My 6 year old son wants to pierce his ears:o

[jaybird]

My 6 year old unique, bold, marches to the beat of HIS drummer wants to get his ears pierced. His line of reasoning goes: when I grow up I'm going to be a rockstar, rockstars look cool with earrings, get earrings. My husband and I don't really mind him getting his ears pierced...he's always been himself x 10. For example, on Friday to school he wore his dress pant shorts (he had me hem a pair of dress pants to the knee), his socks with guitars on them, his black runners with silver sequins, a black bowling shirt under a black dress vest, with a tie that had skulls all over it....this is how he dresses, it is how he's always dressed, he doesn't take anything but what he likes into how he dresses. That being said, our concern is for others...which is sad really but we don't want this wild, wonderful spirit to be crushed by other children who've had the thought that earrings are only for girls drilled into their heads. Are we over thinking this? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[Natalka]

If it were my son, it would be a no - not because earrings are for girls because soceity has gone way past that, it's just not an issue anymore.
My answer would be the same for a six year old girl.
Piercing gets done when they are able to look after it themselves, which isn't at six.

Yes, I know some parents get babies done, but that's just my two pennies...

[Darth Penguin]

+1 Natalka

A 6 yo isn't mature enough for such a commitment to looking after what is essentially a wound. he or she will need adult supervision in cleaning and turning the ear-ring to make sure it's healing properly.

IMHO, the best age to get (general) your child's ears peirced is in the mid-teens should the child want them and they wear rings or spacers that follow school rules during school time.

[thriftygranny]

I agree, he may really want them now but he is too young to know what he will like in even two weeks. Kids tastes change so fast, you may regret it.

[roseofblack25]

I had my ears pierced for the first time when I was six and I took care of them myself. I was even warned by my parents that if I didn't take care of them and they gotinfected that I would not be getting them redone. Worked for me and they turned out fine and I even added more to the collection later on in my teens and am still adding to the collection LOL!
I would say give it a few months and if he still wants them done that badly let him do it. My parents waited and listened to me beg and plead so much they were just so over me asking to have them done that they took me thinking I would back out LOL!

[MortgageQueen]

Whether it's fair or not both he and you will be judged by that. Not saying one way or the other what you should do. . . BUT kids tend to live up to the reputation they've aquired (accurate or not). Just something to consider.

[DianneS]

Living on the West Coast, it would not be terribly unusual for a boy to have pierced ears so judgment from other parents or kids wouldn't necessarily be an issue out here. However, I think the idea of waiting a couple of months is a good one. He is young and kids at that age can change their minds quickly. If he is still set on it when Christmas rolls around then you may choose to go ahead. One thing to remember is that ear piercing is not a "forever" commitment. If he has a change of heart he can take the earrings out and the holes do grow over. Now, when it comes to tattoos that's a whole other story!!! There is no way on earth I can go there no matter what the age of the child or young adult.

[alicia]

I had my ears pieced when I was 7 - and what a mess! My Mom and our neighbour had to go at my earrings to pliers to get the backing off as it had become so infected/hot and red to the touch/inflamed that the backing was essentially stuck to the post (gross, I know). They put in sleepers instead and I kept my piercings, but it was bad. I know for certain I was touching them with dirty hands because it was "so cool" to now have earrings, etc. After that set I then got a second at 13, a third at 15 as well as a helix piercing, a tragus piercing at 16, and an industrial at 19. The only holes I still have are the original first set and the tragus piercing - I have let the rest grow over.

I have to agree with everyone who said that it might not be the best time to get his ears pierced (not because he's a boy, but because he's 6) as I know personally I didn't take care of them like I could (and did!) when I was older.

[GoJays]

I had mine pierced when I was 4 (not my choice but to this day it's not something that I begrudge my mother having done) and we had dd done when she was 5 (it was something that she asked for, but we did wait a few months before going ahead with it).. neither of us experienced any adverse reactions - no emotional scarring, no infections, no touching with dirty hands.

