Considerations When Purchasing Jewelry for Children
It is important to think about your reasons for buying children’s jewelry, especially if they are very young. Although the crystal-adorned, 14K gold nugget necklace may be just as precious as your child, it might not be worth the money. Remember, jewelers and marketers know that at this stage in your parenting journey, you are under the spell that money doesn’t matter. In fact, you may find that keepsake pieces commemorating birth or the first years of life are more costly than items that many adult women would wear. 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, it is not so smart to allow them to wear it. Think about how they destroy clothes in the course of a day, and you’ll see how silly it is to expect them to keep a precious necklace or pair of earrings intact. Your child won’t know the difference between something glittering from the toy aisle and something that was their great-grandmother’s. Act accordingly so you don’t risk losing something that is truly priceless. If they’ve been given something meaningful and beautiful by a relative, allow them to wear it for special occasions and keep it in a shadow box when they aren’t wearing it. This will teach them to appreciate it.
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 who 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 tweens and teens in any mall. If your child has an unusual name, search online for companies that personalize jewelry. Today, birthstones aren’t as in fashion as they once were, but a hip piece with a birthstone can be something they appreciate for a long time. You can also find these pieces 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 of 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 won’t break easily. If you want the jewelry to withstand the test of time and be something they still have when they have children of 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 worn when they are active. Each year, thousands of children rip their earlobes because of earrings. This is not an easy thing to repair and often means that they cannot wear earrings for the rest of their lives. Also, any jewelry with stones should be checked by a jeweler periodically to ensure that the settings are still secure. On another note, if you have given your daughter a special diamond, you may want to secretly pull out the diamond and replace it with a zirconia until they get older!
Buying jewelry for children is definitely a great gift idea. There’s a good chance that your children won’t appreciate the expense of the gift at the time they receive it. If you have a 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 child jewelry strongly outweighs how well they will actually take care of it. Purchase smartly, 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.
