Common sense tells any parent that buying children jewelry, at any age – is a gamble. There is a pretty good chance that they are going to lose or break whatever you give them regardless of how responsible they are. Yet still, children’s jewelry comprises a million dollar industry that starts with marked occasions of birth all the way to the Sweet 16 birthdays. Many parents, grandparents, godparents, and relatives look for one of a kind pieces to gift a child when they are born. While seeing a newborn with a precious bracelet or necklace is adorable, you have to be careful what you buy.
Birthstones of course are appropriate pieces of jewelry for any child. For an infant or baby, buying something that has clasps or stones however can pose as a choking hazard. It is best to stick with gold bangles, with inlayed birth stones that fit over their wrist rather than around their neck. For many people purchasing a string of pearls is a tradition for a newborn child, more as a keepsake than something that they will wear everyday.
It is important to think about your reasons for buying children jewelry, especially if they are very young. Although the crystal adorned, 14K gold nugget necklace be just as precious as your child is, it might not be worth the money. Remember that jewelers and marketers know that at this stage in your parenting career you are under the spell that money doesn’t matter. In fact, you may find that keepsake pieces to commemorating birth or the first years of life are more costly than items that many adult women would where. Also, realize before you buy that many young babies are extremely allergic to metals, even precious ones and are unable to wear jewelry around their wrists or necks without breaking out.
With a toddler, it is nice to purchase them something or give them a gift; however not so smart to allow them to wear it. Think about how they destroy clothes in the course of a day and you will see how silly it is to expect them to keep a precious necklace or pair of earrings in tact. Your child won’t know the difference between something glittering from the toy aisle or something that was their great grandmothers. Act accordingly so you don’t risk losing something that is truly priceless. If they have been giving something meaningful and beautiful by a relative, allow them to wear it for special occasions and keep it in shadow box while they aren’t wearing it. This will teach them that it is something to appreciate.
As your child gets older, they may naturally gravitate toward all that sparkles and glitters. They may covet birthstone earrings or you may have a son that wants a nice watch. Children also enjoy having personalized jewelry ranging from earrings and necklaces to chokers and key chains. You can find a large array of stylish, personalized jewelry for tween and teens in any mall. If your child has an unusual name, then search online for companies that personalize jewelry. Today, birthstones are quite as in fashion as they were years ago, but a hip piece with a birthstone can be something that they appreciate for a long time to come. You can also find these pieces available for young boys that are personalized as well.
If you are buying jewelry for children, be sure to look for pieces that are made solidly. Check the clasps carefully and make sure that all the soldered pieces are high quality. Children will likely play with any jewelry that they wear. Even though thin necklaces designed for little girls are dainty and beautiful – you should opt for better-made chains that will not break easily. If you want the jewelry to withstand the test of time and be something they still have when they have children on their own, you should definitely make sure that it is made well.
Earrings are easier to buy. However, remember that any hoops or dangling earrings can easily become entrapped in clothing or pulled out if they wear them when they are active. Each year, thousands of children rip their ear lobes because of earrings. This is not an easy thing to repair and often means that they cannot wear earrings for the rest of their life. Also, any jewelry with stones should be checked by a jeweler periodically in order to make sure that the settings are still good. On another note, if you have given your daughter a special diamond, you may want to secretly pull out the diamond and replace with a zirconia until they get older!
Buying jewelry for children is definitely a great gift idea. There is a good chance that your children will not appreciate the expanse of the gift at the time they receive it. If you have special piece of jewelry that you don’t want to see lost or damaged, your best bet is to save it until your child is older. The idea of giving your children jewelry strongly outweighs how well they will actually take care of it. Purchase smart, shop around and look for pieces that are specifically made to withstand the abuse of children. There are ample places online that offer exquisite one of a kind pieces and your local malls or department stores are also great places to find inexpensive pieces that will fulfill your child’s dreams of jewelry, but not leave you heartbroken if and when something happens to it.