I respectfully disagree with Darth and Natalka (sorry!).. some kids are ready for commitments such as pierced ears and it's up to the parent to decide whether or not their child is ready for it, not for someone else to dictate when it should or shouldn't be done. DD was ready for it, she did the earring turning herself while I did the cleaning - not because she couldn't do it, but because she was too dang messy with the cleaning stuff.. lol.. so it was a joint effort. IMO, there was no difference between me helping her clean her ears or helping her have a bath or wiping her face after dinner - it's mom's job and it has to be done, and I didn't mind doing it for one second.

I do agree with DianneS, wait a few months and if he still wants them and if you feel that your son is ready for it then that's your decision and your decision alone.

[snuffaluffagus]

I love how you describe your son .

I had my older son's ear pierced when he was 4. While we took great care with it, he developed eczema that would come and go on his lobe. We just couldn't get rid of it entirely so I removed the stud after a couple of years.

Fast forward 16 years, when my younger son was 14, he asked to have his eyebrow pierced. I said, "no way!" I'm such a hypocrite . He was relentless in asking though and I was afraid he'd just go get it done himself. After nearly two months of arguing, I explained that he still had a baby face and it would look a little silly imo. I asked him to wait a year and, although he grumbled about it, he accepted to wait. On his 15th birthday, I asked if he still wanted it and he replied, "no, that would look stupid on me." Phew, lol.

All that to say, you know your son best. If it were me, I'd ask him to wait a bit to see if he changed his mind. And if he were to change his mind after getting the piercing done, it's easy to just remove it with only a minute trace that he ever had one.

Now, if he were to ask for a tattoo at 6, that would be a different story......lol.

[Lynn49]

It's one thing for a girl to have her ears pierced at an early age (for some cultures it occurs in the first few months of birth!), but with a boy, it's not usual at all, and he'll certainly be judged by his peers, teachers, as being somewhat of a rebel. At age 6, that's not going to do him a bit of good. Great your son is "his own" person, but you are his parents and you are the ones who determine what his limits are. He reminds me of our son at a later age: wanted to be a "rap" star to the detriment of his studies, his friends...hung out with others of the same ilk, dressed the rap style, walked the rap style, developed the same attitude, and left home at age 15. 'nuff said.
Alllow him his "free spirit ways" at home, but when it comes to what he does and how he looks and behaves to others, just be careful you're not setting him up as an "outsider" or someone who, at age 6, is already 'on the fringes' of what is considered acceptable in "normal society". Is if fair a child is judged by their looks? No. But it's a fact that we all have to live with if we want what's best for that child and not have him or her labelled too early.

[glowworm2k]

How about a compromise for a while? Get your son a few pairs of snazzy clip-ons and see how he likes them. If, after a year, he still wants pierced ears, I would be more inclined to say yes. If he can keep track of his earrings, is still enjoying/anticipating the idea of pierced ears, etc. after a year I would say that it's probably a decision that you and your son would be more likely to be comfortable with in the long run. I know a friend of mine who did this with her eight-year-old and ten-year-old daughters. They both wanted earrings and Mom said no at first. After the trial run with the clip-ons, the eight-year-old daughter decided after 6 weeks that she didn't want them, but the 10-year-old kept wearing the clip ons for a year and then got her ears pierced.

(As for me, my family background is Mennonite, so ear piercing at any age is out of the question as far as many members of my family go (seen as a form of vanity and unnecessary). I still don't have pierced ears - and don't want them - even now that I'm 30. Although don't tell my Mennonite family about the tattoos... that'd just be a whole other story! )

[SharonMe]

They have magnetic earrings too.
I like how you respect his unique nature instead of trying to make him fit in.

[Kalmel]

i got both girls pierced at 2 and never had any problems. I took on the responsibility up to when i saw they could do it themselves. My oldest was about 9 when she started taking care of hers and my youngest around 7. I think it's up to you to decide and not let anyone make you feel bad about your decision.

[nicolthepickle]

I would say when he's older. I have a very young DD and even though she wants to I'm not going to let her wear eyeshadow until she's a little older.