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8th August 2024
11:54am BST
A concerned mum has taken to social media to ask for advice after her 10-year-old daughter refused to wear shorts unless she can shave her legs.
The mother believes she is too young but has asked advice from other parents as to whether she should let her pick up a razor.
Taking to Reddit she said: “My daughter just turned 10 a few weeks ago and had gotten her first period in December when she was 9. She won’t wear shorts or tank tops anymore and when I pressed her on why, she said it’s because she has hairy armpits and legs.
“So, I’m wondering when would it be appropriate to talk to her about shaving and would I have to teach her how?”
The original poster explained that her own mother passed away when she was just six, meaning she had no one to show her these things.
She continued: “I started [shaving] when I was about 13/14 because my older sister was making fun of me. I asked her if people were making fun of her about her hair and she said no that she just doesn’t wanna wear clothes that will show it.”
Users urged the lady to teach her daughter to shave correctly to prevent the daughter harming herself by trying to shave without her mum knowing.
One user said: “I’m 34 and I distinctly remember wanting to shave at the age of 11. But my mom refused to met me because I ‘wasn’t old enough yet’ and ‘your hair will grow back thicker’.
“My hair is super dark, so it was very noticeable. And yes, I got bullied over it so much that I only wore pants. In the heat of the summer. In the south (US), where temps frequently got over 100°F.
“So please teach her how to shave! If you don’t, she will (maybe) find a way to do it behind your back.”
Another commented: “I think this really has to be tailored to the kid. Your daughter started puberty young and is uncomfortable in her body because of things related to that. It may be the right time to allow it, and yes, you should teach her. For other kids that start puberty later or have fair hair, it may be appropriate to wait later. There is no correct age.”
The added: “Another suggestion is to have a conversation about body positivity, understanding what we like versus what we think were supposed to like and that beauty standards are false narratives.”
Meanwhile, a third commented that she never asked for her mum's advice on her body again after she 'made such a stink'.
