What to Know
Reality star Lateysha Grace recently shared a sweet (and, of course, somewhat controversial) mom moment after taking her young daughter to get her ears pierced. While a lot of parents treat baby ear piercing as a rite of passage, some social media commenters were a bit shocked that she chose to do it at such a young age, especially after posting the milestone online for followers to see.
In clips she posted, Lateysha admitted she was a little nervous about the whole thing — something plenty of moms can relate to when it comes to their kids doing something for the first time. A professional piercer came to their home to handle the appointment, and what might be just another family moment for some turned into quite the discussion on when it’s “appropriate” to get piercings.
The reaction online was mixed, with some people questioning the decision because of her daughter’s age and others defending it as a personal parenting choice.
Ear piercing is one of those polarizing parenting topics, and we saw that in the comment section of Lateysha’s video.
“I had my ears done as 6 weeks old, forever thankful I had it done so young,” one person commented.
Another shared, “Best thing I did for my daughter at 11 months. Didn’t flinch, didn’t cry. Never been infected and she’s 3.”
Another added that they got their baby’s earrings in when she was 6 months old. “She’s now 1 and they’ve healed lovely and she won’t have to go through the pain when she’s older,” the commenter added.
“Definitely the best age , they look gorgeous,” another parent complimented. “In Italy you have the option to have them done in the hospital at birth.”
And there were a few negative comments, including someone asking, “Why put her through that pain?” and someone else asked, “Everybody to their own but I don’t agree with this.”
It’s one of those things where every family does what feels right for them, and in this case, for Lateysha and her little girl it was clearly a special moment — even if not everyone agrees.
Baby ear piercing has long been a tentpole when it comes to polarizing parenting topics.
In some cultures, it’s completely routine to pierce a baby’s ears before their first birthday. Pediatricians generally say it’s safe when done in a clean, professional setting, though they often recommend waiting until a child has had certain vaccinations and can help care for the piercing site.
Ultimately, like sleep training and screen time, it tends to fall into the “know your kid, know your family” category. What feels like a no-brainer to one parent can feel like a hard no to another — and both can exist at the same time.
I currently have a 10-year-old with two holes in each ear, and a six-year-old who wants nothing to do with getting her ears pierced.
To each their own!
For Lateysha, though, it was clearly meant to be a special milestone — one more tiny moment in the long list of growing-up memories. Whether you pierced your baby’s ears at six months or are holding out until middle school, the choice is yours.
And, if they’re old enough to comprehend why a complete stranger at a mall and/or piercing shop is sticking a needle through their ear lobes — it’s their choice too.
