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Should piercing baby's ears be banned?

Hello hello

We've written a news story today about a new petition to ban ear-piercing for babies and toddlers. The people who've started the petition think it's 'a form of child cruelty'.

The petition's already attracted over 22,000 signatures.

But what do you think?

Do you think piercing a baby's ears is cruel and unnecessary? Or do you not mind it at all? Maybe it's a cultural thing in your family (my grandmother was Flemish and, for her, it was the done thing to pierce all her children's and grandchildren's ears when they were newborns)?

Do let us know what you think. We'd really value your views.

 

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Replies

  • I've signed this petition a few days ago.

    Wearing earrings is a fashion statement not a basic need, a child shouldn't have theirs ears pierced until they are capable of deciding they want them done.

    Personally I didn't get my ears pierced until I was 13 when my parents felt I was old enough and mature enough to make the decision.

  • I completely agree with purplestar. I was around 8 when I had mine done and I remember asking for them to be pierced. I'm not sure I'll be letting my girls have them done at 8 it still seems quite young. 

  • I don't think it should be banned. I had  my ears pieced by choice when i was about 8 years old, but I wanted it done (my mum never wore ear rings!). I have not and will not have my daughters ears pierced until they ask themselves, but I don't see the big deal in it. It's just ear piercing, it hurts for a moment when they do it, and as long as they are looked after and kept clean afterwards, I really don't see what the whole hoo ha is about!

    Let's also not forget in some cultures, it's a tradition to have babies ears pierced - who are we to argue?

  • The cultures thing can be used to excuse all kinds of things though. Female circumcision is a cultural tradition but that doesn't make it right.

    If you were going to get a baby's tongue pierced or their belly button (or anywhere else!) people would be horrified. Personally I think ears are no different! Why put a baby through that for purely vanity reasons? 

  • Of course female genital mutilation isn't right - cultural or not! But hardly comparable!

    But of course tongues and belly buttons are different to ears - a tongue is so much more susceptible to infection, it swells to twice the size, poses a choking hazard, and with the ears, it's the fleshy lobes. Also, the pain factor is entirely different, and I just feel, it's ears, you know? No big deal.

  • I had my daughter's ears pierced on her first birthday, she didn't even flinch. I was of the opinion that she was less likely to be worried about it before hand than if she had been older. I was also more likely to be able to care for her ears whilst they healed, as waiting until they are 8 etc means that they would need to be done at the start of the summer holidays as the earrings shouldn't be removed for a fair number of weeks until they are healed and schools quite rightly expect them out for pe lessons.

    I can understand why some parents feel this may be wrong but it is their opinion and they are quite entitled to it. 

    I think nowadays people are too quick to label things as child abuse.  I understand having pierced ears is a choice not a basic need. So does that mean the next petition will be banning children travelling on holiday to countries that require jabs? As going on holiday or choosing such countries is also not a basic need. 

  • I do think piercing a child's ears is cruel unless they ask for it and know it will hurt (temporarily). I also think it takes something away from the experience, I was 6 when I had mine done, I'd been pestering for ages and ages and was so excited when my mum and dad took me to the jewellers to have them done. I wouldn't want to deny my child that experience.

  • I think a ban should be made for babies having their ears pierced, who is it really being done for?

    My brother had all 4 of his girls ears pierced before they were 1 years old, to me it looked horrible.

    Its not just the initial pain which I get is over in seconds and yes parents can care for them, but what happens when they get a bit older and play and maybe get it caught, I know 2 people who as young children ripped their ears open from getting the earring caught when playing etc...one of my friends is now 42 and just paid for plastic surgery to rectify her ear where she had the lobe re sewn together cause the tear from the earring had created two flaps (not sure that makes sense).

  • I waited till my daughter was 5 to get her ears done, I just didnt see the need for it for my child but i get that some people do and that at the end of the day is a choice they should be able to make for culture or non culture reasons...

    I think that there is too big a deal made about this most girls when they grow up want there ears done and getting it done as a baby makes it easier to look after aswell as less scaring as older children tend to feel the pain more then a baby.

    I dont not believe this should be banned or labeled child abuse as i very much doubt the parents are doing it for the sheer fact of putting there child through pain just as people have the choice to have there boys circumcised it is not something they need and not everyone will agree on that but it is a choice they get to make as a parent...

    I think nowadays with the many cases of abuse towards children people are trying to get involved with what they can but i think they are doing it in the wrong areas.. ear piercing is the least of any worry these days so i think people should care less about controlling people choices and do more to help victims be found and help them recover..  

  • I personally wont get my baby's ears pierced but I think a parent has the right to do it if they want. It is not putting the child in any danger, the time and resources put in to try and implement this could be better spent in other areas. 

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