S/O Daughters ... shaving?

Mrs_W_Pookie · September 2011

At what age will you let your daughter shave her legs?

I had serious battles with my mom because I wanted to shave my legs. I cannot remember how old I was, but my mom told me once I got hair under my armpits I could shave. As soon as I found the most miniscule hair under there to show her, I told her I was ready to shave my legs. She's like, "no, you can shave your pits". I was like "THAT WAS NOT THE ARRANGEMENT!!!" I think she gave in.

ETA: I spoke with my mom about this the other day and she has absolutely no recollection of it happening.

MaryJaneWatz · September 2011

As soon as it becomes a real issue for her. I had super hairy legs and begged my mom to let me shave and she didn't give in until I was about 10. I was really embarrassed to wear shorts and skirts and I remember having hair poking through my tights at church. I don't want my daughter to go through that.

clseale13 · September 2011

This was a HUGE battle in our house, mostly because I have dark hair. I wasn't allowed to until the summer before 6th grade, but I remember trying to trim it w/scissors in 4th grade and I had all of these bare patches. lol For any future dd I would say maybe 5th grade.

Martiza · September 2011

I will be a sucker for letting her shave. I can't put a number on it, but if she is hairy like DH, I will let her start young. I was 9 or 10, but it wasn't a thing my mom approved of. My mom traveled for work and took what she called cheap razors with her, you know the multi-pack disposables. I took one and shaved my legs with it. She found out eventually because I left the razor down one day.

Lanerbell · September 2011

This was a big deal for me. I remember in fifth grade a boy told me and my bestfriend "you're stupid! You don't even shave your legs yet!" In sixth grade, my mom's bestfriend's daughter started sneaking shaving her legs. She would only do like half. This made her mom and my mom go ape shiz over shaving too early and all four of us battled it all the time. Finally, spring break of sixth grade my mom let me shave. Since it was such a huge deal for me and practically traumatic, I really don't want it to be for my kid. I dont think I'll let her shave in elementary school, but she can probably start the summer before middle school.

LXLX · September 2011

This is another battle I won't pick to fight. Obviously I won't have a kindergartener wielding a razor, but I'm fine with late elementary school.

duncanpowers · September 2011

I really don't understand the angst our mothers went through over this. I feel like, if you're old enough to have a complex about your hairy legs, have at it. Mine seemed to love avoiding any Coming of Age conversations like the plague, so I just started shaving after I realized she was never going to say it was ok on her own. She noticed during a swimming lesson and was like, "Oh, are you shaving now?" I said, "yes." The end. I had really dark hair and I wasn't going to wait any longer.

jenhappy · September 2011

my grandmother forbid my mom from shaving her legs. Eventually my mom hid and did it secretly (she was like... 16...). She thought her mom was totally off-base (to her defense, she had a lot of issues), so my mom was determined to let me shave mine as soon as they got hairy. She made me do it sitting on the side of the tub with shorts on while she was in the room until she felt I could handle it solo.

chinchilla fiesta · September 2011

It was a fight in our house too. I found a razor at my grandma's and tried to shave and ended up cutting the crap out of my legs. I hid when my mom came to pick me up and my grandma told her.

I want to be a little more understanding with my daughter about it than my mom was with me. There was no discussion, it was just no.

Mrs_W_Pookie · September 2011

I see that I didn't actually answer my own question.

I think it will depend on how hairy DD is and if she has a complex about it. I don't think it will be appropriate in elementary school, but I think I would be okay with it for middle school (12-13). I definitely want to support her with it so she doesn't get hurt. There will probably be supervising involved until I'm confident she can do it herself.

mon.petit.chou · September 2011

I was kind of waiting for me my mom to buy me supplies and teach me how to do it, which never happened. I was one of only 2 girls in my 6th grade class who didn't shave (and the other girl was blonde). I was very self conscious about it. Eventually I just snuck some of my mom's stuff to do it and the supplies magically got replaced every so often.

I also started wearing a bra far later than I should have. My first bra was a C cup, which is ridiculous. I think some guidance from my mom would've been helpful, but she never said anything. My grandma actually bought me my first. If my kid ends up being shy about it, I will be the one to start the conversations, which I think makes sense.

prncsz · September 2011

I had the same issue with my mom but would sneak and do it anyway, then after awhile she gave in. I think for my own FD once the hair starts coming in she will be free to shave because I definitely remember struggling with my mom to get her to understand I don't want to walk around looking like a man.

Manalyzer · September 2011

It really wasn't an issue for me, but I'm not super hairy and the hair on my legs used to be pretty light when I was young.

However, I started shaving in 6th grade. I was on the cheerleading squad, and it was a rule that all the girls had to have shaved legs. Something about it being easier in stunts if your legs weren't slippery from hair. I dunno. I remember thinking I was the shiz though because none of the other girls shaved theirs.

I do remember being sad that I didn't have my period yet though, and all the other girls had already gotten theirs. Man, what a pain that ended up being.

S/O Daughters ... shaving?

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