Girls Shaving Their Legs - When, How?

Well, unlike the previous poster Elizabeth, I am not going to laugh out loud or be sad that you are thinking about this and questioning this. I think it's a great question and a great discussion topic! I would not consider mocking someone who uses this site for what it is designed for -- a forum for discussion.

That said, as a mom of a 21-year-old and 11-year-old (both girls) I've been through this and will go through it again. My older daughter was the one who brought it up to me and it was just before junior high I think. At that time, I thought she was young but she wanted to do this and other girls were shaving so no big deal to me. We started with an electric/battery shaver. That way no slicing the legs up with razor (and for underarms, which seemed to need shaving earlier than the legs.) She was the one who wanted to use a regular razor and she tried several over the years and settled on a sensor excel razor (a men's razor but it works really great) and that's what she uses to this day. My younger daughter has talked about shaving her legs, but nobody really does yet in school and so we chat about it but then she drops it. I'm thinking next summer or the following she'll want to shave. She's not very hairy. My older daughter was. Some people have more hair on their legs and it makes them self conscious and want to shave earlier.

Anyway, I think your daughter is a little young yet, but before you know it she'll be talking about it and you'll have some ideas for her. :-)

My mom also didn't want me to shave until high school, but I wanted to and sneaked in shaving when I was in junior high. It would have been much nicer to have my mom on my side and not as an adversary. And so shaving was one battle I wasn't going to fight with my daughter. It was an open discussion and I helped her, which is probably what you're going to do.

Great question, and I agree that no one should be laughing at one another on this site. Thanks to the last poster for bringing that to our attention. We are here for support and information and a dialogue can't take place if anyone feels intimated or belittled for asking questions.

My 9.5 year old daughter notices that she has hair on her arms and legs and that I don't; she asks questions about why some people have hair, some don't. I just say it is a preference thing and that in some cultures, people think it is prettier to have smooth skin and no hair on our arms and legs. Other cultures think it is pretty to leave the hair. In America, we have lots of different people from all sorts of cultures and you can pretty much do whatever makes you happy. She just says, "hmmm." She has not asked to shave her legs yet, but I would have no problem teaching her now or in the future. It is just another grooming technique, like washing our hair, brushing our teeth, putting on a little make-up now and then or running a bubble bath for yourself. If she doesn't like how it looks, she can always leave the hair to grow back. Thankfully, she has lovely friends who don't seem to tease one another about this stuff.

Hi Michelle.
I think 7 is a bit too young, but I would definitely talk to your daughter. I'm Greek and had dark hair on my legs. My mom never talked to me about shaving, so I did it myselg in 5th grade and didnt use water, lotion or anything! Painful!

Good question! I was just wondering about this the other day. I have a 5 yr old and I can see it on her as well. I am very open with her about shaving, trimming, plucking, etc (she's often with me in the bathroom when I do it) and so it's very normal and not taboo to her which I like of course. I do however wonder what is a good time to start them on that. I personally thought it would be best for me to pick a time and make it a great mom and daughter day instead of letting her come to me after someone laughed or pointed out hair on her legs, bushy brows, etc. You know what I mean?? Then she will really be insecure! I think it would be best to keep it as the norm just as she knows that when she gets older she will menstruate and will need to use sanitary napkins (she's been calling them that since she was 2 and it's just normal to her) or tampons. I have seen other little girls giggle every time they see a pad or tampon and she doesn't so I think I'm on the right track so far.

One last note...of course we wouldn't be having this M./daughter day any time soon! :) I'm interested in seeing all the responses.

My daughter didn't shave her legs until 6th grade. She is of Indian descent and her hair was dark, but as long as it wasn't an issue, I didn't bring it to her attention. Keep your 2nd grader interested in age-appropriate stuff and prolong the shaving a bit! Good luck!

I personally would not bring it up at all to her. Let her come to you. she will let you know when she is ready. When I was in school I had very dark hair on both my arms and legs. I never gave it a thought until I hit jr high. that seemed to be the age when all the girls started talking about it and shaving etc. that was about the same time periods, bras and makeup started also. girls start some of that earlier but i would let her be your gage.
S.

Don't make a big deal out of leg hair. She may not notice or may not even care that she has hairy legs--don't make her self conscious. When she starts to notice it, and compare it to other girls, then you should have a discussion. But I wouldn't encourage her to start to shave this young. My daughter started shaving as she entered Jr High, then decided it was a chore and quit. Her leg hair is blonde and nobody notices at all. The only time she shaves is when she's going swimming with friends.

I was wondering the exact same thing! My daugther just turned 6. In a world where girls are getting breasts and periods at 9 or 10, I don't think this is a silly question at all! The timeline for everything has shifted so much from when we were kids. Everything is earlier, partly because of societal pressures, partly because our biology appears to be changing. I think you are absolutely right to ask this question, and as the responses show, you're not alone!

OMG!!! 7.5 and you are worried about shaving? LOL

I was not allowed near a razor until at least junior high, and I was SUPPOSED to wait until highschool but I sneaked a razor and shaved my own legs out by our pool LOL. I think I was 12 or 13.

I would think that not until she is at LEAST 13 should it even be a consideration. I would think more like 14 or 15. SEVEN is way too young. I'm laughing but almost sad at the thought that she would even be thinking about this, or that her mother would.

If people notice, in this post, I am also laughing at MYSELF, because I shaved my own legs too early... my whole post above is very light hearted an not mean spirited at all... gee whiz... I did not say anything offensive and I am more laughing WITH this mom than AT her... of course we all have questions that deserve to be answered here, but my response was an honest one, and I think I did say that she has a few years before needing to worry about this. I think some people are a little too sensitive, or just don't have a sense of humor! ;-)