Children under a certain age must have parental consent before making decisions. However, it is crucial to keep in mind that society and the people in their immediate environment might only occasionally support such decisions, considering them inappropriate or incorrect.
Nowadays, a lot of parents upload their kids’ photos and videos to social media, and some even create social media accounts for their kids to update their followers on their precious lives.
One of these young social media stars is Lara, a cute four-month-old baby who has already built up a sizable following on TikTok.
On social media, Lara’s mother adorably shares a ton of adorable images and videos of her child. However, a recent image intended to show Lara’s growth since birth sparked divisive debates and opposing viewpoints among viewers.
Many people were drawn to a particular aspect of the image, which showed Lara shortly after her birth. Lara was only 24 hours old when she unexpectedly had her delicate ears pierced, which shocked and deeply concerned many onlookers.
Naturally, a lot of people vehemently defended Lara’s mother and pointed to cultural norms in which early ear piercing was acceptable. The decision should have been left up to the child to make when she was of an appropriate age, according to opponents who argued that it was unethical to subject a baby to such a treatment.
I simply don’t understand.
Let’s not fool ourselves, someone said in the comments, it hurts exactly as much as it does as they age. Another said, “Once my children are old enough to understand these issues, I will let them decide. Shouldn’t it be up to them whether or not they want their ears pierced?”.
After reading various comments, Lara’s mother felt obliged to explain why she had chosen to have her daughter’s ears pierced at such a young age. She talked about how she made decisions and gave some background information.
Infants who have their ears pierced within the first two or three days of life experience less pain than when they are pierced at the age of one or two.
These tiny ear holes are created by neonatologists in the hospital right after delivery, she emphasized, hoping to allay concerns and shed light on her thought process.
Lara’s mother wanted to make it clear that her decision was driven by cultural traditions and values and the conviction that having Lara’s ears pierced at a young age would minimize any potential suffering for her child.
Contradictory viewpoints on parental judgment and social expectations for children’s welfare are revealed, though, as this sensitive topic is continued to be discussed.