10 Year Old Shaving?

While I think most of us are programmed to have "ages"... when it's biology, when it's time it's time. Whether that's shaving, deodorant, tampons. We may WANT more time, but biology rules.

I started shaving in the 5th grade. I still had blond hairs, but they were long and noticeable (hormones had hit them), and were on their way to becoming dark. Since I spent at least 9mo a year in a swimsuit, it was "time" and had already been poked fun at for 2 years (which I ardently denied). I shaved in secret for over a year before I got caught out. Come to find, there are better ways than dry shaving!

If it makes her feel self conscience, then let her shave. Get her an Intuition razor, I love mine and it helps prevent nicks.

I think my girls may have been 10 or 11. Kids are so hard on each other at this age. I did not want them to be teased because of hair. I was afraid of chemicals also. They use a razor and soap and have been just fine :)

I have a 10 and 13 year old girl, and because the 13 year old shaves her underarms, the 10 year old has had a shaver in the shower for about 2 years but only recently sprouted some hairs. She shaves her underarms about once every 2 weeks. The 13 year old used Nair on her legs last summer for the first time and shaved her legs once or twice after that, but she has very dark hair and very fair skin so her legs look more "furry". I bought her a Schick Intuition, the one with the 4-blade "heads" that have soap all around them so you do not need shaving foam. I bought one for myself, since it really is very easy to shave without nicking yourself with one of those. I would not make a big deal of it,. take her to CVS and let her choose a shaver and she may use it a few times and then ignore it for a few years.

for what its worth, I shaved when I was 10 or 11. I NEEDED to. I am Italian so I have white skin (tans easily) but dark dark hair. My armspits, legs, eyebrowns would have grown together by the time I was 12 if my parents waited. I was ALSO the youngest of 5 kids so shaving to them was no biggie....10, 12 not too much difference (in my parents eyes at least) I dont think its a big thing. this is a BIG time for your girl...being self concious and discovering puberty and boobs etc. I would try to make it as easy as possible for her. Letting her feel "pretty" just because she can shave could make all the difference.

Sally Hansen's has a great face/ leg and arm Bleacher that is temporary and non-irritating. Good luck.

I started shaving around 10. There is nothing wrong with letting her now. Let her. Sure she might nick or cut herself, but what 15, 20, 30, 40, year old women hasn't?

I wouldn't be hung up on an age. Everyone develops at a different pace. It's almost like saying that you can't start your period until your 13. I promise I am not trying to be offensive so I apologize if you feel that way. It's just that I feel as a woman and mom we need to support our daughters and make them feel comfortable with who they are at every age and step in life. This is a good bonding time for the two of you. Take her to the store get her her own shaving cream and razor. Then take her home and show her how Mommy does it. More improtantly what not to do so she is safe. I am wondering why it might be ok to remove the hair in another way but not with shaving. Are you worried about her hurting herself?

I'm fairly sure both daughters shaved around 10. They basically stole my razors and did it behind my back. I was all for armpit shaving but wanted to wait for leg shaving.

They can be self conscious at that age. I didn't see the harm and schooled them after the fact about the best way to do it.

It's not the worst thing they'll want to do.

The only time I let them use Nair was when my youngest was on blood thinners and we couldn't risk her cutting herself.

Shaving is actually probably the safest option at this point, and if she's asking about it, she's probably ready. I had gotten my period and started shaving around age 10.

This is not helpful in anyway... but I'm so glad I have boys.....

I was not allowed to shave until 13, but everything is so early now for girls, well, kids in general....

