10 Yr Old Girl and Shaving Legs

Yes let her...in the scheme of things it's not a big deal. It must have been bothering her a lot to make her do it even though you told her not to.

If the hair is bothering her so much that she's willing to risk punishment to get rid of it, then I'd say it's time to get her her own razor.

I shaved behind my mom's back b/c she wouldn't let me. I was SO embarrassed in gym when I was the only girl w/out shaved legs. Another girl even asked me if I ever shaved. She's getting to that age where the littlest thing could make her die of embarrassment.

I agree with other mamas that it's not a big deal. We women have to start an eternity of shaving at some point! As others have already said, I think it's best to have her know how to do it safely and have her own razor and supplies.

When my son was about 4 he got a pretend shaving kit for Christmas. I go in the bathroom and there he is pretending to shave his legs! I'm a single mom and he's never witnessed anyone shaving their face, so he thought that's how it was done! I got a good laugh out of it! :-)

Let her shave and apologize for overreacting. Tell her you don't want her to grow up too fast but realize that she needs to feel good about herself. Take her to pick out a razor and shaving cream and take her on a lunch date - embrace the fact that you have a young woman on your hands. She needs to be confident that she can confide in you because this is minor compared to the battles she will face very shortly. She needs you as backup when those major battles do occur - she shouldn't feel like she has to hide from you.

You punished her for shaving her legs?? Just because you were 12 when you first felt the need to shave does not mean she has to be 12 to shave.

When girls begin to feel self conscious about hairy legs, it is time to shave. It is the beginning of the self esteem for their body, etc. There is no set age on shaving legs just like no set age when she will start having her period.

She was obviously self conscious about this to go behind your back and risk a punishment she knew she'd get in order to get hair off her legs.

Keep your pricey razor.... You don't need to share razors anyway.

Get her a relatively inexpensive razor, good shaving cream and support her.

It is time to realize, as hard as it is, that she is growing up. She needs mom's support. Please communicate with her and keep those lines of communication wide open. You want her to come to you for everything, not hide. isn't it best if she hears things from her mom vs the locker room?

Best wishes, it is hard letting go and letting them grow up.

My daughter is very hairy so I have wondered when she is going to want to shave. I think I would let her. You don't want her to be teased about having hair on her legs when the other's don't. That's the age were self-esteem issues begin. If shes doing a good job now then let her. If it will make you feel better supervise her while shes shaving.

First, apologize to her for the punishment. Second, get over it. It's not a big deal. Obviously she was feeling like she needed to shave.

It's sad she couldn't come to you to talk about it before she did it. You two need to work on your communication. Make sure she knows she can come to you to talk about things like that and let her know you won't judge, you'll listen and you'll be fair. There are many more things coming down the road and you want her to know you are the person she can come to for help and guidance.

My daughter,a competitive gymnast with very noticeable dark long hair on her legs expressed embarrassment about it at about 10. I did it for her the first time, then she did it herself.

Now 14, she could not possibly care less whether her legs are hairy or not! I knew that was coming!

:)

Apologize for punishing her. Puberty starts earlier now than it did, so you really can't say "I didn't till I was 12" cause what does that have to do with HER body? And honestly, if you're worried about the razor, there are $15 electric razors that are decent, less prone to nick, etc. I'd rather give my daughter that than the nasty disposables that you go through super fast anyway.

I know, it's freaky that they grow up so fast. I can't believe my boy will start school next year - I'm sure I'll freak when it's time for him to shave ;)

Sounds like she doesn't want to be the only one. Heck someone on the team may have mentioned the hair, who knows. This one falls under the will it effect them in five years rule and the answer is no so yes, let her shave and show her the right way to do it and equip her correctly. :)

I know she is still your little girl but momma she aint little no more and even though you think ten is too young its not. I personally was the kid that started it all around 10-11 i mean all the female things kicked in. let her be she is not out having sex doing drugs drinking or snmoking she is shaving her legs and even though it is hard for you to let her do it you really need to "pick your battles" on this one instead of grounding her sit her down an tell her that its ok BUT she has to be extra careful go slow and you guys are going shopping for her a new razer and cream Make it a fun mommy daughter adventure and momma just BREATHE!!

We started shaving my daughter's legs when she was 8 - yes, 8. She was pretty hairy and it just didn't look good under tights or with bare legs. I bought her a cheap battery operated shaver so she wouldn't cut herself. She matured very early, getting her period around her 10th Birthday. I take her regularly to have her unibrow and upper lip waxed. It just makes her feel clean and confident. I never understand why there has to be an age attached to when a girl should start shaving. We are VERY conservative and my daughter dresses very modestly (but stylish) compared to other girls her age. Hygiene is hygiene. Let her shave.

