When your kid/s want piercings...

[TS]

Hey Women!

My 13 year old daughter just asked to have her nose pierced. When I said no she then asked about her belly button, then her ear cartilage. AAACK. I'm either turning into my mother or semi-realistic about my daughter's hiegyne (lack of) habits. She can barely remember to brush her teeth let alone put dirty laundry IN the laundry room.

Are these piercings hard to keep clean/uninfected? Obviously we'd go to a piercing shop w/sterile/hospital conditions... maybe in 8th grade?

Thanks, Tracy

[BAM]

Tracy-I'm also a mom of a 13 yo and an 18 yo. My 13 year old has pierced ears, and often forgets to put in earrings and is constantly re-opening her old hole, and yes we have had our bouts of infection....so my comment is until her hygiene improves hold off. As for the belly button I allowed my daughter, the 18 year old to get hers done at 16, now she is pregnant and regretting it. The piercing will never be the same.
My 13 yo wants more piercings and tattoos, at this point in time I'm telling her to wait until she is 18 so instead she dyes her hair any color she wants. We feel she has to have some outlet to express herself so there it is.

[TS]

Thanks, BAM. At least my daughter will know how to find a good artist when she's ready (and legal) for a tattoo!

That's funny, she ended up piercing a 2nd hole in one ear and just dyed her hair red. Both those definitely were enough outlet this time around.

And, welcome!

[Sativa]

When I was 14 I decided I was going to pierce my own nose. I did. It took along time to heal. I remember it being so sore. It was a long time ago, but now I'm 29 still have it and love it still.

Now my 13 y.o neice asked her mother if she could get her nose pierced of course the answer was no, but low and behold guess what she comes home with. So anyways it landed up getting infected, I tried to get her to soak it, with some sea salt. She decided it was too much of a hassle, took it out and let it heal. This was a learning expierience for her because she too wanted the belly button and a cartlidge piercing. She has since changed her mind and decided to wait till she was older.

So I guess it could work either way, she could get one done see if she sticks with it. If not maybe it will make her hold out and wait till she's older.

atm I'm dealing with my 10 y.o who wants to get her ears gauged. :)

[Yarrow]

Tracy, both of my older girls got peircings at 13. One got her tongue done and the other her nose. Neither had any problems with infections and they were both fairly hygenically minded. LOL Oneis now 16 and about to get her cheeks done and the other is 19 and still has the tongue and below her lip done.

[Lori H]

You are brave...I know what men think when they know my tongue is pierced...I have often wondered if I would let my girls do it. Do they ever say anything about boys making comments?

[Debi Holland]

None of boys r asking for any. But if they did,i woul let them get there ears done at 13yo and anything else above the wasit mb 16yo.

[amanda]

i think it depends on the child,but if you dont think she will keep it clean its best to wait and belly buttons take forever to fully heal! sooo just make her wait a bit longer until shes ready to really put in the effort to care for it properly!

[Lori H]

I have only ever had my cartilage in ear pierced from those options. But i looked into mine before getting them. I had great experiences with 3 of my 4 body piercings. But one did not go so well. And it was my nipple piercing. I have tongue & hood done both with no issue. My cartilage piercing was no big deal at all. I wouldn't consider it even as painful as regular ear piercing. I barely felt anything. While hygiene is important, sometimes things just don't go right. I would wait, because bad hygiene can make things worse.

Make it the reward for doing everything she is supposed to for awhile!