Julia, who is 7, desperately wants pierced ears. The reasons? Most of her friends have them AND she likes sparkly things.

I could use the old argument “if your friends jumped off a bridge, would you?” But really, what kid buys that? And frankly, I have no argument against liking sparkly things. I mean, what girl doesn’t?

Truthfully, it’s hard for me to tell her no. After all, my Mom’s Italian and in Italy piercing an infant girl’s ears is the equivalent of circumcising boys. Very ritualistic and done immediately after birth. So, I had my ears pierced even before I knew how to put my fingers in my mouth, let alone use them to put in earrings.

When my ears holes closed up, I had my ears pierced AGAIN for my 7th birthday. And we were living in PANAMA at the time so it was quite an experience. The folks in Panama often wear nose rings so piercing parlors are as common there as Starbucks are here. I still remember the smoky tent and the old Panamanian woman with a nose ring the size of a bull’s, doing the deed. Despite her age, her hand was steady and it didn’t hurt a bit. I’ve had pierced ears ever since.

So why not let Julia get hers pierced? Her father, RANDY THE PERKET HUSBAND, is opposed until she’s 13.

Which is ironic since when we started dating, he had a pierced ear. And quite the wild youth, I might add. It really wasn’t until he became a father that he retired that little diamond stud.

He says it’s because she’s not old enough to take care of her ears — kind of a health/hygiene thing. But honestly, you’d be hard pressed to find a more responsible kid at her age.

So what’s the REAL reason? I don’t know. I suspect it has something to do with her “growing up” too fast. I think it’s hard for daddies to let go of their little girls. Pierced ears are just a step away from pierced bellybuttons, then tattoos and the next thing you know she’s visiting Planned Parenthood and riding off with a guy named SPIKE on his hog.

Anyway, since I get so much of a say in so much of what Julia does. I think I’ll give him this one.

Meanwhile, Julia took some of her allowance and bought clip-on earrings from CLAIRE’S. They’re the perfekt solution. Well, except for the fact that they cut off the blood supply to her ear lobes. But nothing is perfect, is it?

WHAT DO YOU THINK? IS 7 TOO YOUNG FOR PIERCED EARS?