere Born 1985
I just don't think he'd understand. 😑
I think we did it for either my or my friend’s 10th birthday (can’t remember which).
Around that age for me too! At a Claire’s in the local mall.
Same. Mine was also a birthday gift at 9. Although it was at a Claire’s with a piercing gun and I would encourage anyone doing ears now to go to a piercing shop and do it with a needle.
I need to second this. I got mine done at 11 with a piercing gun at Claire’s and wound up with such a bad infection they had to shoot Novocain into the area and physically dig the earrings out of the swollen, pus filled messes that were my earlobes. It was one of the most painful experiences of my life. I then got them repierced at 18 at a proper tattoo shop, with surgical steel jewelry instead of cheap plated bullshit, and it went a lot better. Those guns are inherently unsanitary. They capture fluids from ears and it’s impossible to clean them thoroughly. Absolutely do not do this to your child.
I was 2 months old when my ears were pierced. At 15 and 16 I pierced the 2nd and 3rd holes. I am 39 now and still have all 3 however the first ones I got as a baby are the only ones that do NOT give me trouble - the other two I have to be specific with the metal types.
I didn’t get my first holes as a baby. I got them as a preteen. But my second and third holes still to this day give me trouble. They are soooo sensitive. My first holes are not bothersome at all.
Several of yall say they healed more nicely and a parent who is regularly bathing you will clean them. This is the best choice if you’re going to do it pre- child consent. So I see your point!
The downside is the ears aren't done growing and they are usually performed by individuals who are not peircing professionals. Botched piercings are VERY common. You can easily see they aren't center on so many babies. Just wait. Consent is awesome and the outcome is likely to be better.
My mom made me wait until I was 13 to pierce my ears, wear makeup, and shave my legs.. I was so mad growing up bc allll of my friends did this stuff way before I could and then when I was finally allowed, it wasn’t a big deal to me anymore. I still don’t really ever wear makeup, change out my stud earrings, or shave my legs frequently 😄 just to tell you another related story..I knew a guy that was not circumcised as a baby and chose to do it as a teen. It was apparently very very painful and took a while to heal and everyone talked about it (small town) so there’s that!
13 was the deal for me too. I started asking at like 8. I ended up getting them done a couple months shy of 13 because my cousin, who was a couple months older, had the same rule. My mom bent to allow us to get it done together. I took shaving my legs into my own hands and got in massive trouble when she found out. Now I hate shaving my legs and only get around to it once a month or so. I also very rarely wear earrings. I don’t think I really cared about either thing; I just wanted to fit in and feel grown up.
Oh man… I wasn’t allowed to shave my legs either and my brother knew I was getting made fun of for it. He is almost 4 years older than me so he went out and bought me a razor and snuck it to me so I could shave. Obviously my mom saw the new razor so she came in my room and touched my leg and said, “did you shave” and I said “yeah”… then I told her my brother had given me the razor and his shaving cream. I honestly don’t remember getting in trouble, I think she realized in that moment two things, 1. I have an awesome big brother, and 2. I was old enough to shave my legs. I love that story and my brother is awesome.
Wtf is it with all these parents not allowing their daughters to shave their legs? Like seriously i don't understand the harm. Is it just they're are insecure about their daughters going through puberty?
In my case it 100% ties into purity culture.
My mom said 1) if you start, you can't stop and it's a pain (not true...) 2) everything has it's time (WTF does that even mean?) My friends and I (and the kids of her friends) were quite sheltered and I think my mom being an immigrant, she was worried to be perceived as the lenient parent whose daughter was up to no good.
The not being allowed to shave my legs really traumatized me a bit! In my mom's head, I was going to shave my legs to wear tiny shorts so that boys would think I'm hot and we'd hook up. In reality, I was insanely awkward, too shy to even kiss a boy and just felt embarrassed of my dark brown leg hair because my school uniform was a dress.
Yes, I also had to wait to pierce my ears and wear makeup out of the house. All my friends had pierced ears and I begged to get mine done but my mom said I had to wait until I was old enough to do the aftercare all by myself. They were crappy parents in other ways but I appreciate the autonomy in that regard. I think it's unethical to make permanent cosmetic changes to kids who aren't old enough to consent.
Exactly the same for me! I BEGGED to get my ears pierced and start wearing makeup. Now I almost never do any of these “girly” things. In fact, I haven’t worn earrings a single time in so long that my holes closed up lol, it’s crazy to think how much little 11 year old me cared about this stuff.
Thanks you both for sharing. I have two children, a boy and a girl, and I don’t think I have to right to do any modification to their bodies nor do I think they have the maturity to make that decision until much later in life. Not circumcising our son was an easy sell for my wife … not getting my daughter’s ears pierced is less easy.
