Should my 8 year old daughter start shaving her legs?

Question

Her legs are very hairy due to an unfortunate lot of the gene-pool draw. The other girls in school are making fun of her and she's taken to wearing only long pants every day to avoid the humiliation. I went through the same thing as a young girl, but was not permitted to shave until I started middle school. Should I let her start shaving now or should I make her wait as I had to?

Answer 1

When I first read your question, my reaction was no - then I read the rest. Tough one. Shaving your legs seems such a "grown up" thing to do, and she's still so little. But, teasing children can be tortuous to a child and can scar her for life - even through High School. So, yes, I would let her shave her legs - or maybe you should do it for her - or even use a hair remover cream/gel or get them waxed. Poor little thing - I can remember a girl from my school days who got teased horribly by boys - she was about 12 so older than your little one, but she had very dark and thick hair on her legs, arms and her face, her self esteem was absolutely ruined by those thoughtless little thugs and her mum refused to let her shave/wax. Thank goodness you are considering letting her do something about it - but make sure she knows those girls are bullies and that beauty isn't everything. Good luck!!

Answer 2

I shaved my legs for the first time when i was like 7, actually my mom did it for me cuz i begged her. No one was making fun of me, but i did have seriously hairy legs and it was black hair. I just wanted the hair gone. Now that i think back on it, i didnt really have a reason. Just didnt like the way it looked i guess. But yeah her mom may be teaching her in a bad way and she could grow up with little confidence and decide the only way to be happy is thru plastic surgery and other measures. BUT also having a father around will play an important role in the way she turns out. If you are a good example to her, i think it will make all the difference. When a girl grows up without a father, she often looks for male attention other places and will do alot of unhealthy things in the process of finding that male love and attention. So since you can't really change the way her mother is, the best thing you can do is to always be there and be a great example. Which it sounds like you are.. Thats my opinion. Good luck!

Answer 3

Let her do what she wants to do.
My sister was ostercized to the point of tears when she was that age for smelly feet.

In an ideal world, she'd never have to shave her legs, a gimic of french prostitutes to convince tricks they were younger. Which is why to this day shaving pubic hair is still a little whorish in france.

Learn from your mother's mistakes, but most importantly allow your daughter to do what she wants. But make sure she has all the information, why do women shave there legs???

Answer 4

My daughter kind of went through the same thing a couple of years back. She felt insecure about her hair on her legs and always commented how other girls hair on their legs isn't as noticeable or that they don't have any at all it seems.

So I ended up helping show her how to shave her legs safely, even assisting at times. She is so much happier acting and feeling now! (11 years old now)

Just purchase a nice, fruity smelling shaving gel/cream and a really good shaver/razor and help her out the first few times.

Answer 5

If she had developed big breasts early would you let her wear a bra? Of course you would. So let her remove the hair from her legs. I would have her use the Epilady or something like it as the lady said above !!! I have used one for almost 20 years and I rarely have to use it now !!! All I have left on my legs is very fine hair !!! It hurts the first time but after that it hurts less and less with each use until it doesn't hurt at all !!!!! You might even want to use it with her !!!!! Children's self esteem is very important at this age !!!! Tell her she can't wear makeup until she is 21 though !!!! lol

Answer 6

I would try her with Nair or Veet, before I would not turn her loose with a razor, unless you are going to supervise her shaving. My mother let me shave at 9, and I cut the hell out of my legs. It was a long while after that, before I used a razor again.
If kids are making fun of her, then her self esteem is being affected, so try the Nair or Veet first, but if she has an allergic reaction to the stuff, let her use a razor.

Answer 7

It is better to allow her to shave or use nair or something on her legs. So that you can teach her how to do it properly. otherwise she may get to the point that she tries to do it behind your back and ends up injuring herself. Kids are so cruel. Good luck I have a 7 year old so I may be going through the same thing in a few years.

Answer 8

So what if she has hairy legs? It is normal to have hair on the legs, you know. The other girls make fun of her because of the stupid, shallow way they were brought up. If their teasing bothers her that much you could allow her to shave, but think of the message you are sending to her first. Shaving her legs should be her choice-not based on what others consider to be true beauty. Allow her to shave her legs now and you could be telling her subconciously "yeah hair on the legs is ugly" and more importantly "if others cant accept you for how you look , change to suit them."
Besides she's only eight. You can just tell her that in a few years all those girls that are teasing her are going to eat their words.

Answer 9

I understand the teasing bit but I always thought shaving was about the smoothness that reinforces the difference between males and females in a very intimate manner. She's a bit on the young side. Maybe take her for a wax - it will be so painful she may never want to do it again unitl she really gets the intimacy thing. Tough love?

Answer 10

I shave my 5 year olds legs. Thats what she requested thats what we do. Takes a whole 3 minutes. Hey it is only shaving no big deal. It is not like the kids are going on an overnight trip with their boyfriends. Shaving does not make you grown up, does not take away your childhood. It is truley only shaving. Really no big deal. Let the girl remove the hair or you help. Believe me she will thank you for it.