Can I stop my 19 year old daughter from gauging her ears?

Cheryl - posted on 09/03/2012 ( 2 moms have responded )

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Can I stop my 19 year old from gauging her ears? Once she turned 18, she began getting tattoos and belly piercings. I told her it was her body and she was legally able to do it. I figured that would prevent her from trying to do something really shocking to promote her new found independence. I was wrong. She came home with these odd looking earings and told me she was ear gauging. I flipped out! I told her she shouldn't do anything to her face because getting a job is hard enough, and certainly potential employers would pass judgement.



She is in college and was always headstrong, but she is becoming very rebellious and disrespectfull. Her grades dropped 2nd semester and she is now smoking pot and cigarettes. I don't know her any more! I understand the need to figure out who you are and rebel, but the ear gauging thing is something that her father and I cannot live with.



She works part time while in school, and full time during the summer. She pays her way and bought herself a car. We help with insurance. Can I force her to stop doing this to her ears?



Thank you in advance,

Cheryl

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2 Comments

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Cheryl - posted on 09/14/2012

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Thanks for your insight. It's tough to let go, isn't it?

Ail - posted on 09/14/2012

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I would probably have the same reaction as you! Yikes!



You probably can't stop her and nagging won't help. It's good to know that she is independent and financially responsible. This will serve her well, because if/when she gets thru this phase, she will just have to spend her hard earned money fixing her ears. It sounds like she will deal with her own consequences, when she is ready. Nobody wants to waste their own money on college, just to fail. I hope she figures it out for herself, soon. At 19, you've laid the groundwork, now she has to find her way.