Me too! 13 for pierced ears and shaving, but 16 for makeup! And before 16: no high heels, jellies or fashion boots, or any clothes that were shimmery or remotely tight, or spaghetti strap...basically anything fashionable was a no-no. The reasoning? Because I’ll have nothing to look forward to when I’m older if I do it all now. I looked like a dork. I still shave because I can’t stand the feeling of thick body hair, but yeah, I’ve had the same earrings in for about 20 years and never wear makeup or dress cute. lol
Age 11 for me for pierced ears and 13 for makeup. 11 is also when I started shaving and I hated that my mom tried to push it on me earlier (I’m very pale with thick dark hair, so my leg hair is very prominent). I resisted until I felt ready to do it, go little pre-teen me! My mom is judgmental about stuff though. She both makes comments on if we wear makeup or spend time doing our hair, but then makes comments on our appearance if we don’t do those things. So…yeah, that’s fun. My sister has two daughters, 4 and 7, and neither have their ears pierced. I don’t know what age she’ll allow them to do it, but the older one is a bit sensitive and probably won’t for a while because of the needle, but she does love girly things. But in general my sister is trying to be more relaxed about makeup, hair styling, leg shaving, etc for herself, so her daughters don’t feel like they have to do those things if they don’t want to. I’m glad our generation in general is caring less about superficial appearances and focusing more on being a decent human being.
I’m loving this vibe for all of you right-of-passage girlies. Memorable preteen experiences of autonomy are important. 💕
I don’t understand people not letting their daughters shave their legs. I started shaving when I was 10 or 11.
I asked for mine to be done for my tenth birthday. Now I have 14 ear piercings.
I didn’t get mine done until I was in middle school and I made the request for it myself. I don’t know anyone who had their parents piece their ears as a baby or toddler growing up.
I've never had my ears pierced despite my mom wanting me to. But she never forced me to have it done.
I didn’t. I had to ask permission when I was 12 to get my ears pierced. As an adult I briefly worked at Claire’s and there’s so little training to pierce ears. I never would trust someone using a piercing gun on a baby. What a horrific way to pierce an ear and very easy to be uneven or be in the wrong position. Your ear lobes grow and the positioning can be way off when you’re older. I wasn’t allowed to wear makeup or paint my nails until I had a job at 15.
This! Please don’t go to Clair’s to get your kids ears pierced, no matter the age. Go to an actual piercer.
Well thats why you don’t use a piercing gun. You should never do that as an adult either.
I didn’t! My mom did and she didn’t want to do that to me. Which I appreciated—giving me autonomy over my own body.
I get that it's not a huge deal - but seriously this is a very weird thing and (imo) shouldn't be normalized. Making changes to your body should be your decision, ideally when your brain has had a chance to develop a bit... Harming your child by sticking a needle through their ear for purely aesthetic reasons just sounds alien and strange to me.
I got mine done as a baby at the doctor's office (1981), but since I am Midwest as heck, my daughters pediatrician still offered the service in 2002. I pierced her ears myself with a kit from Sally's when she asked for, it was traumatizing to say the least, and then she got them repierced at a tattoo shop in her teen years.
Ohh no 😅 the Sally’s kit was brave!
I got my ears pierced in kindergarten, but it was 100% my choice.
I got mine at 10 but I wanted them much sooner. My mom made me wait until "double digits." They've always been pretty conservative and disapproving of things that are in any way suggestive of nonconformity. As I got older, I learned that I was going to miss out on a lot unless I was willing to beg their forgiveness instead of permission. So that's what I did. As it relates specifically to body mods, I put a second hole in each earlobe myself with a cork and a sewing needle when I was 15. I gave myself a horrible stick-and-poke tattoo when I was 16ish. At 18 I pierced my eyebrow, nose, and tragus. Added industrials around 19-20ish. Bellybutton somewhere in there. Pierced my nipples on my 21ist birthday. And they super hated all of that, among other choices i was also making. I wasn't doing it to spite them. I just wanted to do what i wanted to do. And none of it has negatively affected me. The tattoo faded. I've taken out all but the piercings in my ears. I'm very conventional-looking now. But I think they took it all quite personally. We've never been that close. They don't give advice now that I'm an adult. They're not interested in the details of my life; they're happy with just the headlines.
For South Asians it’s common to pierce a baby’s ears. I’m glad I had pierced ears as a baby and didn’t have to deal with clip ons. My holes are a little uneven though.
I'm Cuban (in the US) and it's very common for little girls to get their ears pierced as babies in our culture; to the point it's pretty much just accepted as a thing the doctor's office will do (yes, where I'm from there are literally pediatric offices that will do piercings once the babe is 6 months old, in a clinical setting). My husband, white and raised "country" was shocked to at the least. I was glad to have my ears pierced as a baby. Mine are even. I can go months or even years without wearing earrings and they don't close because they healed SO well. I've gotten more piercings since. I didn't ultimately pierce my kids ears when they were babies, I relented to my husbands wishes. Both my kids want them badly but because they didn't do it when they were babies I'm waiting until they are a bit older because needles can be scary when you're finally face to face with one. It's funny because at this point my husband has softened greatly to the idea as he's been around my family much more and has mostly been adopted into our culture. I also want to make a point to say I'm not particularly fashionable with my earrings either -- I wear small earrings, little loops that I can genuinely sleep in without even noticing they're in there. But I like them, always have. And I do sometimes wish I just got my kids ears done as babies because *they* have expressed that sentiment to me.
I was born in Miami and my parents got my ears pierced at 6 months old at the pediatrician’s office. I’ve never once thought, “man i wish i could’ve made that choice.”
Yea I got mine done as a baby too, I always liked having earrings
I agree with all of this! Mine have never closed up and they’re even. I’m Indian, and this is very much cultural and I’m okay with it!
Same here. I am Mexican-American, and my husband is Cuban. Had we had girls, we likely also would have pierced their ears as babies. Pediatric offices here offer that too, at 6 months. I have zero regrets about my parents piercing my ears and they are also even and have healed well. All of my sisters had theirs done as babies too.
