Pierced Ears and Your Baby Girl

Every parent with a daughter eventually finds them self wondering when their daughter is old enough for pierced ears. Some people choose the route of getting their daughter’s ears pierced when she is a baby, others wait until various ages, and some do not allow it at all. So, when is your daughter old enough for pierced ears? Moral and personal beliefs aside, most agree that when you can answer “yes” to the following three questions, your daughter is old enough for pierced ears:

1. Is she old enough to know if that is what she wants? Pierced ears is a bigger deal than most people think it is. It is a permanent change to your body. Sure, sometimes holes will fill in if earrings are left out long enough, however, most people will have holes the rest of their life, and even if they fill in, there could be scaring or other indication of pierced ears. So, it is important to first ask yourself if the child has the mental capability to make a decision for herself, without too much influence from peer pressure, etc. When too young, a daughter often wants to do anything their mom does or has. When they become teens, they often want what their friends have. Neither is a particularly good or bad reason for having pierced ears, but it is important to wait until your child is old enough to say, “Yes, I want them.” Or “No, I don’t.”

Is your daughter old enough to care for piercings?

2. Can she take care of her ears? Any time you get a piercing, of any kind, it needs to be properly cared for, otherwise it is not going to heal as it should. An ear piercing may not require as much cleaning and care as a tongue, belly, or other piercing, but it still requires care and cleaning. Is your child old enough, and responsible enough to do that for themselves? Will they require your assistance? Are they going to neglect it and possibly lead to infection, and other serious problems? If they can’t care for their ears themselves, they probably are not old enough to have earrings.

3. Can she change her own earrings? Girls like to change their earrings to match their various outfits, etc. If your daughter is not old enough to change her own earrings, she is not likely old enough to get her ears pierced. If they lack the basic skills involved with having a privilege, they probably should not be afforded that privilege.

Most people agree that after age eight most kids can choose for themselves whether or not they want earrings, and are responsible enough to care for their ears and change their own earrings. However, each person is different, and thus, as a parent only you can decide if your daughter is old enough for pierced ears.