Marky Mark wrote:The Colonel wrote:Is 14 a bit young for a boy to get an earring?
I'm asking because my third son's birthday is coming up soon.
No, I don't think 14 is too young nor, looking at the other posts in this thread, do I think that 7 is too young either. However, that's my opinion and it's yours that matters.
The important and valuable thing here is that you can have the discussions with your sons and are open minded enough to give them your blessing and encouragement when they have stated their preferences either way. My son is aged inbetween your two younger ones and asked to have his ears pierced over two years ago. I was with him when he had both his ears pierced (on separate occasions) and he has always acted maturely concerning their hygiene and care.
Looking at the posts on this and other threads, it appears to me that many men and boys determine at quite a young age that they want to wear an earring or earrings and always have it done (sometimes straight away, othertimes many, many years later after or despite parental, peer or society pressure - real or imagined). My personal view concerning a son wanting to wear an earring is that (whatever his age) I would much rather take him to have his ear pierced properly with my encouragement than say no and him go behind my back to some dirty place (notwithstanding the need for parental permission) or get a friend to do it.
Marky Mark,
I am very open minded about what my kids want to do (within reason naturally) but I am of the opinion that kids should have the ability to explore their own identity and that parents should only be hard on regulating the extremes (e.g. lips, noses, eyebrows etc, tattoo's, smoking, binge drinking and so forth).
I totally agree that it is far better to support them rather than risk injury or infection through doing something by dodgy means. Fortunately, I found a good and clean place that goes it properly, wearing gloves etc. and my two eldest have experienced no problems at all.
As I said before, my wife is of the opinion that we shouldn't ask either Matthew or Andrew and that we should wait for if, or when, they ask. I don't entirely disagree with her as such (since it must be their choice, which I agree with) but I personally don't see the harm and asking them, and if they don't want it done, at least they know they can if they want at some other time.
I'm not too concerned about Matthew getting it done, since he is reasonably close to 16 (the age my eldest two got it) but as for Andrew I do think he is a bit young (but that said I've seen boys about as young with it). But if he did want it, then there would be severe difficulty in saying no to him.
Matthew's birthday is on Friday (1st), so I think maybe I'll have a discreet word with my wife about it again.
What age did your son get his ear(s) pierced Mark?