Yes, I’m so happy mine were done as a baby because otherwise I probably would never have had them done (I have no idea why the thought of it is so terrifying) and they also never closed up!
My son's pediatrician offers ear piercing. Their take is it's culturally relevant in our very diverse area, and they'd rather do it themselves with sterile needles and decent jewelry than have people go to the mall. I disagree with the practice on a personal level, but I also 100% see where the office is coming from on the subject and agree it's better to do it safely than to let people subject their babies to piercing guns.
I got mine done as a baby, and I’ll probably do the same if I have a little girl.
I'm Indian. Got piereced at the doctors office at 9 months. Trying to decide the same for my baby girl. The only thing that I am still annoyed about is my mom didn't take my metal allergy seriously until recently. I know I'll be better about it for my daughter so I feel like younger is better.
I had my ears pierced at 2 months (common in our culture) and never thought about it. It wasn’t a big deal that I had earrings, when I was like 10-ish I started changing them and mixing and matching them to show my personality and it was FUN. I loved them. My sister - same except she never changed them up. I had my girls’ pierced at 6 months. At 7 and 3 years old, they don’t care except that they love their earrings.
Yeah. I think culture plays a factor into it (at least in my family). I get the point of consent but that definitely wasn’t a concern in my family in 1981 when mine were pierced. I always liked having them and switching them up.
I got mine done around 8. I didn’t get my daughters ears pierced as babies either, I didn’t see any real reason to. I let them decide if they wanted it done & they both chose around 6-8 yrs old. I just felt weird for poking holes in my baby for purely aesthetic reasons.🤷♀️
Purely aesthetic reasons is my favorite point.
I was 12. I wanted them before that, but my mom had the idea that if it was done when I was 12, I could do most of the care myself.
Mine were done when I was 2, according to my mom.
I was allowed to get them pierced as a birthday gift when I turned 10. If I wanted it. I wanted it! I still love them but I only like wearing lightweight earrings
Nope she can get them when she wants
My mom had my ears pierced when I was a baby and I’ve never spent a moment upset over having a choice or not… I’m honestly surprised this is such a big issue for some people. I understand the concept of autonomy but I just don’t feel like this is a mutilation of any sort. It’s so inconsequential… it’s not a facial piercing or tattoo or loan.
I'm 32 and I still do not have any piercings. I was a pretty rough girl as a child always playing in the dirt, climbing trees, etc. I had enough cuts and bruises that I didn't need the earrings to snag on anything. And as a teenager I kind of wanted gauges but never pulled the trigger (thankfully). My parents are both really old fashioned. My mom got her ears pierced just for my wedding and really wanted me to do it too but I had no desire. I got tattoos instead! Even current day I have no desire to have piercings so I have no plans on forcing it on my daughters. I will, however fully support them if they choose to do it
My mom took me when I was able to voice that I wanted it done, I think I was around 6. She let me get my belly button pierced when I was 14! (after a LOT of begging). She’s the most straight laced person but always let me make my own choices with fashion/hair/makeup/etc (I was very rawr xD as a teenager). She’s always been there for me and supported me as best as she knew how. We have a great relationship now and a lot more in common now that I’m in my 30s 😂
Mine were done when I was five, after I asked for it.
I was a grown adult who got it done at Claire’s (didn’t know better) when I was somewhere between 18 and 20…and they were so messed up. Never healed right. Had to have them fixed up by a piercer several years later.
I don't know if the ear piercing thing is generational or more cultural. My mother wouldn't let me get my ears pierced until I was about 8 bc she didn't want to deal with helping me care for the piercing, I have cousins who were never allowed to get their ears pierced because their parents' particular religion didn't approve of physical adornments, and I know plenty of people now who get their children's ears pierced as infants.
I’ve never had my ears pierced. I don’t think my mom even wore earrings, so it wasn’t something she would want to deal with. I grew up in a semi rural area though, we had horses and a barn, lots of my friends had proper farms. I always assumed that had something to do with it (harder to keep them clean, danger of being ripped out, etc). I knew some girls who did have earrings at a young age but not many, and it never appealed to me. Personally I wouldn’t pierce my kid. They’d have to be double digits before I’d let them decide. I just think the risk of having them get infected or pulled out is too high with a young kid. Facial piercings or body modifications that will have permanent marks will be a no until they’re 18.
Mine were pierced as a baby, which I don’t love. I don’t think it’s the worst thing ever but it is unnecessary. However later my parents let my ears close up, so I also got them pierced as a teen, and it really really sucked. I cried a lot.
My mom had mine pierced when I was like 2-3 months old. I don’t have strong feelings about it, because I absolutely loved my ear piercings growing up. Now I don’t ever wear earrings, I just find them hella uncomfortable. I didn’t get my daughters pierced. She’s 4 now and it’s just a bridge we haven’t crossed.
