Pierced - Getting Their Ears Pierced 101

I know the debate on getting a child's ears pierced when they are infants versus letting them choose when and if they want their ears pierced.

For me, I distinctly remember getting my ears pierced when I was eight years old.  It was a birthday present that I had desperately begged for.  I felt so grown up.  The training wheels had just come off of my bike and my mom took me to the jewelry counter at Hudson's Bay to get my ears pierced. We had Orange Julius after. It was the best day EVER!  As I type this I recognize that these may be some of the most Canadian 1980's sentences I have ever laid down.  The earrings I selected as my 'keeper' earrings were faux sapphire, my birth stone.

via Pic Gifs

I had two main reasons for waiting to have Molly's ears pierced.  The first was that although babies with earrings look adorable, I am keenly aware of what toddlers are like and the warnings that many daycares present on sending an infant with their ears pierced (i.e. we are not responsible if another child tears an earring out).  The second was that I wanted the earrings to be her choice, not mine, and a mother daughter bonding moment, something that I remember so vividly myself.

When Molly asked to have her ears pierced for Christmas this year, I suggested that we go together in November so they would heal and she could add 'fun earrings' to her Christmas list.  She was thrilled.

After talking to a friend about the piercing gun at a beauty salon jamming when her daughter had her ears pierces, resulting in pain and multiple infections until the earrings came out for good, I decided to opt for a professional piercer instead of a jewelry store or salon (and The Bay at Cloverdale mall no longer exists where I had mine done).  I researched nearby tattoo and piercing shops and picked the one with the best reviews.

Image via Giphy

Molly had a choice of two sets of earrings, plain titanium balls or sparkly gem ones.  She went for the plain titanium ones.  I held her hand while she had the first earring put in.  She didn't make a sound.  She needed to regroup for a minute and when I told her that she could quietly say any swear word she wanted while she had the second one done, she giggled and was ready, but not before checking out the first earring in a mirror.  Right after we went over to the house of family friends for a cup of tea.  She felt very grown up about the whole thing (which was exactly what we were going for).

Miss Molly Just Moments After Her Ears Were Pierced

So far she's been great about making sure the special spray makes it's way onto her ears morning and night.  She lost an earring at swimming lessons, but dad managed to muddle through and get her some spares.

Stay tuned for news on all the amazing earrings she gets for Christmas.  She's particularly excited for dangly ones!

A special shout out to Bad Buddha Tattoos on St. Clair for doing such a great job.