Are there any benefits to piercing your kids ears when they are a baby?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of you posters are just absurd.

Ear piercing is cosmetic. It is also cultural. For whatever it matters, I did not have my baby's ears pierced. But, let's not pretend like ear piercing is something dramatic or traumatic. It isn't. That's a fact. It's over in less than 20 seconds (I've had mine pierced; my daughter who is not 5 just had hers pierced). That some of you are getting worked up over this -something that is frankly none of your business- is bizarre. I find you people absolutely bizarre. Please put your righteous indignation toward something more useful, like volunteering at a soup kitchen.

As for you utterly classless people who would call an infant or toddler "trashy" for having their ears pierced? You're really the pot calling the kettle black. No infant or toddler could ever -ever- be called trashy. These are children. Please get a grip, perspective, and a dose of class.

er...I don't think anyone is calling babies trashy - they mean the babies are innocent victims of trashy moms.

What exactly do you mean by trashy? Because people from Asian, Latin American, African and some European cultures pierce their babies ears. So basically most of the enitre world is "trashy" by your estimation. I think the fact that you jump to judge other people for nothing more than earrings makes you a disgusting human being and I am happy that you would never associate with me. I would never want to be involved with someone as vile as you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of you posters are just absurd.

Ear piercing is cosmetic. It is also cultural. For whatever it matters, I did not have my baby's ears pierced. But, let's not pretend like ear piercing is something dramatic or traumatic. It isn't. That's a fact. It's over in less than 20 seconds (I've had mine pierced; my daughter who is not 5 just had hers pierced). That some of you are getting worked up over this -something that is frankly none of your business- is bizarre. I find you people absolutely bizarre. Please put your righteous indignation toward something more useful, like volunteering at a soup kitchen.

As for you utterly classless people who would call an infant or toddler "trashy" for having their ears pierced? You're really the pot calling the kettle black. No infant or toddler could ever -ever- be called trashy. These are children. Please get a grip, perspective, and a dose of class.

er...I don't think anyone is calling babies trashy - they mean the babies are innocent victims of trashy moms.

What exactly do you mean by trashy? Because people from Asian, Latin American, African and some European cultures pierce their babies ears. So basically most of the enitre world is "trashy" by your estimation. I think the fact that you jump to judge other people for nothing more than earrings makes you a disgusting human being and I am happy that you would never associate with me. I would never want to be involved with someone as vile as you.

Calm down, I'm not of the PPs saying its trashy, I'm just an amused observer of this thread. I meant what I said tongue in cheek. And I am included among the groups you list. I agree, this thread has been bizarre. You know what bothers me more than earrings? Those super frilly headbands people wrap around their babies bald heads. They look uncomfortable!

[Anonymous]

"What exactly do you mean by trashy? Because people from Asian, Latin American, African and some European cultures pierce their babies ears. So basically most of the enitre world is "trashy" by your estimation. I think the fact that you jump to judge other people for nothing more than earrings makes you a disgusting human being and I am happy that you would never associate with me. I would never want to be involved with someone as vile as you."

Huh?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"What exactly do you mean by trashy? Because people from Asian, Latin American, African and some European cultures pierce their babies ears. So basically most of the enitre world is "trashy" by your estimation. I think the fact that you jump to judge other people for nothing more than earrings makes you a disgusting human being and I am happy that you would never associate with me. I would never want to be involved with someone as vile as you."

Huh?

Too many words for you? I know you're used to one word insults. Got it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay, 13:29, I'll take that as you have no answer. This about this: we are all worse off when things that aren't racist get labeled that way. Real racism happens. Let's save our condemnation for that and allow for otherwise geniune cultural tastes and disagreements.

NP here - You don't think being afraid that someone might think you're *gasp* hispanic is racist? What's wrong with being hispanic? The rest was just classist, though there does tend to be some overlap, but I suspect intersectionality is not something you're interested in.

OP, we all know the only appropriate way to raise your daughter is the way middle class white women do it, so I suggest you start bleaching your daughter's skin and giving her an eating disorder asap.

And this is what irks me to death about this board. All of the "I just love the diversity and international culture I am exposed to living in DC" is just a bunch of b.s. when you think about it. They're just as close minded as their small hometowns they look down on.

Oh, that's a favorite tagline on dcum! It's true - as long as the diversity and culture can be appreciated from afar.

[Anonymous]

OK, it sounds like moms of babies w/ pierced ears are feeling personally offended at this point, which is totally understandable. You like it, you did it, that's fine.