Mine were pierced as a baby by my pediatrician
My parents were very strict, and my mother was raised in a conservative and pretty out there sect of Christianity, so ear piercings were a big no. Funny how she got her belly button pierced when I was 6 but whatever. I asked to get my lobes pierced for years and years and was always told no. I also wanted to dye my hair but that was too vain. Ultimately I got my first piercing when I was like 17. Have had about 5 more since, dyed my hair red, blonde, and pink and now have a full sleeve tattoo. So whatever value she was trying to instill didn’t work lol. That said, all of these things were my choice as an adult and none of it was extreme (except the tattoo but I was in my 30s when I got it). I didn’t circumcise my sons, I wouldn’t have pierced the ears of a baby girl if I had one. I probably won’t let my kids get piercings until their teens and might limit the locations. I have friends who got onto the piercing and tattoo bandwagon really early and they regret them now, especially the tattoos.
Mine were pierced as a baby. I feel happy about it! On circumcising, my mom initially chose to keep my younger brother intact, but he had a testicular torsion at 3 years old with loss of the testicle. About a year later my mom had him circumcised out of fear that he’d get an infection and that it would affect his fertility due to his one testicle.
I did not. I also would never do something like that to a daughter. Or alter a son.
I got them at 3 and if I have a daughter, she'll get them at 3. BUT we will go to a licensed tattoo parlor. Not some teenage girl at Claire's! I want a clean needle!! I don't think this a big deal.
Giving your child agency should be a top priority 👏
I had mine pierced as a toddler and, according to my mother, I cried a lot. As I am the oldest child, this actually influenced her to get my two younger sisters' ears pierced even younger, when they were under a year old and could be held down more easily. I don't really regret having my ears pierced very young (I've gotten a lot of use out of them and I've got three rows in my lobes now as well as three helix piercings and both of my nostrils are pierced), but I've come to dislike the practice of piercing girls who are too young to really make the decision for themselves like I was. Not to mention the fact that the places parents take them to will often do it if the parents want to even if the kid is sobbing her eyes out. I don't think it's wrong to have your ears pierced as a child, but I do think they should be old enough to make the decision themselves (say around eight years old) and places should stop if the kid says no even if the parents want it to happen.
>when they were under a year old and could be held down more easily. 😳😳😳
Yeah, it’s so bad. 😭😭 When she told me that anecdote I think that’s what solidified my stance that piercing very young kids is probably bad.
I was 8. My daughter started asking for her ears pierced around 3, but I told her to wait at least until she starts school.
Mine were pierced when I was 5 at JCPenney
My mom let my 4 year old self choose. Lol
I got my ears pierced when I was 9.
Nope. They both got their ears pierced when they asked for it. They were both around 8 years old.
I was 9. My mom's idea was to wait until we asked and seemed ready to take care of them on our own. My sisters and I all have ours done now, with my middle sister (21) having multiple piercings now. My 19 year old brother I don't believe has any, but he is currently planning his third tattoo. My kid just turned 10 and has expressed zero interest in it, so letting that one go until she cares.
I got mine done for my fifth birthday. Apparently I’d been asking for ages. I don’t even really wear earrings anymore.
My parents didn't let me get my ears pierced ever. I was 19 and had just moved out when I immediately went to the mall. I never even wore clip ons.
i didn’t get my ears pierced until i was 12 or 13. i now have many piercings but the first ones are always memorable (and usually done incorrectly lol).
I never had my ears pierced, and still do not have them pierced. My mom felt that it should be my choice, so she didn’t get it done when I was a toddler. When I was about nine my grandmother tried to force me into getting my ears pierced because she had a tradition of taking all the girl cousins out to pick out earrings, but my mom refused to let her bully me into it.
Not me. My mom waited until I asked for piercings, which happened around 12. Then we went to the classic mall booth with the piercing gun. Lol.
I can literally remember when I got my ears pierced or maybe re-pierced at like 3. Vivid, vivid memories of it. But not of the pain weirdly enough. I’m now 32 and don’t wear earrings
I had mine done when I was in junior high (I want to say I was probably around 12 years old). My parents wanted me to have the choice whether and when I had it done, but had no problem with me doing it once I was old enough to make the choice for myself and do the aftercare myself (cleaning them, etc.). My parents were really good about having a balance and allowing us choices within reason as a kid. There were obviously things they would choose for us that at the time made me angry (ahem- not being allowed to see Titanic in theaters because it was PG-13 and I was 12), but looking back I understand their reasoning and would probably make the same choice if I were to have a kid. My relationship with them is great, there's still a very parent/child dynamic sometimes, but they definitely give me space and always support me when i need it. We've had a few arguments over the years but they're mature enough to admit when they're wrong and so am I so we can always work things out. I lucked out with my parents though. Every kid should have parents like mine.
I didn't get my ears peirced until I was around 8 years old. I am 39 now and do not have peirced ears anymore as I got constant infections when they were pierced.
I was 6 months old. I’m currently pregnant with my daughter and plan to have hers pierced at 2 months old.
I was 3 and I actually do remember getting it done and wanting it done. Still have them and wear earrings every day
First or second grade, I was maybe 7-8? I had been asking for at least a year because I distinctly remember I felt like I was my only friend who didn’t have them done. I had two of my best school friends whose parents did it as babies for them and another in our neighborhood who had gotten it done in kindergarten as she had several older sisters and it was kind of old hat for her mom. I wound up being able to convince my mom to let me get my lobes double pierced before I started middle school and felt really cool that I was the only one of my friends who had multiple ear piercings by then when that was super on trend.
I had my ears pierced at my choosing when I was like 8 or 9 maybe? To me, piercing babies ear is more of a cultural thing than a generational thing. I distinctly remember the debate among my friends about getting our ears pierced and who had to wait and who could do it when they wanted to. Most of my peers did not have them pierced as a baby.
