S/O How many (and what kind) of earrings does your DD have?

[garnetgirl]

DD recently got her ears pierced at age 6. (She had been asking for the last year or so, changed her mind a few times, then finally decided she really wanted them. She was very clear-headed about it, didn't beg or whine, and we decided to do them as a birthday gift.) She has white gold earrings right now, and in a month or so she can take them out.

We were advised to try sterling silver next, but DD is dazzled by all of the non-silver novelty earrings she sees. I'm worried about irritation from cheaper metals, and I also don't want to encourage a more-More-MORE attitude. She doesn't need a zillion earrings! Usually I would say quality v. quantity, but I'm not sure what to do in this case. I happily wear the same platinum/diamond earrings every single day, but I'm pretty sure DD would think I'm insane if she knew the cost of my one pair could have bought hundreds of the kind she's been looking at! And I would worry too much having her wear a pair of really valuable earrings.

So what can anybody advise? Buy a few nice silver pairs? Let her knock herself out shopping for novelty mystery metals?

Thank you if you've read all of this and can offer your wisdom!

[baymom]

As someone who always gets crusty ears when I wear mystery metal earrings, I think it would be a good idea to just stick with sterling silver or gold earrings for maybe the first six months. You wouldn't want to risk that with your DD when she is new to pierced ears. My parents gave my DD diamond studs for her 1st birthday and she's been wearing them everyday for almost 4 years. I'm glad she hasn't protested, because I have a strong feeling she'll get crusty ears if she tries to wear the *fancy* earrings a lot of her friends can wear.

[Green_Tea]

Overstock has some fun earrings in sterling silver - and I think Claire's does, too.

http://www.overstock.com/Jewelry-Watches/Sterling-Silver-Earrings/(10,15),Stud,/club__price,style,/14514/subcat.html

http://www.overstock.com/Jewelry-Watches/Sterling-Silver-Earrings/(,10),Sterling-Silver,Stud,/club__price,metal,style,/14514/subcat.html

[MommytoEliana]

I'm with Baymom--I'd keep her in gold as long as possible, with sterling silver after that. So many cheapie earrings have nickel or other metals in them, and it seems like I read somewhere that exposure to them can trigger more intense metal allergies later.

FWIW, I can only wear gold or sterling silver earrings, and not always the latter, without my ears getting red and itchy. Even supposedly hypoallergenic ones trigger that response. Certain necklaces or buttons/snaps will also trigger that response; there are some jeans that I can wear due to the metal on the button. When my DD eventually gets her ears pierced I'll be the mean mommy that only allows certain earrings, with the hope of letting her wear more jewelry in the future than I can handle.

HTH!

[elephantmeg]

I love simply whispers earings. I'm sensitive to most earings but can wear them and they have so many cute little girl ones and are really reasonable. You can also buy just 1 earing if you loose one!

http://www.simplywhispers.com/

[garnetgirl]

Thank you for your suggestions! I saw some pretty ones from the links. DD seems to have her heart set on buying earrings from Claire's because she knows other girls who shop there. We did see some cute silver ones there, but the overwhelming majority there are non-silver (but we were told they are nickel-free). DD kept looking at multi-packs, and I kept saying the sales clerk advised we go with silver. We'll see; we still have a month before she can even wear any!

[new_mommy25]

DD has four pairs of earrings. Two are yellow gold and two are white gold.

One pair are the crystal ruby starter earrings she got from Claire's when her ears were pierced at age three.

She has a pair of pink coral earrings from her Aunt. It was a gift when she was born.
They are these but are pink coral: http://www.mauidivers.com/Precious-Coral/_/Gold-Coral-Earrings-in-14K-Yellow-Gold1?s=NjoxMjowOjozMDowLjAwOjo%3d

She has a pair of white gold honus and white gold plumerias from her Dad.
http://www.nahoku.com/catalog/product/view/id/1180/s/yellow-gold-na-keiki-children-s-plumeria-earrings-10438-grp/category/338/?pid=60

http://www.nahoku.com/catalog/product/view/id/1181/s/yellow-gold-na-keiki-children-s-honu-earrings-10439-grp/category/338/?pid=61

I don't even really like her wearing the Claire's ruby earrings because I worry about the quality. I have very sensitive ears and I don't want her to get an infection. Luckily DH likes to buy his girls jewelry. DD has not asked for a pair of Claire's earrings yet as she's usually enamored by all the headbands and other hair accessories.

[luckytwenty]

We had some disgusting results from attempting non-gold earrings. Plus, if they aren't well made, they can fall out. I got gold with screwbacks from Piercing Pagoda as a replacement for the ones she had in when first pierced. I told her that just like mommy wears the same earrings every day (I always wear the same little diamond studs), so will she until she's older. She was cool with it. I got her little crystal butterflies. They were $35 and 14k gold.