Substitute QOTD

jodippls · January 2011

Since Jenn said she hasn't been able to think of anything lately I thought I'd help out. I saw this on another board a while back and thought it was interesting.

At what age did you start shaving your legs? Did your parents make you wait until a certain age? If/when you have a daughter will you make her wait until a certain age?

duncanpowers · January 2011

I think it was the summer after 7th grade? So I think that's 13. She didn't make me wait per se as much as she never mentioned it and I was too intimidated to ask. But I was taking swimming lessons from a hot lifeguard and I wasn't going to show up looking like a woolly beast, so I just borrowed her razor. She noticed when we were at the pool and said, "Oh, are you shaving your legs now?" and I said, "Yep." then she said, "Oh." And that was the end of it.

That was pretty much how all our significant womanly events went :P

If I have a daughter, I'll try to be sensitive of when she hits puberty and just let her do it when she wants. If she comes from our genes, she'll have dark, wiry hair and there's no reason to make girls deal with that until they hit a magic age. If it looks bad and she can handle a razor, it's ok with me. It's just hair.

jodippls · January 2011

I was in the 5th grade, so maybe 10? My mom had told me I couldn't shave until I was 12, why that was some magic age I don't know. I had very hairy legs and I was always very self conscience about it. I remember the day my mom finally said I could shave. We were sitting in my dad's truck about to go into church. I had on stockings and the hair was sticking out of them- gross. I said something to my mom about how bad it looked and she said, why don't you shave them? I think she finally realized that I was a hairy little girl and I needed to shave.

If/when I have a daughter there won't be a magic you're ready to shave age. If she's like me and has hairy legs she can shave when she's ready. Now, if she comes home from Kindergarten (as my mom says I did) saying she needs to shave that's not going to happen. I will make sure she has a good safety razor, my mom gave me a Bic razor and I lost a lot of blood the first few years.

luckyinlove11902 · January 2011

I don't remember exactly how old I was but it was around the same age as DP. I had asked my mom about it and she said we'd think about it. Then she gave me an electric razor for my birthday that I opened in front of my dad, sisters, cousins, aunt and uncle. I was mortified. She meant well but I was not happy.

ETA: Now that I think about it, it may have been around 10/11.To answer the other question, I won't stick with any magical age. It will just be a matter of what makes her comfortable and seems appropriate considering how hairy she actually is. We're both dark haired so it will probably be a little younger than some.

Madisen · January 2011

This is a sore spot for me. I went to catholic school for grades 1-12 and our uniforms consisted of a jumper or a skirt so my legs were always bare. While my hair was blonde, I had lots of it. And one of my best friends (suffering the same plight) started shaving in third grade!

I begged and begged my mom but wasn't allowed until about 6th or 7th grade. I was a late bloomer so puberty wasn't an issue yet.

jacmdb · January 2011

I am guessing 13. I don't remember it actually being a conversation. I think it was just something I started doing. If we have a daughter I don't think I will give her an age that I think is appropriate.

The only thing my parents gave an age limit too was driving in someone elses car. I had to be 16.

Mrs_Link · January 2011

I was in 7th grade, I think.

I had really light hair, and not a lot of it, so it didn't bother me at all until the boy I sat next to in PE mentioned that I "might actually" be pretty if I started shaving my legs and didn't wear glasses. For some reason, I had a massive crush on this kid, and asked my mom if I could start shaving my legs that night.

ETA: if we have a daughter, the shaving thing will just be discussed when it comes up. I don't think there will be any magic age.

ashleemw · January 2011

I think when I got my first period was when my mom said I could start shaving, which was at the beginning of 6th grade, so I was 12.

I think for my future daughters, it will depend on color/texture of the leg hair probably.

dollfinn19 · January 2011

I was 12ish. I was a pretty late bloomer. I didn't get my period til 15.....I was practically flat chested til after high school. I don't even remember having an issue with my legs, I think I just WANTED to shave because my friends were. haha AND they had boobs and their periods too, psh! haha Now I realize how silly it is to be jealous of such things.

clseale13 · January 2011

The rule in our house was the summer before middle school. That means that I had just turned 11. Like others I had very dark hair and was pretty self conscious about it in 5 th grade. That was the first year I remember really being bothered by it. I think I might let my daughter do it in 5th grade, but no earlier. I did have to use my sisters razor before then for my underarms.

Kristin&Adam · January 2011

I was 10 and in 6th grade when my mom finally let me.

I don't think there's any magical age, just depends on the kid and their hair situation

Temp103605875001677 · January 2011

I was 10 and in 5th grade. My mom didn't let me. I just started doing it and she found out when I forgot to take my razor out of the shower, dang.

For my daughters, it will depend on the hair situation. If she seems conscientious about it then I will let her especially if it is dark or thick.

brittjoy84 · January 2011

In 4th grade I snuck my mom's razor out of her shower and shaved without her permission. I got reprimanded because she thought I was too young, but I kept it up from then on.

Madisen · January 2011

Funny story...I generally only shaved to about 2-3 inches above my knees because that's what would generally be showing. When I was 17 I went out with a freshman in college and he made a comment about my 'furry shorts'. Needless to say I was mortified and shaved all the way up every time after that.

JackieB0129 · January 2011

I know that my mom wanted me (and my sister) to wait because "once you start you can never stop". Well one Christmas I was at my grandma's and found her razor and decided that it was time for me to start and ended up cutting the crap out of my legs. It was bad.

I don't know that i'll have a magical age for my future children but hopefully the lines of communication will be better.

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