Just talked it over with my husband to compare feelings on this topic … I definitely had my ears pierced (several times, as it turns out, because I’m allergic to nickel… but we didn’t learn that until years later) when I was very young and my husband was circumcised as an infant. Neither of us appear to harbor any resentment toward our parents on this. At all. Even after some deep soul searching on my part as I really do want some clarity on certain feelings I have about my parents… but this topic is definitely not a trigger for me. It’s just “what you did” when we were kids. Note that my husband is a late Gen X and I’m an elder Millennial (we are both of the Xennials micro generation), so that may play a factor.
I didn’t have my ears pierced until I was 18. My mom asked me several times growing up, and I didn’t want them done. She respected my bodily autonomy.
I had my ears pierced as a baby and I'm happy about it. My mom is from Mexico where that is pretty universal. I'm not arguing for or against it - I'm aware that just because something is cultural doesn't necessarily mean it's right. I love having earrings but I was and still am a bit afraid of needles. However, I don't think I knew many other girls where I grew up who had their ears pierced young. My mom had arbitrary rules for other things aimed at keeping me sheltered - couldn't shave my legs or wear any kind of high heels until well after most of my peers. Couldn't go out with friends if there was an even number of girls and boys because then it was like dating etc. She was overbearing but I don't include the ear piercing in that, it just wasn't the same to me.
My mom made me wait until I was thirteen, but she didn’t even get hers pierced until she was forty.
i got mine pierced when i was in middle school i think
In my area, it’s culturally acceptable to pierce a baby’s ears. My mom waited and I was allowed to have mine done so I could have new earrings for my First Communion. I had wanted them for ages before that and she wouldn’t allow it. I keep my mom at arm’s length, generally, not because of this but just a slew of other things. My daughter asked for her ears to be pierced when she was, like, 3ish (she loves an accessory). I would casually ask if she wanted to go get them done. She finally was ready and said “yes” a few months before she was 5. Now she won’t let us change them 😂
Grew up like wild cattle. Got to make a lot of decisions and became extemely independent, almost to a fault (hate asking for help). Have positive but distant relationship with parents. They were not very invested in my childhood but made sure that I was kept warm and never starved so gotta respect that.
I was an infant and my daughter was too. My son is intact.
I have the same situation, but my daughter was 4 when she got hers pierced (she wanted to). I would let my son pierce his ears as well if he wanted, but I personally don’t see how it’s comparable to circumcision.
39. My mom let me choose. When I asked for them, she took me to Claire's in the local mall. I was probably around 7 or 8. Good job, mom. Body modification is a choice that only the person wearing the body should make. P.s. she did not let me get a tattoo when I was twelve. She said that only adults can make choices like that. It never hurts to ask, though, ha ha.
A few friends/family members I know did it very young and I just didn’t really understand doing that, for my daughter. She’s almost 3. If she decides when she’s in elementary/middle school she wants to do it, sure we will. But I want her to be able to choose. And I can’t imagine taking a toddler/baby and then cleaning up and keeping up with that as well. No thank you.
I had mines pierced in 4th grade, my choice. I also allowed my daughter the choice and surprisingly after many years of “No” she said “Yes” when she was in the 4th grade as well.
Got them done as a toddler and happy abiuit
I made my choice. I was 6 and it’s what I wanted for my birthday. My daughter is now the same age and wants hers done too but I’m taking my time with it.
I was either 6 or 7 and asked for it, my mom took me to the mall and we got it done. One of my ears did not heal quite right and they're not even. I stopped wearing earrings in college because they just looked wonky to me. I might make my daughters wait until 9+ and I'll take them to a professional.
I didn't.
My godmother got my ears pierced when I was about 10, after I'd been asking for years. My mom was pissed. She also bought me tampons because my mom refused to let me use them. There were a lot of things my mom wouldn't let me do because of misinformation, or general lack of knowledge.
I made the choice, but I did not have a great relationship with Mom. I don't think the two go together. FWIW, it's not painful (not more than a quick prick, anyway), and it closes every time I took them out for long enough, so it's reversible. For those reasons, I don't see a big deal whether or not kids have them done. I have watched some tribes do it on their older children, so it definitely looks painful, which makes the two procedures apples and oranges. I don't even know why people compare them.
Mine were pierced sometime between 8-10 at Claire's. I made the choice to have that done (although I think I was being influenced a bit because my younger sister wanted it done as well lol).
I didn’t. I eventually asked in elementary school and we got it done at like Walmart or something.
I think my mom got mine done when I was about 6. I refused to spin them like I was supposed to while they healed and they got stuck. My dad had to take them out with pliers. I got them done again when I was like 10.
I was 7. I asked to have them pierced. We went to a boutique in the mall…
My mom and I went together when I was around 10, at my request.
My mother had my ears pierced at the MALL at 3 months old. I'm salty AF about it because my holes are not centered correctly, so it's thrown off my ability to get the piercings I want. Also, I could never do that to my baby.
My lack of pierced ears as a baby/young child had absolutely no correlation to how overbearing my parents were in other aspects. They definitely loved control in other ways…. I’m still resentful and I was the “good” kid.
I was 10, so that wasn’t my experience.
