Pierced Ears? No Drama, Please!

During breakfast a few days ago, while eating a bowl of cereal and drinking her milk, Madeline suddenly burst into tears. When I asked her what was wrong, she sputtered out "My ears are pierced but I didn't want them pierced and you took me to the store but I didn't want them and now I want to take them out." Tears fell down her cheeks into her lap.

Now, I am a compassionate mother- I hate to see my children in pain, and I comfort them in any necessary situation. But in this moment, all I could do was roll my eyes and bite my tongue. I looked at Bill and said, "Why in the world is she bringing this up now?"

A short back story before I go on: My wonderful father who I dearly love had an insane rule that my sister and I could not pierce our ears until we were 13 years old. I was so scarred (I don't think my dad reads my blog, but just in case,  Dad- I'm joking!!) that I decided my own daughters would never have to wait. I always told Brooke and Madeline that anytime they wanted to have their ears pierced, all they had to do was ask. So one day at the mall, when Brooke was four years old and Madeline three years old, they both asked to have their ears pierced. This request was without any forced subliminal messaging or persuading. I made arrangements with a store to have two women ready that afternoon so both ears could be pierced at the same time.

The girls were so excited, and had they at any point decided to change their minds, I would have been ok with that. Sad and disappointed, of course! But I'm not going to pin my child down while someone sticks a needle in her against her will. Well, I take that back; I have done that. Immunizations are a necessary  pain though- saves lives, ok?

So, my dear Madeline, before you grow this idea in your head that mommy forced you to get your ears pierced and you decide to seek out therapy, here is evidence from that day. Your adorned ears are adorable, I might add!!

Before:

And after: 

Ok, so you are bit ticked off here in this picture. But you were smiling less than a minute later. And you never shed a tear.

Brooke's before: 

And after: 

That night, the back of Madeline's earring came off, and she had to go in the next morning to have it repierced. But that event was not forced either, nor were tears shed. Being a mother means being imperfect, but Madeline- please remember: I love you, and you are beautiful whether you have pierced ears or not! (But I'm glad they are!)