Kids are also people, just the smaller kind. Some of them are aware of their outfits and appearances, while others don’t even care. Some children value their toys, accessories, and other belongings, while others arrive home from school with a missing shoe or disheveled hair. Knowing that kids are sometimes unpredictable and could hardly take care of their belongings, the question lies: should kids wear jewelry?
Should Kids Wear Jewelry?
It doesn’t come as a shock when some kids love to own and wear jewelry. And not just girls, boys also take a few of their style cues from their dads or favorite stars who wear jewelry. With that, parents must distinguish the fine line between what their children want, what’s appropriate for them, and what they could take good care of.
If you’re wondering “should kids wear jewelry” and what’s the best accessories for them, here are some guidelines to help you choose the best jewelry gift for your child.
Why Do Kids Wear Jewelry?
The tradition of making kids, even newborns, wear jewelry dates back to ancient times, owing to their significance. It was thought that particular jewelry pieces could protect kids and babies from evil spirits. An example of this is the Cambodian tradition of tying silver strings with bells on their children’s ankles to ward off bad spirits. Another is the Italian custom of making children wear cross necklaces made out of corals to guard them against the evil eye.
On a non-historical note, kids want to wear jewelry because they’re exposed to it in their surroundings or they see their favorite stars sporting stunning pieces of jewelry. However, most kids love jewelry because it makes them feel like sophisticated grown-ups.
Is Jewelry Safe for Toddlers?
Today, it’s common to see kids adorned with accessories and jewelry. However, parents should stay alert all the time if they want to let their toddlers and newborns wear jewelry. Here are some of the safety concerns associated with letting little kids wear jewelry:
Choking
As a reflex, babies put everything in their mouths, and jewelry is no exception. Necklaces and bracelets can break and release barely visible parts, stones, or beads that children could place in their mouths and choke on. While some manufacturers promise their jewelry’s durability and resistance to breakage, it’s no guarantee.
Lead Poisoning
Any chemical element is a potent neurotoxin. Lead poisoning from wearing jewelry is a serious and sometimes fatal condition that could lead to irritability, developmental delay, seizures, fatigue, and learning disabilities. There are several recorded cases of toddlers and babies suffering from lead poisoning because of the jewelry they wear.
Strangulation
You may ask, “Is it safe for a 4 year old to wear a necklace?” Because necklaces are worn around the neck, they can easily strangle a child especially when asleep, regardless of the child’s age. If you opt to allow your child to wear necklaces and bracelets, don’t let them go to sleep with them to avoid strangulation and even unfortunate death.
Magnetic Parts
Not all jewelry has magnetic parts, but those that have magnets pose further risks beyond choking. Once ingested, magnets could attract each other within the digestive system, and this could result in tissue damage. In worst cases, the ingested magnets can cause a severe perforation in the bowel that would result in the death of that tissue.
Many parents fail to consider the mentioned hazards and their corresponding effects on children. However, any of these bad scenarios could happen. And this leads you back to the question: should kids wear jewelry? Parents should acknowledge all potential risks before deciding to let their children wear any jewelry.
What to Ask Before Buying Kids Jewelry
Before purchasing jewelry for kids, parents must think twice. Babies and kids have sensitive and delicate skin, and they don’t worry much about the accessories they’re wearing. Thus, it’s crucial to make no mistakes in choosing the perfect jewelry for them. To help you out, here’s a list of questions to ask before getting any kids or babies jewelry.
What is the Right Age to Pierce Your Baby’s Ears?
In most Latin American and European countries, the tradition of piercing a baby girl’s ears on the day of her birth has existed for decades. In their case, hospitals do the piercing before the baby is sent home. However, aside from using baby safe jewelry, most medical experts recommend waiting at least 2 to 3 months before having the baby girl’s ears pierced.
When to Switch My Baby’s Starter Earrings?
Generally, medical experts recommend retaining a baby’s starter earrings for at least six weeks—the required time to get the piercing completely healed. Once healed, the starter earrings may be replaced by another set. Knowing what earrings to wear after six weeks is a crucial decision because parents should ensure the safety of their child’s ears and skin.
What Metals Are Safe for My Child’s Jewelry?
Aside from knowing what earrings to wear after 6 weeks, choosing the right metal is an important step to ensure that your child’s experience in wearing jewelry is safe and trouble-free. Check if the jewelry is free from lead, cadmium, and nickel as these are hard metals that spur allergic reactions. The recommended and known to be baby-safe jewelry metals are real gold and sterling silver.
What Jewelry Size Should I Buy for My Child?
Children are constantly growing, so they would surely outgrow their jewelry quickly. Hence, it makes perfect sense to take the time to discuss and identify the right size. Parents call the shots for the earrings, but bracelets and necklaces have standard sizes depending on the child’s age.
At What Age Can A Child Wear a Necklace?
