Getting your daughter’s ears pierced is a special event that marks a major milestone in her life. Piercings last forever. Each time she changes her earrings will be a reminder of the moment her ears were pierced, and of the love and care that came after. This is a special time in her life and a special time for the two of you; an opportunity to bond before she is ready to leave the nest and take on the world.
Diligent Aftercare Shows Her You Care
Before you run right out and get her a gift box for earrings, you need to keep in mind the aftercare necessary to keep her earlobes healthy and free of infection. Good aftercare will prevent painful scarring and potentially having to re-pierce her ears. Depending on her age, you may have to take responsibility for the care of the piercing, or you may just need to supervise. Regardless of the level of involvement required from you, this is your chance to share special moments with your daughter.
Younger Girls
If your daughter is very young, remembering to keep her hands away from her sparkly new earrings may be difficult. Have a gentle conversation with her, explaining why it is important to keep her hands away from her earrings, and that she should only ever touch them if she has just washed her hands. Keep an eye on her, and remind her with love if you see her touching the earrings.
You will need to manage the care of her piercings, as very young children need more help with this task in order to prevent infection. Remind her how brave she is, and help her learn responsibility by letting her take on the tasks that she is able to do. Let her help clean her earlobes, and frame the instruction to keep her hands away from her earrings as taking care of her piercing. When she is ready to take out her first earrings and change them for the first time, consider keeping the memory of this special time alive with an earring subscription box. An earring gift box is the perfect way to give her new earrings she is sure to love every month.
Keep the Piercing Clean
You will need to wash her ears with saline solution, antibacterial soap, or aftercare wash, two to three times a day. A spray wash is most effective, but you can also use a cotton swab to apply the solution directly to the site. Remember her ears are tender, so be very gentle. You may need to distract her from what you are doing by telling her a story or singing a song with her. Letting her hold her favorite teddy bear will help, too.
Take this time to talk to her about her favorite activities, foods, books, or toys. She will appreciate the love and attention, and you will appreciate the opportunity to get to know your daughter better. It is a good idea to incorporate washing the piercing into other routines already in place so that you both remember to do it. Finally, don’t forget to wash your hands before you clean her ears.
Keep Piercing Free of Irritants
If your daughter still needs help bathing, make sure her hair is rinsed thoroughly and free of shampoo, conditioner, or lotion. When she is done bathing, wash her ears with a cleaning solution to ensure that no residue is left on her earrings.
Avoid Injury
Younger children often do not think about the potential for injury, so you are going to need to make sure her first earrings are small and unlikely to snag on clothes. Keep the backs on the posts a little loose to give her earlobes space to breathe and heal, and prevent the earring from becoming embedded. Finally, be extra cautious when brushing her hair.
Keep Her Piercing Healthy for a Lifetime
Young ears can be sensitive, so it is important to make sure the earrings she uses after she is able to change them for the first time, are hypoallergenic and nickel-free. Help her stay excited about taking good care of her ears, and give her new ways of expressing herself by giving her a monthly earring gift box subscription.
Older Girls
Older girls will not require as much direct involvement in the aftercare of her piercing, yet this is still an opportunity to bond and share some special time with your daughter, showing how much you care. In addition to making sure she is sticking to a routine of cleaning her ears and keeping them free of irritants, you can take advantage of the opportunity to have important conversations with her about her interests, her self-image, physical changes, and her feelings.
Adolescent and pre-teen years are a time of big changes, and knowing she can talk to her dad about anything will give her the security she needs to get through them. An earring gift box subscription from Rowan will delight your daughter with a new pair of earrings that come in a beautiful gift box for earrings, along with a special surprise, and fun conversation starters that will help the two of you keep your bond strong.
Whether your daughter is still Daddy’s Little Girl, or she is beginning to grow into an independent young woman, getting her ears pierced is a milestone. Help her celebrate the importance of this event, and learn good self-care, by taking an active role in this new transition.