Dd will be 11 in a few weeks and has been asking to shave her legs. I wanted to wait until she was 12, but now that she is in the teens at church all the other girls even the ones her age are shaving. I'm not one to go along with the crowd just because, but I don't see the harm in it this time.. What are your thoughts on this?? I Just don't want her to be nicknamed "harry" and it giving her a complex. You know how girls are.. :roll:
I was 10 when I started shaving my legs. My mother bought me an electric razor for women, it was nearly impossible for me to cut myself with it, and it was our compromise, I wanted to shave them, she didn't want me to, so after we each talked about why we felt the way we did Mother agreed that an electric razor would satisfy her and I both. I was also figure skating in competitions at that time and I felt it was important for me to look my best when I was constantly in front of people and being photographed.
I think with something like this if she is asking then it wouldn't hurt. She is going to need to do it soon anyway. But I would discuss the fact that she isn't being allowed just because others are doing it... you don't want to reinforce the sheep mentality, you know? I was about the same age when I asked my mom. It was because my BF had started. I could have waited another year probably, but my mom allowed me to. Of course, once I got older I had wished I never had to! LOL
I got teased on the bus when I was 12 for having hairy legs. I hadn't even considered shaving them before that. Jeez, I just realized this was another one of those 'talks' I never had with my mother. To this day, I don't know WHY we do it.
I use to cut hair so I have a waxing machine. My daughter who is 9 almost 10 I started waxing her legs because she has black hair and you could really see it.
You know I really think it depends on her hair. Is she dark haired then likely it would be better to not get teased. If she is light point out to her her hair will likely grow in thicker, coarser, and she will have to shave once a week likely. Its a lifetime of leg shaving. Lets face it ladies its down right tedious once you get started. Maybe take her for a wax job instead as the leg hairs will grow in lighter and slower.
I very rarely shave my legs! Rachael started asking at about 13, so she does. Faythe is 15 and hasn't, which is fine with me. But Carl feels she needs to. I'm sorry, I don't see why this is even a deal. ETA: I would for Carl, because he felt it was important, but he never noticed when I did, so I quit.
Can I just say that don't we ALL shave our legs because every other woman does? Edited to add....except Jackie. :lol: My dd used to watch me shave and it wasn't long before she wanted to give it a try. I let her practice on my leg instead of her own when she was around 8??? She was very careful not to hurt mama, which I think helped her go at it slowly in general until she got a feel for it. She started shaving her own legs when she was around 9.
Ok...you win...I was hoping to get the Mother-of-the-Year, but I have to conceed it to you. You are a kind and sweet mother to offer up your legs for practice. I handed my daughter a razor and told her to go practice on her own legs. A few band-aids later, she's almost got the hang of it.
I have the opposite problem here. My dd13 hates to shave. She had to start shaving under her arms in about 4th grade. In 5th, she was on the swim team, so she shaved her legs too (only a couple of times though before she got tired of it). Now, it's a battle to get her to shave at all. I fight the battle for shaving under her arms because I understand why we do that. I think shaving your legs (like wearing make-up) is a cosmetic issue. If she's comfortable with not shaving, then I don't have a problem with that. My dd10 has asked a time or two if she can shave her legs. I haven't let her yet, though. I think I will wait until she needs to shave under her arms and let her do both at the same time.
Yeah, at age 9 or 10. My oldest is especially hairy so she was very bothered by the hair. I got her an electric razor first then she moved onto a regular womans shaver. She always complains that she got all her dad's evil DNA- kinky hair, hairy arms and legs, and chipmonk cheeks! hehehe..it's not that bad but to her it is!
I was teased when I was 12, because I had very (long and curly) hairy arms and legs, and dark brunette. My mom tried everything to not let me get acquainted with a razor... bleaching, creme depilatory... ychhh! She wanted to put it off as long as possible, but when I was wearing knee socks with my shorts, she finally saw the point. So when my daughter asked to start with hers, I let her immediately. I think she was about 11. The funny part is, by the time I was in my 40s, my arms and legs became virtually hairless! on their own, I didn't do anything. Of course, now it's growing out of my upper lip and my chin instead...
DD will be 11 tomorrow and has asked me to allow her to shave her legs and under her arms (she insists that she sees hair under her arms---I don't see anything). Her legs are a little hairy so I'm giving in this week.
I agree that it depends. I hit puberty early, and I have black hair, so my legs were like a forest before my mom gave in. I was humiliated! Even the sex ed teacher at school called all the girls together when I was 12 to teach us how to shave, sit like a lady, and use deoderant ... something I hadn't been allowed to do yet (except sitting like a lady, of course!), even though I'd been in a bra since 8 and AF started at 10. My mom gave me a reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally, really, really, REALLY old electric razor. Hideous! All the boys at church laughed at me when I finally started shaving around 12-13. To me, it doesn't matter. Old enough to start turning into a woman and smelling like a locker room? Old enough to shave!
My dd10 shaves her armpits, but not her legs. She has no interest. Dd 12 is a swimmer and shaves her legs. She started shaving them at 11, but doesn't always do a good job. She seems to notice right before a meet!
To me, this is a non-issue. It's not hurting anything for a girl to shave, it's not sinful, and if it makes her feel better, then why not? My dd10 has been shaving a couple of years, and it's really not a big deal around here anymore. I'd rather save the fight for something really important, like tattoos, or boyfriends.
I told my girls they could start shaving once they got underarm hair. My older two girls have convinced my youngest that she never wants to shave. She'll be 12 next month, and she still doesn't shave.
Mine dd is 10 and last summer I used Nair on her~they spray kind~because I was taking care of my MIL who had hurt her back and couldnt walk much less shave, soooooooo i was spraying the Nair on MIL (yes, I am DIL of the year!! LOL!) and dd had to have it done too! Now she BEGS to shave all the time but I shave her myself till I feel she has the hang of it! Just last night I was on the phone with my bff and dd was begging to shave and I mentioned it to my bff and she said that her 10 yo dd (we call our two dd "the Twins" because they are so alike it is scary...Lol) was begging to shave too! Must be the age! Lol!...........Now all I have to figure out is when (andto work up the courage!! ) to have the "talk" with dd!! Yikes!
Here is what happened at my house. My oldest dd has always been very irresponsidble with her personal things. When she was 11 she asked about shaving; I thought about it for awhile and then I told her this. "Dear, I still have to tell you to take a bath, brush your teeth, put on deodorant and wash your hair. I am not up for adding more things to your regimen, until you are more responsible with what you do now. In addition, you tend to be really messy with your stuff. What is going to happen if you leave your very sharp razor on the side of the tub and your little sister or baby brother comes across it? When you get to be a little more responsible, then we will do shaving. " About 6 months later, she had improved enough that I let her have a razor with the caveat that if I found it within reach of her younger siblings, I'd take it away for 2 weeks. That has only happened once.