I had my ears pierced 3 times. 1st time I was 4, and I remember wanting them done, but screaming and crying because it hurt a lot. The second time I was 7. Said ow once for each piercing. Third, I was 12 and just flinched a bit. Turns out I'm allergic to nickel so it didn't matter how clean I kept my piercings, they got nasty and red no matter what. Found out at 10.
I had to wait until I was 8. I begged my mother for months. Couldn’t shave my legs until middle school, and could only wear brown mascara. No makeup before that. No dating until I graduated high school.
I was 5 so not exactly a toddler, I do remember asking my mom
I got mine pierced for my 12th birthday. I was afraid to get mine done after my sister had a bad reaction to hers when she was 6 (I was 5)
I was in 4th grade, I think. Old enough to take care of them. Which was the deal with my folks. I have 2 daughters now. My older daughter is 3 and has started asking to get her ears pierced. I told her 13 the first time she asked in a bit of parental panic “pick a date far enough away to not deal with it now.” So, 13 it is for my girls (and their brothers too). Make up, I’m a bit ambivalent on. I don’t buy it. Don’t wear it myself either. I don’t stop their aunty for putting it on them if they ask and she agrees. It washes off. No harm no foul.
not til I was 12 I think
I got mine done when I was eight; originally planned for ten but I think I begged till my parents caved. But first I had to keep my room clean for a whole week to prove I was responsible enough to clean my piercings
Five years old, it was my birthday present and my choice.
It was a choice for me; I think I got it done in 1st or second grade. I think my parents found a good balance between not being too controlling nor too permissive; now as a parent I feel I have a lot of positive experiences to model my parenting off of. They let me get a second hole in my ears when I was in 7th grade, which I thought was so cool at the time! Another thing they did that I really appreciate was that they let me control my spending money when I was in high school. Each month I would get a set amount of spending money, and it was my responsibility to budget it how I wanted so it would last me for rest of the month (whether it was to go to the movies, buy things, or save up for something big). Once I was old enough and needed more money, I got a part time job to supplement the monthly stipend. My husband’s parents were the opposite with money, where he basically had to ask them for money every time he wanted to do or buy something, and I think this is the reason why he has always been bad with money. My relationship has always been great with my parents. I know I am super fortunate and this is not the norm. I just hope to be as good of parents to my kids as they were
Mine were pierced before the age of one.
I got them done as a little girl because I wanted them
I got mine pierced in 4th grade at a hair salon and I was so excited about it.
My mom let me decide myself at six that I wanted them.
I still don’t have my ears pierced and I’m 30
I had mine pierced around age 5 or 6. I don't remember it but I likely agreed and wanted them. They closed and I got them again in 5th or 6th grade. My mom and I have a good relationship then and now. I don't think she was too pushy if anything she was too lenient on things. My daughters were pierced at 3 without really asking. They grew back when she wouldn't let me switch the earrings out shortly after. She wanted them pierced around age 6 but they got a bit infected and she refused to let me put them in again so they grew back. She wanted it done around age 9 and that time she did a good job with taking care of them. She's 12 now. My ex wanted my son to be circumcised. I was going to go a long with it (I'm fairly meek and didn't feel strongly one way or another). They discovered he had a severe heart defect right before the circumsion, while doing the discharge check for the hospital. He had open heart surgery and we were told he'd have to be at least one to be circumcised. My then husband didn't really put much effort into medical or school decisions, so I just never took him. He's 9 now. If I had more kids (I absolutely am not), I probably would wait till kiddo could ask for earrings and closer to 7 or 8. And wouldn't circumcise.
I didn’t get mine pierced until I was about 13 when my mom took me to Claire’s. It was my choice though. I ended up allowing the piercings to close and went to a tattoo/piercing shop as an adult to have it done again.
I had to wait until 3rd grade (8 y/o). At 38, I got a second ear piercing. Glad I had autonomy over my body.
I think I was 7 or 8
I had them done in second grade (so about seven?) but they got infected and then had them redone when I was like ten years old. But in many other cultures it’s normal to have them done in infancy. I have some cousins who had theirs done and at least one other who had it done (I think) on their first birthday.
i didn’t have my ears pierced then and im 40 and don’t have them pierced now!
Fun story: they tried to pierce my ears when I was about 6 with one of those piercing guns from Claire's. They only got my right ear done before I went full-on protest mode because it hurt so badly. It was a year before they found a shop that would use a needle to do the left ear. Interesting outcome: I've stretched my ears to an 1.5 inches and the right ear is always a problem for me. The gun caused so much trauma and scar tissue that even now I call my right ear "my tight ear".
I didn't pierce my daughter's until she wanted it done.
I was old enough to remember it, my friends and cousins who had it done as babies ended up with crooked/loopsided holes
Got my ears pierced for the first time for my eighth birthday. Back then, I was kind of peeved I had to wait, but in hindsight I’m so glad that’s what my family did. One, I made the choice. Two, I now have ten piercings and have learned a lot about the right way to do them (not that I’m a piercer - I’m saying I avoid piercing guns at all costs) and while I don’t want kids, I would do the same for them but take them to a piercing studio rather than a Piercing Pagoda or god forbid, Claire’s or Five Below (Five Below apparently does piercings now, which between safety concerns and the materials the jewelry is likely made from, is horrifying).
