Small pokets. well it depends on a lot of factors.

Limping early is good as you can hit trips cheaply. Fold if there are raises after you.

I'd also be inclined to limp late as well as they are still junk if a face or ace or 10 hits the flop. Sometimes if there are only the blinds after you to act then a decent raise will see them off, and if they call, pray for trips, and if you miss trips, run to the hills, or continue bet the same and hope they fold. If they still don't, wipe away the tears and fold.

It really depends on how many players are in the hand, and how many chips each player has (if it's a tourney/SNG). Remember , particularly in SnGs and tourneys that low stacks and big stacks play a predictable game in many respects. The low stack pushing with any pair or Ax and the big stacks bullying with huge raises which put you all in if you want to play the hand. A factor that took me a long time to learn (thanks Assistanc3)

With small pairs you are basically praying that you hit trips, or if you are mega lucky, a full house.

The problem with small pairs is that if you don't hit a bigger hand, you are almost certainly beaten by anyone with a face card or ace if the community cards show up faces or aces as the people still in the hand are almost certainly holding a face or ace, or both. Same with 9's and 10's. People play A10 K10 J10, A9 all the time.

In general, I play small pairs cheap and hope for a trips, or I fold.