Hi,

I am the only parent of one 13 y/o girl. All of a sudden she wants to get her naval pierced. She has 3 ear piercings and has done a good job keeping them clean.

She will be 14 in April. Here in MA, you can't get a piercing until you're 16. I thought I was safe until her friend said she can get one in NH.

I'm ambivelent about this. I'm sure she'll keep it clean. Why would I not allow this? I don't like it. Maybe because it means my little girl is growing up? In some weird way am I afraid its going to lead her to do more adult things? Smoke? Try pot or alcohol, sex?

Anybody else dealing with something like this?

Well honestly, I'm not so sure that it'll lead to trying other things. I mean I think that if that's going to happen, it'll happen regardless of whether her naval is pierced or not.
My daughter did just turn 14 and also wants to do this.....At best.....maybe when she's 16.....maybe. She also wants to have her ears gauged, the loops that stretch the earlobe....Not going to happen unless she still wants to do it after she's of age.
My oldest daughter has a lot of piercings but then she's 24 and it's her choice.