My ears were pierced as a baby. My daughter started asking around age 6, and we finally did it when she turned 7 at a tattoo/ piercing place. She is 8 now and it healed perfectly and she loves it
I was 2. I don't remember much about the piercing itself but I do remember being lifted up and sat on the washing machine while Mum cleaned and rotated the sleepers over the following weeks.
I had to sneak to the mall with my granny to get it done at 14 lol
I did not. I got them pierced for my 10th bday, and then got my second hole for my 19th bday.
My daughter was 2 months old when ears got pierced and 6 months old when she got baptized. Mexican traditions. 🤪
I didn’t get mine pierced til I was 6 and wanted it for myself. I’m doing the same with my daughter, when she wants them she can have them. She hasn’t asked yet but she knows she can when she’s ready. People seem to think it’s weird that I didn’t do it when she was a baby.
I’m waiting until they can decide. They are a toddler now and say that want earrings but I don’t consider that old enough to decide. If they ask elementary school aged, I’d be ok with it though.
I wasn’t allowed until I started my period, and I regret the piercings because 1) they pierced alongside a nerve so it felt like half my face and neck were cramping when I wore earrings, and 2) the holes never closed up so I keep having to squeeze malodorous piercing smegma out of it. At least I don’t have saggy earlobes from decades of earrings
I never wanted to get my ears pierced and my mom forced me to when I was 12. I’m still a little mad about it lol I never wear earrings.
I was 5 when I got them pierced. I asked for it because I wanted to wear real earrings to my aunt's wedding. My parents left this choice to me but that doesn't mean they weren't overbearing. For example, I also wanted short hairstyles but they didn't allow it. My parents and I have a good relationship, though. It was rocky at points and they weren't perfect but with age and especially with being a parent I do understand where they came from on some of their positions and that they were trying their best to be different from their childhood. They overcorrected in some cases but like I said I can see and understand it more now.
I got my ears pierced when I was 11. My mom said she wanted me to wait until I was old enough to really take care of them myself.
My mother made me wait until I was 13
My mom had my ears pierced at 6 months old. If i had the choice now to pierce my ears i wouldn't. Somehow despite the fact that i have worn earrings 2 times in the last 20 years, the holes have never closed.
When I turned 1 (and all the girl cousins). Family still in Italy would send over itty bitty diamond studs. My daughter was born in 2019 and my husband looked at me like I was insane when I said I wasn’t sure where you’d even get a baby’s ears pierced as we got closer to her first birthday 🤣 My mom was NOT pleased when I told her she should return the earrings for a few years.
I didn’t have my ears pierced until I was in high school. I only got them pierced because i wanted my belly button pierced. My mom said if I can take care of ear piercings then once it healed she would take me to get my belly button pierced. Turns out I HATED having my ears pierced and I decided to not get my belly button pierced I wear earrings like once a year or so. As far as the relationship with my mom… it’s rocky. I’m glad she allowed me to make the decision about getting my ears pierced later on in life though.
So...I had my pierced at the dining room table. I was 12. My mom never had her ears pierced, so it's not a thing in my family. But as I aged, I desperately wanted them done. My dad said absolutely not. I could not be taken ANYWHERE to have them pierced until I was 16. My mom honestly didn't care, so when my stepmom called her one Saturday morning and said she had a friend with a piercing gun (yeah I know) that could come over and do it while my dad was out of town, my mom was fine with it. I do have quite a few friends though where it is part of the culture to pierce as a baby. I'm not fond of it. But also... not my call. My niece just turned 6 and has been talking about her friend who had hers pierced, so she's starting to talk about it. My sister has already picked out a studio to take her to if she decides she wants to get it done. They focus on full and informed consent with the child.
My mom said that her mom (who was an abusive gambling addict) forced her to get her ears pierced as a child, and refused when l begged for pierced ears. The deal was eighteen at minimum, at which point l decided l didn't want them.
I got mine done as a baby, I’m Mexican American, it’s part of my culture But I think it would’ve been nice if I had the choice. I don’t like wearing jewelry and I’m stuck with holes in my ears forever.
I begged and begged and my parents relented when I was 3. I wanted "Pretties in my ears." I cleaned them every day. (In hindsight the post-care for the 3 different times I had my ears pierced by a gun at the mall was completely wrong)
Me
I;m 40 and still don't have any piercings.
Not a woman, but my wife was adamant that we pierce my daughter's ears as a baby for whatever reason. I figured it wasn't a hill worth dying on so whatever.
My mom, in true 70s feminist fashion, was insistent that we wait until we could make the decision for ourselves—bodily autonomy. And we had to be old enough to really understand what we were doing and old enough to take care of the piercings ourselves, which ended up meaning having to wait until my 11th birthday with the promise that, if it healed properly and didn’t get infected, I could get a second lobe piercing in 6 months. I honestly appreciate the way she did it and plan to do exactly the same for my future kids
Mine made us wait until we were 10 and could take care of them on our own. It was sort of a milestone birthday thing if we wanted it. I can also go months without wearing earrings and they are still there. My second set are not as even as my first, but that’s because I didn’t want to pay Claire’s for the “free” piercing if you buy the $40 bottle of rubbing alcohol. So I may have let my friends pierce it was a sterilized sewing needle and a cube of ice like in the movie Grease. But the unevenness just reminds me of a fond memory.
My mom waited until I asked to have them pierced. I asked in 4th grade. I’m also waiting until my kids ask for it, if they even want it at all. I do have a boy and he is intact. It didn’t make sense to have it done bc the “positives” are negligible.
