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Parents piercing a baby/toddler\'s ears...
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What is the reason for doing so?

When a child can't voice whether they want their ears pierced or not, why do so? What is the real need to pierce the ears of a baby under a year old, besides the parents thinking it's 'cute' or it's 'pretty'?

Shouldn't a child have some say in this matter? Wouldn't it be better to WAIT until the child can make the choice themselves, instead of doing it when they can't even talk, or walk, or understand what 'piercing' is?

I can understand this happening in other countries, with tribes and things like that, but that's a whole different reasoning and way of life.

Should a parent REALLY be allowed to get their babies ears pierced?

11-22-2011 at 4:42 AM
I've never had my ears pierced, and I'm glad my earlobes are intact. Aside from the will of the kid in question, there are so many risks involved, and even if the piercing does go perfectly, all piercings have permanent effects of some sort or another. Piercings can be compared to tattoos. Yes, it effects smaller area (usually), but it is still body modification on a person to young to think for themselves about it. And later, they may dislike whats been done to them. Would you give your kid a permanent tattoo?

11-6-2011 at 9:13 AM
Sweet Nelltatoeface, that's scar tissue.<br /> <br /> <br /> I'm kinda on the fence about piercing babies ears. I would never do it if i had a child but it doesn't bother me if people do it to their babies as long as they do what they can to keep the babies from destroying them and keep them clean so they don't get infected.

11-5-2011 at 8:37 PM
I totally agree that the child should have some say.<br /> <br /> But I got my ears pierced at age...I have no clue, just young. xD<br /> I took the earrings out because they were annoying. Took years to heal, and when they did, I got these little bulbs in my ears...they don't do much I guess. I'm guessing they're just balls of pus.<br /> <br /> Now why I say this ?<br /> I never understood what piercing was when I was young. If I didn't get it, I would have had those bulbs. Exactly why you should get a child's ears pierced at an age they understand what it means.

11-5-2011 at 7:53 PM
What I think people don't realize is that even if you do take them out, they usually don't just "heal right up" or something like that. :( I haven't consistently worn earrings since grade school, my ears were pierced when I was three. They still haven't healed, and I'm constantly having to expel pus from the holes in my ears. It's uncomfortable, unsightly, and even if I wanted to wear earrings, I can't wear most kinds. Only gold, because anything else irritates and "burns" my ears, not to mention the holes aren't straight.<br /> <br /> I wish my mother hadn't had my ears pierced. Really do. It's a pain in the butt. :/

11-4-2011 at 6:49 PM
I don't approve of ear percing while you're a baby. I had mine when I was little,and they got infected,now I have ugly holes in my ears,and want to get them re-pearced to hide them.

11-3-2011 at 11:04 PM
Regardless of whether or not the child can remove them after the fact, I don't feel like a parent has the right to make the decision to modify their child's body without their consent. Until the kid is old enough to actually voice their opinion, it should be assumed they don't want it.<br /> <br /> Also consider I have a friend who had her ears pierced as a baby. She accidentally ripped one of her piercings out and now has a really awful scar on her earlobe that makes it impossible to wear any piercings there comfortably.

11-3-2011 at 4:58 PM
Well, if the child doesn't want them later in life they could simply take them out...<br /> <br /> I for one was grateful that my parents got mine done, because - for example - if everyone else had them at school and I didnt; I would want them done but wouldn't have been afraid of it hurting. {This happened when I wanted to get my second piercing- which is why I used it as an example}

10-26-2011 at 9:48 PM
I'm sort of neutral on this, while the kid doesn't have a say and I dislike that it also isn't a horrible thing as it can simply be removed if they wish. <br /> <br /> I got my ears pierced as a infant, and I did like that better because I didn't have to go through the salt water healing process myself, my parents got to do it. lol

10-25-2011 at 5:35 PM
I don't think it's necessary but why make it illegal or something? It feels like a pinch and if the child doesn't want it later on in life they can take 'em out, end of story.

10-25-2011 at 10:40 AM
I hate this. All it does is hurt, and get infected. When you're older, you already lose intrest.

10-24-2011 at 6:59 PM
Personally I agree with the folks saying there's really no need for it. <br /> <br /> Think of it this way: you'd be appalled if a parent got their toddler's eyebrow pierced. Why are ears any different? It's a unnecessary and purely aesthetic body modification.<br /> <br /> I think it's all well and good to decide you want to modify your own body, but that isn't really a decision somebody else should be making for you.

10-24-2011 at 1:05 AM
I got my ears done at a very young age, I don't regret that decision, I love having my ears like this, and I would have never met one of my best friends without them XD

07-28-2011 at 12:08 AM
I remember when I got my ears pierced for my tenth birthday. It hurt a lot. I would not force that pain on a child. Plus, when ears are pierced there is a chance that they can get infected. Since babies and small children are sometimes more susceptible to some infections, the piercing could easily get infected. There's a cleansing liquid you're supposed to, well, clean the area of the piercing with. The child's not going to clean their own ears, so it becomes the parents responsibility to clease the child's ears. Especially at a young age, children are squirelly and a lot of work. What's to say that the parent won't forgot with the hassles of work and caring for the baby otherwise? Moreover, what if they child won't sit still long enough to get their ear cleaned? The parent could either give up or more forcefully try to clean the child's ear. This could lead to infection and/or injury.

07-27-2011 at 9:31 AM
I agree with Maggots.<br /> <br /> I hate seeing this and I feel its for the gratification of the mother (sometimes father, also).

07-25-2011 at 6:44 AM
Don't really condone it.<br /> <br /> My mom wanted to get mine pierced. My grandparents prevented it, and I'm glad they did. I didn't get mine pierced until I was 20, which is, uh, a good thing.<br /> <br /> Turns out I have an allergy and have to wear titanium and similar. No one else in my family has the allergy.

07-24-2011 at 8:41 PM
I don't support the idea of allowing parents to pierce their toddlers'/babies' ears. It should be done when they are old enough for the decision. <br /> <br /> I had my ears pierced when I was five, and had wanted them pierced really badly. I hardly ever wear earrings now, and my mom is frustrated about that. :/ I would say, wait until they reach about 10-11+ and know exactly what they want =)

07-22-2011 at 6:22 AM
Personally I don't think it's a good idea. Not only do the children have no say in the matter - which should be enough of a reason to abstain, I would think - but very young children/toddlers have a pretty high chance of ripping out their piercings. When an infant cries, it usually balls its hands into fists and puts them up beside its head...so many of those little motions could tear a piercing out, and I don't think I need to tell you how awful that feels.

07-21-2011 at 10:45 PM
My ears were pierced when I was a baby, I don't remember a thing. Nor do I remember the pain (my parents did it a little after I was born). Now the reasoning behind it is it's a family tradition from my mother's side. And frankly I don't feel them.<br /> <br /> So I don't see why not, also when you do when one is little the hole in the lobe is less likely to close up.

07-21-2011 at 9:29 PM
i know i would never do that to my child, because it's painful and they might not even want it, not to mention they might be allergic to metal (it runs in the family) and to me, it's Asking for an infection.

07-21-2011 at 5:50 AM
I don't really think it should be allowed. My mother got my ears pierced when I was little and then when I was five I stopped wearing them. I remember the day perfectly. They woudln't go in and I decided I didn't want them, almost 15 years later I still don't wear them.<br /> <br /> The only way my child will get their ears pierced is if they want to at the age they want them done and can make that decision. I'm not getting them pierced when all they do is fall out of the baby's ears anyway.

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