Children and jewelry?

Do you let your child wear expensive jewelry?

Have you ever thought your child might be allergic to nickel?

What was the first jewelry you let your child wear and how old was your child at that time?

I think these are normal questions you ask yourself when you are a practicing parent. It is difficult to decide whether it is a good idea to let them wear diamond earrings or your designer jewelry.

Many people say kids are just small people. Some of them really are aware of what they wear, the latest trends of fashion or they follow fashion bloggers for ideas. So do not be surprised some of them really like accessories like many adults do. Believe me, not only girls, but many boys wear jewelry. They might follow a music band, or they are sport fans, or just simply getting a taste from their father. What the question is what is appropriate, or what they will care of?

When selecting a jewelry for children these are the questions you have to consider:

1. How will they feel with what you have chosen for them? Do they really need to wear jewelry or it is only me, the mother who wants my child to look cool and fashionable with it?
Me personally I chose small earrings for my daughter and did not let her wear necklaces, since the latter can be caught by a hook or anything protruding. When she was smaller she was ok with my choice, she never questioned it. When she came older, 11-12 years old, we  talked about what is a practical size for school or for an occasion. What colors fits to her or her face shape.

2. Is the child old enough for the responsibility of owning and wearing an expensive gift?

I never bought expensive earrings for her. She dances and she can wear small earrings that does not bother during her classes. She always preferred hook earrings instead of stud, since she can leave them in her ears overnight. Tough I always paid attention on a good clasp, it happened a few times that she left the half pair of a nice earrings somewhere.

3. Is the material is safe and quality?

That is an important issue. My daughter’s ears were not perforated with hot needles in the hospital like in my childhood did nurses, but was punched with a pistol. It was not only me who complained about this method, since my daughter suffered an allergic reaction almost to all metal except gold or stainless steel. Someone explained me that the difference between the two method is the shape of the hole it makes. The pistol destroys the human tissue and makes a hole that is not parallel but trapezoidal. So that is the reason that many girls having this problem for a few years after this kind of intervention.
Be sure that the earrings you chose do not contains nickel. I have a good experience with gold jewelries when they are small, and later from teenage they can have other metals, too.

4. Is it easy to put on and take off?

That is always an issue. She is always in a hurry so I always seek earrings or necklaces with a handy or a magnet clasp. She gets annoyed with earrings that is difficult to put in.

5. Where are you going to keep it (in case of expensive piece of you allow them to keep them in their closet)?

Surely let the child be responsible for her jewelries. I bought for my daughter a beautiful jewelry box. She keeps order in it and often cleans it. However, I would surely keep diamond or expensive pieces in a home safe.

6. How big creation the child might wear?

Now that she is older she trends to wear bigger pieces than before (my designer earrings), but again, she says that big earrings are heavy and are not practical in winter time. We also take into consideration her face (she has a small and oval face) and height. Huge things definitely look comic on her.

7. Is it for everyday using or for special occasions?

I let my child use my designer earrings on some occasions, but for everyday life she prefers small earrings or thin necklaces.

8. Will you let them wear piercing? Are you aware of the health consequences?

Honestly saying – Thank God – this is not an issue for us. I know many kids are crazy about piercing or tattoos. I have no experience with this, but I know many parents are facing hard times when a child is coming home with such a request. I think, again, it depends on the child and surely would keep gradualism. I would suggest to my daughter to have it in a hidden place first to have the experience, so if she changes her mind later not to have it, it would not be visible. I would also highlight the importance of cleaning.

9. Is it safe? (running children with long necklaces… hmmm)

I mentioned this in the previous topics. It depends on the age of the child or the child’s behavior.
Recently it became common to use amber necklaces as an alternative health protection against tooth pain or respiratory diseases. Some people say it works. However I read article about small children died of being choked.

It is not easy to decide when is the right time, since each child is different and has a different degree of maturity. Some children do not realize what the gift is, or they do not appreciate the value of a nice designer piece no matter how cute they look wearing an expensive pair of earrings.

In my personal experience my daughter started to appreciate my pieces when she became 11. I let her wear some of designer earrings on special occasions such as wedding of our friends or relatives, family parties or school balls. Now she has smaller versions of my big earrings or an elegant, fine necklace with a heart. We even bought her a jewelry box and she keeps her treasures there.

However will you decide it certainly will give an emotional importance and trust, and surely it will influence that the child will be a healthy adult with a normal values.