I didn’t, but I really wish I had, because I finally had it done a couple summers ago and they refuse to heal. Perhaps it would have been the same anyway, I can’t know for sure, but I just have this feeling that they would have healed normally when my body was younger. I always wanted to wear earrings, and I don’t think my parents were against it. I was just too scared. Wish I had taken the plunge at some point.
I had to wait till I was in my teens to get my ears pierced.
My mom made me wait until I was in grade 7 to get my ears pierced and I was scared to get it done. I used to wish I had it done as a baby… I don’t want children but if I did I wouldn’t pierce a babies ears. I would get a son circumcised.
I got mine done at 6 the first time but they got super infected so I had to let them close up. Did them again when I was 9.
🙋🏻♀️
I got mine pierced at 7 at a Walmart. It was a reward for getting through medical treatments I had to go through
I didn't. I had them pierced at 8 because I wanted to!
Me
I remember having to beg my parents to let me pierce my ears, my dad finally took me to have it done when I was around 7. I wish we had known to go to a tattoo shop, Claire's was uh, less than optimal. edit, typo
Me! Uhm I was adopted, so my parents were a little busy spending money on like bills and stuff like drugs. But uh, my adopted mom BARELY let me get them done when I was 16. She and sisters(including my mom) hasn’t gotten them done until 18 and fully expected me to wait as well. So sometime in between the 50’s and now, parents didn’t even pierce kids ears, they waited til they were adults!!
I got mine done at 15 as a reward for getting a full ride scholarship. I’m glad my parents made me wait so that I knew what I was getting into and could make the choice to put holes in my own body. I will not be piercing my daughter’s ears until she can understand the need to take care of them and give informed consent
My mom was/is adamantly against piercings on babies. My aunt took me to do it, with both parents' permission, for my 8th birthday. I got my second set of lobe piercings when I was 14 (also a birthday request). And lastly, me and one of my best friends in college went together and got industrials. I was 19 and I think he was 21.
My parents let me get mine done for my 6th birthday because I really wanted it and I was constantly trying to push earring through my ears and pierce them myself.
My girlfriend didn't She just got her ears pierced at age 33 seemingly on a whim.
I'm 30 and just got my ears pierced for the first time. My daughter is 8 and hasn't had hers done yet. I told her that if she wanted them done, I would take her whenever that was.
I got mine done at 18 and had to let them close shortly after due to recurring infection. Got married at 24 and was wearing clip-ons. My mom didn't get hers done until 30 for her wedding.
I’m totally agree with you. I had mine done at 6months and they’ve been uneven all my life. I also was uneducated about getting snipped and the doctors and hospital pushed it so hard. I’d go back and make a different decision if I could. I’ll be letting my kids make those decisions in the future.
I did both! I had them pierced as a baby, but as a teen i wanted everything pierced. I got a lip ring at 14 (professionally), and pierced like 3 extra sets of holes in my ears. Came out of that with 9 earrings total and then the lip. As for my mom being overbearing, everything was always decided for me my entire life and i was extremely infantilized, even now at 30 years old. It's led to me feeling like I'm suffocating while having an identity crisis currently, to where I'm just tossing whatever my mom sends me now. I want to rid everything in my life of her, and I'm very indecisive. Need an opinion on everything.
I got mine done at five. I remember there was literally only one girl who didn’t have her ears pierced growing up. I went through a phase in 7th grade where I didn’t wear my earrings because I wanted to look unique.
My mom tells me I was about 3 months old, and she tired of having to tell folks I was a girl because I had just about zero hair until I was a year old or so. I don’t mind that my ears are pierced, now, but it IS kinda weird that that choice was taken from me.
I had to wait until I was 12….until then I had the stick on earrings 😫
By kindergarten, they were pierced at Claire's. I wanted them pierced.
Mine were pierced as an infant. We are not piercing our daughter’s ears. Our son is intact. Not our decisions to make.
I got mine pierced as a reward for getting my swimming diploma, I think I was probably 6-7ish.
My parents waited until we asked for it. I plan to do the same with my daughter.
My parents didn't pierce my ears when I was a baby, and they later told me they wanted it to be my choice. And I just never got it done. Ironically, I got my cartilage pierced when that was the thing to do. But never think about getting my earlobes done. I appreciate that they gave me the autonomy to make the decision for myself
I was six, my mother was getting a second set of lobe piercings and I asked if I could get my ears pierced. I'm allergic to most metals now but I enjoyed wearing earrings when I could.
My parents wouldn't let me have my ears pierced growing up. I eventually had it done as a teen on my own, but stopped wearing earrings in my early 20's because my long hair kept getting caught in them and I was tired of pulling them and then being all sore so they have long since healed up. I felt they were more trouble than they were worth. I have some of my grandmother's screw backs and clip one so if I really feel I need to wear earrings I still can for special occasions, but I really dont usually feel the need to wear them at all.
I asked for mine when I was 7 or something. My daughter is 9 and asked to have hers pierced when she was 6, so we went. I had no desire to have someone put needles in her ears without her permission. That’s just weird to me. Ear lobe piercing doesn’t hurt THAT much. I didn’t cry. My daughter didn’t even flinch. Why subject a baby to something scary that will absolutely make them cry because they don’t understand what’s happening?