My parents had a rule for my sisters and I that we had to wait until 13 to get our ears pierced.

Of the three of us, only one got her ears pierced, my older sister and I both don't have pierced ears. I've loved not having pierced ears. I never had to worry about having earrings pulled at during sports or activities, etc.

Why not give your daughters the option to decide for themselves if they want to have their ears pierced.

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.

This is not true! Babies absolutely touch the earrings, and this behavior just increases as the baby gets older. Pierced ears in babies can cause infections.

I used to work for a pediatrician, and we would see a lot of infections in little girls who got their ears pierced as babies. It's very important to keep pierced ears clean, especially in kids that are active and get dirty (ie, most kids!) They also pull on their earrings and, over time, it makes the holes bigger.

It's an individual choice, but I am going to wait until my DD is 10-11 and let her decide. She has to live with her pierced ears, and I think it's important that she be part of that decision-making process. I also want her to take some responsibiltiy for cleaning her ears and appreciating the need to keep her pierced ears free from infection.

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.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, I never knew how racist people were on this site. This is the worst.

Racism is thinking a group of people is genetically inferior.

Disliking a teeny part of another culture is not racist. There are aspects of mainstream American culture we all object to, I'm sure.

Don't bother trying to define racism. You don't know what you're talking about.

You haven't said anything other than you think I'm wrong. Please share what you mean by racism and explain how disliking infant ear-piercing is racist.

Sorry, no time to educate you.

The key for me is that making an alteration to the body for cosmetic reasons should only ever be done with informed consent. Period. I think 8 is old enough to give informed consent for something like this, but I also think that the request/idea should come from your daughter, not from you (as you don't want her doing it to please you, but rather because she wants to have it done for herself).

Anonymous wrote:We got our DD ears pierced at 4 months because her father gets keloids and the risk of keloids increases with age. If she were to "opt" for earrings at 9 or older it would increase her chance of getting keloids. Coupled with the fact that culturally it is the norm for babies to have earrings I saw it as a no brainer. Those who would look down on me for that choice would probably look down on me regardless so I'm not going to not do what I see fit because of them.

OP, as soon as I opened this thread I knew where the posters were going to go. It is a bit sad but no unexpected.

One person was rude and maybe racist. No one else was. I think baby ears with earrings look a little trashy. I also think white girls who tan too much look trashy. Neither opinion is racist.

We got our DD ears pierced at 4 months because her father gets keloids and the risk of keloids increases with age. If she were to "opt" for earrings at 9 or older it would increase her chance of getting keloids. Coupled with the fact that culturally it is the norm for babies to have earrings I saw it as a no brainer. Those who would look down on me for that choice would probably look down on me regardless so I'm not going to not do what I see fit because of them.

OP, as soon as I opened this thread I knew where the posters were going to go. It is a bit sad but no unexpected.

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Wow, did not mean for this to get so... heated... and racist. We're South Asian, and yes it is quite common for very young babies to have it done. I was on the fence about it for my own DD but thought it would be nice for when she gets a bit older to make it a fun thing to do together if she wants it. The more rational/ non racist/ normal folks on here, would 8 be a good age to take her to have them done?

I would wait until 12 when she better understands the permanence of the decision. You don't have to decide now, of course. You can wait and see how mature she is at 8.

I had mine pierced at 12 or 13 and it hurts. My DD is a teen and does not want to get her ears pierced. She is grossed out by any piercings and I feel naked without earrings so her attitude isn't from me.

Piercings should be an individual decision just like hair length and bangs. Based on my DD's personal belief I am glad I didn't have her ears pierced.

We didn't pierce our DD for the same reason we wouldn't circumcise our DS. As adults, they will decide.

Op here. Wow, did not mean for this to get so... heated... and racist. We're South Asian, and yes it is quite common for very young babies to have it done. I was on the fence about it for my own DD but thought it would be nice for when she gets a bit older to make it a fun thing to do together if she wants it. The more rational/ non racist/ normal folks on here, would 8 be a good age to take her to have them done?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, I never knew how racist people were on this site. This is the worst.

Racism is thinking a group of people is genetically inferior.

Disliking a teeny part of another culture is not racist. There are aspects of mainstream American culture we all object to, I'm sure.

Don't bother trying to define racism. You don't know what you're talking about.

You haven't said anything other than you think I'm wrong. Please share what you mean by racism and explain how disliking infant ear-piercing is racist.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, I never knew how racist people were on this site. This is the worst.

Racism is thinking a group of people is genetically inferior.

Disliking a teeny part of another culture is not racist. There are aspects of mainstream American culture we all object to, I'm sure.

Don't bother trying to define racism. You don't know what you're talking about.

Anonymous wrote:Wow, I never knew how racist people were on this site. This is the worst.

Racism is thinking a group of people is genetically inferior.

Disliking a teeny part of another culture is not racist. There are aspects of mainstream American culture we all object to, I'm sure.