My 10yr old daughter has light skin and dark hair. It was really bothering her so she's been removing her leg hair and armpit hair and bleaching her upper lip hair for MONTHS now. Having battled body hair my whole life (I'm FINALLY getting laser hair removal on my legs), I sympathize with her and have no problem with it. But she uses a gentle depilatory because she's a bit afraid to use the razor. I think one of these days I'm going to teach her how to use it. If your daughter is doing it correctly, perhaps she truly is ready to be responsible for her own hair removal. The only issue I see is her disobeying you so blatantly. On the other hand, if she hadn't, you probably wouldn't have given her a chance to prove herself. I would chalk this one up to her starting to establish her independence (and really, isn't that what parenting is all about? getting them to be independent successfully?), explain that you are upset about the disobedience, but then also let her continue to shave her legs. She's going to do it at some point anyway and here's another thing you girls can bond over. Our little girls are growing up fast, aren't they?!

Haven't read your other responses, but I personally think this is totally fine and if my own daughter asks if she can shave at that age I'm sure I'll say yes. How about an electric shaver for your daughter for Christmas?

I see nothing wrong with it as she has proven she is capable. She was wrong in going behind your back and doing it and you punished her. She is obviously trying to fit in, and if it boosts her self-esteem, why not. Plus - once you start, who likes the feel of stubble on your legs? I cannot sleep if my legs are too hairy and stubbly. :)

Does she have dark hair? Maybe if that's the case, she is self conscious. Get her own supplies and maybe show her the ins and outs and how to handle things if she does cut herself. And by all means, tell her to stay away from the crotch area! My niece is 10 and shaved her crotch this summer because she thought that hair was supposed to come off too, and then spent the whole summer "itching" while the little bit she had, grew back. My sister in law was mortified. ha ha ha

If she's doing a good job, I would just let her continue. Does she have dark leg hair? I will never forget how I was teased as a young girl about the dark hair on my arms and legs. I probably didn't start 'til I was 12 also, but wished I had been allowed to start sooner.

When I was about 11 I wanted a bra (nevermind that I had nothing to put in it) and to shave my legs. I would sit down and talk to her about why this is so important to her. You can even say, "Look, maybe I overreacted, but I didn't shave til 12 and 10 seems young. But I'm more concerned that we can't seem to speak honestly to one another and that needs to change. So...let's talk."

Let her do it, is it really that big of a deal? My twins just turned 11 and we just "Naired" by daughters a few weeks ago. She really didn't care one way or the other, but I know plenty of girls her age that do it. Maybe your daughter is getting picked on about it and why give kids more to pick about with each other than they already do.

My daughter started shaving her legs about he same time, she is a little latina so she is/was hairy (and a figure skater/softball player). I'm a divorced mom, no need in my opinion for a man in this situation. Tell her you recosidered it and you want to help her do it right/safe. If there were decisions that I changed my mind on, I said that and fessed up that I reacted to quickly or thought about it more. I was given so much respect that I was human, not just a mom to put out punishments.

I personally don't see what the big deal is.

If they are old enough to notice that others are doing it, and become self consious about it, they're old enough to shave. Whether that's at 8, 10, or 40.

Girls have enough to deal with being pre-teens and teens. Something like getting rid of body hair is kind of a no brainer.

Ugh let her shave her legs, that is a tough enough age, let alone running around with hairy legs screaming to get teased over.

Saw your 'so what happened' and I FULLY AGREE with you for punishing her for disobeying. Kudos to you for being a single mom who is giving your child boundaries!

It must mean a lot to her if she was willing to disobey you. Could there be a compromise? Shaving only once a week (heck, that's more than I shave-- but I am fair and not very hairy!!!)

There is so much pressure now and teasing kids, maybe you need to talk with her and find out why this is important to her before you make a final decision. I agree, waiting would be better, but if the kids at school are calling her 'geurilla girl', I wouldn't want to put her in that situation.

It is hard to watch your kids grow up so quickly. My daughter got her first period at age 11 so shaving at 10 really does not sound too young to me. Honestly, I would have let my daughter shave at 8 if she was self conscious about it:). A child should not have to feel embarrased or uncomfortable about something that is so easy to take care of IMO.

Choose your battles, mom!

Everyone is different, so just because you didn't need to start shaving until you were 12, the same may not be true for your daughter. You know yourself that once you've shaved an area, you have to continue doing it so grounding your daughter for keeping up with her own body doesn't really make a whole lot of sense to me.

My advice to you is to show her how to do it so that she doesn't cut herself. My daughter started asking me to shave when she was 8 years old. She wasn't ready at that time to deal with a razor so I told her no until she was 10. Then I bought her razors of her own, & shaving cream. I spent some time in the bathroom with her & showed her how to do it.

Shelly, let this one go and support her...She's growing up. She's comparing herself to her team mates on the soccer team, whose bare legs are running around the field. Take her out shopping for her own razor, so she doesn't have to steal and hide away. Celebrate her maturity, don't dampen it.