Good luck (Truly!!!)

i shaved around 10/11 bc i got under arm hair and i have dark hair and i was being teased about it. if she is starting to develop and everything i say its okay go to the store with her and get a razor that is made for teens and show her how to use it correctly and how to use shaving cream

Hi, I don't have a daughter, but I do have a few nieces. My niece that is half hispanic has dark leg hair and started to get teased when she was about 6 from the other kids in her class. Her mom felt so bad that she decided to let her shave. She has never had an issue with shaving in fact it raised her confidence. I was not allowed to shave my legs until I had hair starting to grow under my arms, but was allowed to use an electric shaver until then. I would say it is a personal call and if you think she is mature enough to do it then let her. I would stay away from the chemicals at all costs.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

If she's ready, and by ready I'm assuming she is now aware of the hair on her legs and possibly under her arms and isnt liking it. Explain to her that once you start you gotta keep on keepin on FOREVA :) I'd get her an electric shaver and skip the blades till she's a few years older. I don't think she needs THAT smooth of legs just yet, do you?

It may not bother you but it does bother her so please, help her. This has an impact on her self esteem.

I don't know why some parents forbid shaving until a certain age. I sub teach and I see 10 yr olds who need to shave and I see the low self esteem.... they stop wearing dresses or shorts.

My daughter started shaving around 10...she needed to. She asked me and I showed her how. If you forbid it, many girls will experiment on their own.

Remember, this is about HER and how SHE feels. You are setting the stage for good open communication for many topics that will come up down the road.

It was fun to read all the answers because it seems there is a trend, if moms say no the daughters do it behind their backs. Many did this, including me. There are going to be so many things in your daughter's life that you are going to have to say no to, this maybe should a be a fight you chose to back down from. It is something she will have to eventually anyway, so show her the right way and don't make a big deal. She will probably figure out that is not as much as much fun as she thinks and take a break until she really needs it.

My daughter is blonde so we were able to wait a little longer, however my niece had hair like you would not believe. We are Italian and she had dark thick leg hair. I think she was under 10 when I (with her mom's permission) did it for her the first time. I used a regular razor (because it was that thick) and then she kept up with an electric on her own, until she was older. I know you think it is early but if it is really upsetting her then I would let her do it. Also, remind her that once she starts she is going to have to continue. NO NAIR, I wouldn't put any chemicals on her so young.

Ugg At least your daughter asked you. My 10 year old has dark hairs on her legs and she happily informed me months go that she shaves. She was 9 when this happened. I think my jaw dropped tot he ground so now I am careful to keep my razors up.

I think 10 is too young, but if the hair is really obvious this summer I may let her with my help. When I was in the 5th grade my dark hair on my legs embarrassed me and some of the girls in my class teased me about it but my mom refused to let me shave my legs and it took months of me begging because I was so embarrassed. For my kids I would let them shave way before it got that bad.

I would tell her she needs to wait until she's 12. I would seriously be concerned about giving a 10 year old a razor and just letting her have at it. And I certainly wouldn't be doing it for her. Other kids her age aren't going to be shaving so I wouldn't worry about it.

Wow - my daughter is 5 & my husband is already talking about her shaving. I had a friend who had her daughter shaving at 10 (5th grade)...weird for her, but she knew it was a necessary evil because her daughter's hair was dark. My feeling is that if she has hit puberty, then you should go ahead & let her. She may want to get used to one big change at a time rather than face them all at the same time (i.e. menstruating). I think you took a great approach in letting her know that her concern was important to you. When my mom FINALLY was talked into letting me shave by my swim coach, I had already been made fun of for at least a year. She started me on an electric razor for my arm pits & then I think I just took the electric razor to my legs one day because I was still getting teased for the thick blonde hair on my legs. I did the same thing with my youngest sister who is also 10 (she was actually 9 when I noticed the hair under her arms & the B.O.) mostly because my stepmom didn't think that my sister had the coordination to safely handle a regular razor. Unfortunately, girls are maturing faster than we did & you may not be able to truly delay shaving if she is really uncomfortable & self-conscious. Good luck!

i was told by my mom to wait till 13 - but when my mom took an overseas job when i was nine i started immediately to shave (my dad was clueless as far as i knew). i DO think it's too early. but maybe because i have issues with women feeling they have to shave anyway. i wish we could be comfortable with ourselves the way we are. that being said, one idea for your daughter (non-chemical) is to do a home wax. it keeps the hair off for a bit longer and it grows back SOFT and almost as if you never shaved at all - that way she could wax when she's gonna show her legs and not do it when she isn't, with no uncomfortable stubble. i make my own with sugar and lemon juice and do it myself at home. there are lots of recipes on the internet. she'll need help the first couple times but then she may be able to do it alone when she wishes.

good luck mama!

