I was just curious about how other moms deal with the issue of body hair on their girls. When my daughter was born, she was downright furry. Hair on her shoulders, on the small of her back, very dark and fine. Everyone said it would fall out in a couple of months. Well she just turned 3 and she's still very hairy! I've always had "peach fuzz" but I am very light haired so it is not noticeable unless you get very close. But she has dark brown hair and olive skin, and the hair is very obvious, more so when she gets wet, like in a swimming pool. She's still too young to care when her brother calls her Fuzzy Butt. Still, I know how cruel kids can be and I don't want this to be an issue when she's older. I know I'm way ahead of myself, but I remember how it feels to absolutely dread changing clothes in the locker room during gym class, and I don't want my gorgeous little furry girl to ever feel that way about her body. Can I just keep her in a pink bubble the rest of her life please?
Thank you all, great advice. I especially needed to hear this: "it's better to help her build confidence in who she naturally is than to try to make her body locker-room-friendly. It's better to stand up to bullies -- and the inherent bullying of consumer culture -- than to change yourself on the basis of bullying."
Get ahead of it and teach her how to appreciate herself. There's always going to be something for others not to like. She has to be able to anchor herself.
My 12 year old has ears that stick out like jug handles. Two years ago, I asked him if he'd like to have the surgically pinned back. It was the Summer before he transitioned to middle school, and I figured it'd be the perfect time to do it.
To my surprise, he looked me in the eye and said, "No, mom. I like myself the way I am."
Everyone has little quirks and goofy parts that make them who they are. Teach your daughter that EVERY part of her is a part that makes her worthy of love and acceptance. She'll surprise you with her confidence.
My dd is like that. She's 10, and looked like a wookie when she was born. Most fell out by age 5-6. She still has hairy legs, so I let her start shaving right before she turned 10 because it bothered her. Now the only thing she mentions is her eyebrows, so I've started tweezing them for her. Don't comment on it unless she does. If she feels self conscious ask her why, find out if anyone is making fun of her so you can address it. If not, just reassure her that her body and hair will change several times before she is grown and that you love her the way she is now and the way she will be in the future.
For some ethnic groups (South Asian and Middle Eastern, among others), this is just normal. If she (through her dad?) belongs to one of these groups, then you don't want to "fix" that, you want to help her have pride in her heritage.
If what she has really, really falls outside any ethnic norm, then yeah, talk to a pediatric endocrinologist.
But otherwise, I personally dreaded locker rooms with a purple passion -- something I've never quite gotten over, even after all these years. But I think it's better to help her build confidence in who she naturally is than to try to make her body locker-room-friendly. It's better to stand up to bullies -- and the inherent bullying of consumer culture -- than to change yourself on the basis of bullying.
I would not let her brothers call her names for starters.
I would leave it up to her. Just let her be and if it becomes an issue for her then you can let her know there are options, just as lazor hair removal (when she is a bit older of course)
My youngest was like that. I think by the time she hit five she had shed a lot. Now that she is 12 she shaves her legs and complains about her ever so slight mustache. No worries he big sister said she will teach her to wax the mustache, yikes!
It really isn't a big deal and no one teased her about it. I think she notices more than anyone else.
Hmmm, I have 2 thoughts.
Yes, keep telling her she's great just the way she is. She is a unique and special person, and beauty is on the inside.
That said, when she gets to late tween/early teen years, if she is self-conscious about it and wants to take care of a little body hair, there is also no harm in teaching her the most common womanly grooming tricks (because looking the way she wants to look can help her self-confidence too). But ONLY if it bothers her. No need to bring it up if she is comfortable with herself, just the way she is.
No experience with the hair, but I love the pink bubble picture!
Just like MamaR, my daughter had the same thing and it was all eventually gone by early elementary school. Except for those hairy legs, but she is in middle school now so is ready to shave them.
Ha! I have no advice other than to say that my 3 yo has the same fuzz and my son calls her Fuzzy Butt, too. I hope it will eventually fall out as she matures.
If you are very concerned talk to your pediatrician or an pediatric endocrinologist.
