i had mine done as a teenager and they were fine for about six years, then it went wrong. 20 years later, i still get stuff coming out of the holes. i haven't been able to wear earrings for the last 20 years, (and i had a fantastic earring collection too), so i feel ripped off.

My DD is 4.5, without earrings, has never asked for them, it's never occurred to me to get them done on her (apart from reading about change in ear lobes, when having it done on babies e.g the hole may not be symetrical by the time they are grown up). She uses play jewerelly and has enough trouble looking after / not losing that. The amount of kerfuffle we have already, about "what's she's going to wear", i don't want to add to that, with earrings as well.

i remember when i first put her in childcare (at 17 months) and it occurred to me, we don't let babies have things smaller than what can fit into a film cannister (choking hazard), yet there are multiple children with earrings in (in the childcare baby room), and their earrings are smaller than a film cannister, and are metal. I wondered if babies in childcare, who are at that age of grabbing and MINE MINE and liking sparkly things - ever came to grief, involving earrings. Prolly just me thinking over cautiously. Can't help it, i only have one and i'm lucky to have her at all.

i wore earrings for years, sometimes the little butterfly backs come off when you didn't realise they did.

Guess i'll find out when she starts school (all the peer pressure) what my deal breaker is, on this topic. Right now, i'm leaning towards the "coming of age" e.g a way to celebrate her first menstruation.