I hope you will handle or have handled buying a bra a bit better than shaving the legs.

I started at 9. Like your daughter. In secret.

My mum had an 'age rule' (and I was the oldest girl). Well... her rule didn't account for MY hormones. Sure some of it was blonde. Most wasn't. And it was long. And I was on swimteam. So durn straight I started shaving.

She didn't find out for well over a year. And she INSISTED that the hair was blonde. Well, she literally needed new glasses. SHE couldn't see the hair because she was farsighted and the glasses corrected for that... which makes nearby things not as distinct. I finally had her take her glasses up and look at my legs 6 inches away (what every other kid could see from 10 feet away). Yeah mum. I need to shave.

My daughter will be 12 next week and she has been shaving her legs *occasionally* for the last couple years. But I bought her an electric razor when she started getting underarm hair and started using it on her legs. So I think its ok for her to shave, good luck!

If she wants to shave it is because she is embarrassed by her leg hair. I would let her shave. If you are concerned about her cutting herself, buy her a good quality electric shaver.

My daughter is almost 8 and said her friends were commenting on her leg hair. Sadly, kids are growing up faster now a days. Now I would never let her shave at age 8, but at 10 1/2 if she could do it well and she understands that once she starts she will need to keep it up, then let her go with it. I think I insisted on a bra at age 10, even though I didn't need one. It is an age of maturing, and I'm guessing that she is hearing about her hair from other kids. I was blonde and I swear I sat there and stared at my legs searching for hair until I was almost 12, but other kids seem to get it earlier.

Hi Shelley,
I would talk to her about why she is shaving and then depending on the response, decide whether or not to continue letting her do it. My opinion (just from personal experience growing up with parents who would not let me shave until I turned 13 - I had horribly hairy legs and the hair was dark) would be to let her do it. As long as she is being responsible about it, what's the big deal? And I support you on the disciplining for disobeying!
Good luck!
Cyndi

First off those cheapo razors cut you up way easier than an expensive one does. And can you imagine being 10 and having just a little hair on your legs and everyone on your soccer team shaves their legs but you? I guess I'm confused at why you think she's too young if she's actually doing a good job and taking upon herself to do? It seems a little harsh that you threatened to ground her for 3 days.. let her shave, if she cuts herself give her a bandaid, simple as that.

I think it would be better if you show her the correct way and moniter her. I don't know if I would want my 10 yr old shaving yet... but now that she has started, you might as well go with it and know she is doing it correctly.

Dont listen to people about you being harsh, you are not. You are one of the very few left that understand GOOD parenting skills. If you let them disobey you once at this age and they get away with it. They will 100% of the time do it again and again as a Teenager. Thats why we have so many problems with kids doing drugs and having babys at such a young age now compared to years ago. Also I knew quiet a few of girls who got made fun of on the bus when i was in 5th grade, and being around the older kids is scary at that age anyways. and that was 18years ago so it would not surprise me if that is the case with her this day and age.

Now that she started you may as well let her continue safely.

I agree for punishing for disobeying, no need to apologize but you might need to explain that you want her to come to you for things like this and you only said "no" to protect her. In the future she should talk with you about these things so you can show her how to do it correctly.

Then seal the deal by getting her the equipment of her own and showing her how to use it.

I'm pretty sure we'll be going down this road as my daughter is 10 and she's been asking when she can shave. So far her hair is light and she's only mentioned it once or twice. When she seems like she's embarrassed over it we will get the razor and show her how to do it!

If she is feeling the need to shave, than she is ready. Let her grow up a little.

You shouldn't have to worry about what a male says about a female thing though you sound a bit too proud of her not having a father. They do have something where your daughter can like sand off the hair that my 10 and 8 year old daughters use

i started around that age, i am a hairy women and need to shave but i dont need to shave every day once or twice a week and i am 20 yrs old but i have dark hair

I let my daughter start shaving her legs in 5th grade. She kept asking if she could and I kept explaining that once she started shaving she would need to continue. I let her... I figured that wasn't something to start a battle over and since I knew a girl in high school who wasn't allowed to shave and endured ridicule for it I decided it wasn't a bad idea to let our daughter shave.

I also let her wear makeup. Light makeup (no eye shadow, eyeliner or mascara) from 3rd to 6th grade... then let her do full makeup starting in 7th grade, providing it looked descent and not overdone.

A parent of one of the girls in her class asked me if I allowed her to wear makeup. I said yes and I didn't see it as a big deal. Still to this day I wonder if that parent thought my daughter was sneaking makeup to school and using it without my knowledge :0)

BTW, I do agree with the punishment for not listening. Children need to learn to respect the wishes of their parent(s).

i had really dark hair on my legs so from my point of view yes you are over reacting she has already shown she can do it and it going to. buy her a razor so she doesnt use yours