How old should a child be before wearing a necklace? Experts suggest necklaces for children ages four and up for reasons of safety. Still, many parents are curious about when “should kids wear jewelry.” It’s entirely up to the parents to decide whether they would let their child wear a necklace at an early age.
Tips for Buying Jewelry for Kids
Aside from making kids look stylish and elegant, jewelry is a great way to teach them about the value of responsibility and safety. So, if you want to get your child an accessory but is struggling to find one, here are some helpful tips to note:
Be Practical
Getting kids a piece of jewelry poses a risk since there are higher chances of them losing or breaking the item. Naturally, they would be running and playing around as often as they could without giving any thought to whatever they’re wearing. Hence, make sure to get durable, sturdy, and simple jewelry so it wouldn’t be too fragile and would endure a series of hits and scratches. Be careful not to buy delicate jewelry that requires utmost care.
Consider the Age
When asking “should kids wear jewelry” or searching for a jewelry piece, always consider the child’s age. Ask yourself whether the jewelry is too big, lavish, or expensive for the child. Never make your child look older than his or her age. The rule of thumb is to keep jewelry at a minimum for children ages five and under, then slowly build up necklaces and bracelets as they mature.
Keep It in Style
True, you must consider the age, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it stylish. They might still be children, but they already have a personal style and interest in mind. Whether the jewelry has hearts, flowers, hoops, or stars like the one in this Avianne and Co review, always get something that goes with their style, else it might just gather dust in the jewelry box.
Make It Meaningful
The moment a child receives the jewelry is also the same moment he or she would feel a sense of maturity and sophistication. Hence, it would be great to make them choose the design and style they want.
Keep It Organized
Once a child owns more than one jewelry item, the accessory must be organized to prevent them from getting tangled and lost. One easy way to do this is to store the jewelry in a jewelry box or organizer.
Pick According to the Occasion.
This tip is helpful when deciding “should kids wear jewelry.” Identify whether the child should wear the jewelry daily or occasionally. This will determine the kind of jewelry that must be bought. If the jewelry would be worn daily, it has to be durable. But if it would be worn during special occasions only, more refined and dainty jewelry could make the cut.
Safety Must be Prioritized
It’s important to keep the jewelry safe from damage or loss, but it’s more critical to bear the child’s safety in mind at all times. Extend effort to keep the child safe by keeping away jewelry items that they could swallow. Consider the jewelry’s metal components and stay away from glass jewelry as it could easily break and pierce the wearer.
What’s the Best Jewelry Gift for Kids?
There are several cute and pretty jewelry pieces that you could give to a child.
Earrings with Adorable Designs
You may scout for a cute pair of earrings, preferably in flower, star, bells, or heart designs. This kind of jewelry isn’t just for special occasions but also for daily wear.
Bracelet with Charms
It’s a no-brainer that kids love bracelets, particularly one with lots of charms! You may place letter charms that spell out the child’s name or let them pick charms that would reflect their hobbies and interests. The key here is to let the child have fun in selecting the charms. You may also check this Jared review to get a popcorn chain and sphere bracelet for your little one.
Personalized Jewelry
To make it more meaningful, you may opt for personalized jewelry. You can add letter charms that spell out the child’s name or a simple pendant with the first name’s initial. Personalized jewelry is unique and something that the child would believe to be her property since it has his or her name on it.
Pendants
Who could resist a cute pendant? No one, not even a child. A pendant with a diamond center for special occasions or a heart locket to signify the special bond between the child and the mother is a wonderful gift option.
Dainty Rings
Cute and dainty rings are great gifts. However, rings aren’t advisable for children below 10 years old as they could be easily taken off. If a child insists on getting a ring for a present, there are a lot of cheap fashion rings made of high quality and safe material and are perfect substitutes for expensive ones.
Watches
Kids love to wear watches, even when they aren’t able to read time yet. This may not be a common jewelry piece, but there are watches made out of gold and silver. So if your child insists on getting that gold Hello Kitty watch, let her have it. It could be the safest jewelry to wear since watches aren’t dainty, have no sharp edges, and are tightly locked on the arm.
What is the Best Jewelry Metal?
As mentioned, any safe metal is allowed. However, if you plan on preserving the jewelry for generations, the best metal is gold (minimum of 14k). 14k, 16k, 18k, and 21k gold are the recommended metals if you want to keep your jewelry for decades as they don’t tarnish and would last if properly taken care of.
Gold jewelry can be given to a child if you want it to become an heirloom. The child may also choose from rose gold, white gold, or yellow gold—depending on how they like it—the cheapest among the three is yellow gold. On top of that, gold is an excellent investment especially during times when its value is high.
So, should kids wear jewelry?
Jewelry pieces are wonderful gifts and kids love to wear them. Making your child wear jewelry is perfectly fine so long as you observe proper care and protection to avoid unfavorable ordeals and hazards. Always remember to put priority on the kid’s safety no matter what.
Want to know more about jewelry and kids? Read our post about “What is Breast Milk Jewelry and Why it is Good to Have One.”