NOOO nair! I used it exactly as the instructions said, and after 3 months of having no issues, one day it peeled off a 6 inch long strip of skin off my leg. OUCH! after that it started leaving burns almost every time I used it. My dad gave up and let me start shaving.

Shaving armpits at this age is fine if it's necessary, but I don't for the life of me know why girls are in such a hurry to shave their legs.
My mom wishes she hadn't started so young because now, at her age, the hair on her legs are like wire bristles and it drives her crazy if she doesn't shave her legs every day.
This is going to sound bad, I mean, I'm not a hippie or anything, but I never shave my legs. I HAVE shaved them, but I may shave them only once a month during the summer. I have blonde hair and maybe 10 hairs on each leg. You can't even see them. My legs are soft, so no pricklies to worry about.
Some people are much hairier than others. For the most part though, I think 12 is a good age. Maybe even 13. That's about the time I let my daughter shave her legs and after doing it a couple of times, it didn't seem all that fun. She was blessed with not very hairy legs too.
I cut myself every single time I try to shave, but Nair and things like that burn my skin so I just stick with only shaving for special occasions.

i think an electric razor would be a good compromise! Maybe get her a little pack of things to take about going into that stage in her life. some teen spirit deodorant, and smaller electric shaver, etc.

and i also agree, make sure she understands that the hair is going to seem thicker when it comes back because it is blunted, so it is going to take a LOT of up-keep!

i was shavings my legs with a regular razor pretty regularly when i was her age though. However, i was a very earlier bloomer.

my daughter and i have talked (she is 11) and we have agreed that she can start shaving her underarms and legs at one of 2 times: when she begins to sprout hairs under her arms, or when she feels self conscious enough to want to do it. so far, she has asked about it Information wise only), but has not asked to start doing it yet. at the moment, she is concentrating on make up. i told her that she can start wearing it on a regular basis now, but she can wear only the colors i approve of. and i gave her clear mascara, neutral colored eye shadow, light pink lip gloss stick, and a stick of cover up for christmas. she was estatic! i also said that i would share my black mascara with her on special occasions. now that she has some make up of her own, she has almost completely lost interest in it. I am pretty sure that when she starts talking to me about shaving the same thign will happen until she is a bit older. Your daughter will prolly have the same reaction.

BTW i asked to start sha i started 6th grade (when i started getting teased) and my grandpa told me no, that i had to be 18 before i started shaving. I then proceeded to borrow his disposable razors behind his back (im sure he noticed when he started nicking his face !) but no one said anything and the subject never came up. 1-2 years later, one of my friends showed me how to shave my legs at a slumber party. i still have the scars on my legs from trying to teach myself how to shave before then.

I would probably let her. I started shaving at 11. I just did it without asking. I had to wear a uniform with a short jumper. Most of the girls in my class were shaving.
I cut myself pretty bad the 2nd time I shaved. No one showed me how to do it and I wasn't careful. I'd see my mom do it sitting up on her counter with her legs over the sink. I just thought there was nothing to it. Maybe you could show her, so she won't be like me. haha

I am 10 and I shave my legs I have shaved them since I was 6 or 7

Updated

I am 10 and I shave my legs I have shaved them since I was 6 or 7

Updated

I am 10 and I shave my legs I have shaved them since I was 6 or 7

Updated

I am 10 and I shave my legs I have shaved them since I was 6 or 7

The only thing I've allowed my almost 10 yr old to shave is her underarms. She's going to have to shave her legs for the rest of her life once she starts as it is.