But OP asked a totally reasonable question, which is a good reminder that even those of us from "ear-piercing cultures" don't universally pierce or believe in piercing just because it's "done." It doesn't have real cultural or religious significance in any culture I know of-- it is done for the same reason cross-culturally, to enact a visible gender difference among babies and begin enforcing gender early. If you like pierced ears in baby girls, you're probably fine with this, or you think this is over-thinking or analyzing it. In any case, this is what pierced ears do: they tell us your baby is a girl. And sure, they are adorable, in a girly, feminine way.

But I don't think there are any physical advantages that have been well-argued on this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From what I can tell it will confirm, or make people wonder if, you are poor or Hispanic.

People might think I'm poor?!? OR HISPANIC?!?!

Bwahahaha, that is funny pp. Oh the horror of being hispanic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From what I can tell it will confirm, or make people wonder if, you are poor or Hispanic.

People might think I'm poor?!? OR HISPANIC?!?!

Bwahahaha, that is funny pp. Oh the horror of being hispanic

This reminds me of the Office when Michael asked Oscar if there was anything else he preferred to be called other than Mexican because..you know...of :"the connotations"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay, 13:29, I'll take that as you have no answer. This about this: we are all worse off when things that aren't racist get labeled that way. Real racism happens. Let's save our condemnation for that and allow for otherwise geniune cultural tastes and disagreements.

NP here - You don't think being afraid that someone might think you're *gasp* hispanic is racist? What's wrong with being hispanic? The rest was just classist, though there does tend to be some overlap, but I suspect intersectionality is not something you're interested in.

OP, we all know the only appropriate way to raise your daughter is the way middle class white women do it, so I suggest you start bleaching your daughter's skin and giving her an eating disorder asap.

Middle class white woman here, got both DDs ears pierced at 5 months. You all should totally raise your daughters just like me.

[Anonymous]

I have a friend whose nanny was from the old country and just pierced my friend's baby's ear with A NEEDLE right after she was born. *CRINGING AS I TYPE IT*

OP make sure if you decide to do this that you don't wait. I had a friend who had her baby's ears pierced (we're Middle Eastern and it's like almost mandatory in our culture) when the baby was 3 months I think but then she started to play with her ears and got an infection a few months later so it must have still been healing.

I personally rejected this whole thing and left my baby's ears alone. She's the one who should decide what to do with her body, not me.

[Anonymous]

Wow - scary how many ignorant people there are out there! Referring to the cultural / racist comments regarding this topic, incredible!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You people are absolutely ridiculous with with your class based borderline racist comments. It's a personal choice, many pediatrician offices do it and honesty your daughters would probably thank you that they don't remember the experience. Also babies don't touch them, minimizing the risk if infection.

My Dad was a Family Practitioner, and saw many babies in his practice. He NEVER pierced a baby's ears. Do they really teach that in med school?

And come on. You know that most babies are not having their ears pierced at a doctors office. They are all getting it done at Claire's in the mall. Beautiful, culturally signifcant, place that it is.

While its true that many Pediatricians no longer do ear piercing in their practice, it was a very common practice 20+ years ago. My ears were pierced by my family physician when I was two weeks old as well as all my sisters and extended family. My DD is 4 months and I will be bringing her to her pediatrician to get her ears pierced next week. In addition to pediatricians, ENTs (Ear nose throat) doctors and dermatologists also do it. The benefit of having a trained medical professional do the piercing is they can properly assess an infant's ear and see if their ears are even big enough to have earrings. They also are aware of nerves to avoid and practice proper sterile techniques. Many doctors also use medical grade equipment (Medical grade plastics and titanium) to avoid risk of allergic reactions due to Nickel allergies. Some doctors also use Emla cream (Lidocaine) to numb the ear lobe.

With that being said, many people choose not to do research and just go to the mall. In many cases this is fine, But there is a safer way to get it done. I think its ridiculous for people to equate ear piercing with tattooing their child. Also its insulting (and shows a certain level of ignorance) to suggest that only low class people or minorities pierce their baby's ears. If its done early enough and provided the parent takes good care of it, infancy is probably the best time to pierce ears. But like many things, this is a personal preference.

[Anonymous]

I got my son a Prince Albert when he was 3 months old. Sure, many will say that's trashy, and that I should let him grow up to make his own decisions, but they're just small-minded bigots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only possible benefit I can think of is that it makes it less likely that people will mistake your infant daughter for a boy. Because, you know, that's really damaging to a developing psyche.

LOL! Ear piercing is absurd. Might as well put makeup on your baby too!

The same people that argue against earrings are the same ones that see no problem with maekup for 5 years olds "just for fun" to go to the mall or hot pink toenails on a preschooler.

This! Exactly! Thank you!

[Anonymous]

I'm with the rest of the posters, not until they ask.

I am very against the idea of having a small child go through body mortiphication for vanity reasons, especially against their will.