Ear piercing is such a contentious subject, especially on children.
I remember my own mum making me wait until I was 12 and then my 11 year old step-sister had hers done at the same time……safe to say I was not happy.
Eliza asked to have her ears pierced at the age of 6 and I have to admit I put it off for quite some time, but with more and more of her friends having it done, we finally caved in.
Before you get it done, it is important to check your school policy on earrings. Ours have to be removed for PE, so we made the decision to have them done in the school summer holidays to give them a good six weeks to heal and recover.
Ear piercing is such a contentious subject, especially on children. Check out boelry to know more about ear piercing jewellery.
We were very honest with her that it was going to hurt and even she will admit that she didn’t realise it would hurt that much and there were a few tears before she allowed the second ear to be pierced.
Once done, she was very proud of her earrings and even I was surprised by how well she looked after them, cleaning them with a salt solution twice a day.
Once they had healed, we took her shopping for her first pair of gold earrings, chosen so they would not irritate her ears.
Top Tips on getting your child’s ears pierced
Choose your shop wisely – we chose a specialist piercing shop, where the owner quietly explained to Eliza what was going to happen and when, but most high street jewellers offer an ear piercing service these days. Check individual sites for age restrictions and recommendations
Be honest – Ear piercing is painful, but the pain is over very quickly.
Take a distraction – Eliza’s big sister, Abbey came with us and having someone else to talk to definitely help. You could also take a friend for company
Be patient – it takes bravery to let someone put a hole in your ears, be prepared to leave if they change their mind!
Avoid swimming – if you follow my blog you will know that the kids are keen swimmers, with Eliza being a fan of mermaiding, but the NHS website recommends no swimming for 6-8 weeks after having a piercing done.
How old were you when you got yours, or your child’s ears pierced?
I have no opinion either way to be honest. I was 5 when mine were pierced, my daughter was 8. The right time is when it feels right
I pierced my daughter’s ears when she was a baby. Got it over and done with then.
I was 14 before I could get mine pierced and even then my mother was upset and disapproving of it. I think it depends on the individual and just being respectful and supportive while waiting for an age your all comfortable with
Laura x
I think the avoiding swimming tip is super useful!
My little cousin is desperate to get her ears pierced and I’ve been desperate for some tips. Thanks!
I was only a few months old when I got my ears pierced and have added many more since then. This brings me back to my middle school days when I would research the healing process before adding a new one.