Whether you are choosing to buy children’s earrings because your children are going back to school, or just because you want them to have something new, there are a couple of things to always consider before buying any type of jewelry for them. And they are as follows: Is your child allergic to certain types of metals? Are your child’s ears pierced? How old is the child? Knowing these particular factors can be the difference between the jewelry been a beautiful symbol of your love or it been a horrible experience for your child.
Is Your Child Allergic To Jewelry?
Before you buy any piece of jewelry for your child, you have to make sure you know what metals are in the piece. For example if your child is allergic to nickel, and you buy any jewelry with even the slightest amount of nickel in it, he/she might react to it, and that could results in breakouts (rashes). As a side note, did you know that 1 in every 7 people is allergic to nickel? So it’s a pretty common allergy. Now I know as parents we want our daughters to look beautiful with cute earrings, and for that reason I will tell you the safe pieces to buy for children with allergies to jewelry made of nickel. They are as follow:
- Sterling Silver Jewelry (Sterling silver has no trace of nickel in it, it is usually made with silver and a little bit of copper, so it is safe for children to wear)
- Copper Jewelry (Copper jewelry are not mixed with any form of nickel, so they are also safe to wear)
- Platinum Jewelry (Jewelry made with platinum has absolutely no trace of nickel, so it is safe for anyone allergic to nickel.)
- Titanium Jewelry (Usually referred to as the hypoallergenic jewelry, it is also very durable and safe for anyone with allergies)
Please if your child is allergic, stay away from jewelry labeled as custom jewelry, Fashion Jewelry, German silver or nickel silver. Each of these kind of jewelry are made with nickel. So for the sake of your child please avoid them.
Does She Have Her Ears Pierced?
If you have a child whose ears are pierced, that’s good, you can keep on reading or you can skip this particular step. If your daughter’s ears aren’t pierced yet, then you might want to read this. This are some safety measures to make sure, your child’s piercing all goes smoothly and without infection.
- Use a Professional: When you use a professional to pierce your child’s ears, there is less risk of infection because professionals usually know what they are doing
- Make sure the piercing parlor is sanitary: This should be an obvious thing to look out for but we find that some parents over look it. Your piercer must wash his/her hand or wear gloves before being allowed to touch your child’s ears. You as the parent have to look out for your child’s safety; after all she is your treasure.
- If possible find a place that uses single-use piercing guns: The reason is, there is less chance on getting infected with someone else’s germs, if the gun is immediately disposed after each use. At least you don’t have to worry about it being used on someone else before you.
Now if for whatsoever reason you don’t want your child’s ears being pierced then there are always clip-on earrings. These are earrings that are suitable for anyone who isn’t keen on holes in their ears but my advice is: If it is not against your religious believes or customs, then please just get her ears pierced.
Is There a Difference Between Earrings for Children and those for Adult’s?
YES! There is. You cannot expect your child to wear the same earrings you wear, that’s just absurd. First of all your earrings will be too big for your child’s ears and you will probably end up hurting them. Children earrings are naturally smaller than those for adults and they have more safety measures. And when I say smaller I don’t mean in stone size. The size of the post has to be smaller than that of an adult, the reason is, if it is not, then it will dig and cut into the head region of your child. And no responsible parent wants that.
Another big fear of parent’s is that jewelry can become a choking hazard for their child and that will take us to the next part of this:
How old is your Child: Whether your child is an infant, youngster, or swinging at the brink of teen years, these following precautions apply when buying earrings. When you buy child earrings, make sure it fits the child earlobes tightly. No matter how old this child is, if the earrings do not fit tightly, you are either going to have them get lost or they’ll will becoming a chocking hazard. The screws on the bottom of children’s earrings are usually smooth for comfort and they make sure that the earring can be tightened to your child’s ears. So your job is simple, make sure it fits tightly.
The age of your child contributes to the type of earring you buy for them. You aren’t going to buy the same earrings for a 12 year old and a 1 year old. Older children prefer their jewelry to relate to either pop culture or their interest. For example if she is a ballerina, you might be considered cool, if you buy her ballerina slipper earrings, something to keep in mind.
Keeping Your Child’s Earrings Safe: I wrote an article site about this, it’s called Girls Jewelry Boxes. I will just reiterate what I wrote there. One of the first things a young girl truly owns is her jewelry box and maybe her Barbie or in my case GI JOE (I grew up in a house of wide boys). Now Jewelry boxes not only tech your child accountability but they also make her feel like she is growing up and has more responsibilities. Now the kind of Jewelry boxes you buy for her is all left to you but my advice is; get her a musical jewelry box, they are inexpensive and create a lasting memory in the mind of your child.
Buying earrings for your children isn’t hard, it should be fun. Whether you allow them to choose their own earrings or you surprise them with it, make sure they always value what your money had to buy, an as they growup they will always appreciate whatever they have.
photo credit: lepiaf.geo