My oldest daughter is 8 years old and already has quite a bit of dark black hair growing under her arms. This started in about July or August of this past year. We have giggled about it and talked about why this is happening, but not really thought too much about it. But when I saw all the pretty summer things she might want to wear, it hit me, I was either going to have to tell her no tanks this summer (and it gets real hot here) or I am going to have to let her start shaving!@!@@!@! :-/ She is just 8 for crying out loud. I've not said anything to her but I feel she would be all for shaving but I'm not too sure that I'm ready for that yet. I know that if she starts shaving her under arms she will want to start shaving her legs next. I didn't start shaving till I was 11 or 12. I know she is growing up but isn't 8 too young to shave. But, I don't want her to get made fun on either. I am so mixed up on this topic. I would love to hear from other moms that may have an early bloomer on thier hands as well. Or just anyone that would want to share their opinion.
What about a hair remover. I am with you on the shaving. I have a 10 yr old and am not happy that the day will be here soon that she will start shaving. At least with a hair remover you or she would not have to do it as often. I would be scared that if you tell her no tanks or sun dresses that she would think that what is going on is a bad thing.
Good luck
M.
I started shaving under my arms when I was 10 years old. I also started my period early as well. You are right, as soon as she starts shaving her underarms, she will want to shave her legs. I did the same thing, and got into trouble for doing it, but once I had shaved my legs my mom said that I had to keep shaving them or the hair would grow back coarse and darker. My advice...teach her how to shave under her arms so she won't be teased, and if she shows interest in shaving her legs, you might as well let her. You don't want her to be teased for that either. Bullying and teasing is so harmful to children and shaving their legs won't cause them any harm other than a few cuts! :-) Hope this helps.
M. M
i would just let her shave IF it is VERY noticable, i wouldn't worry about it. my sister was very hairy (ha,ha) and she shaved before me and i am 2 yr older than her. but i did not need to. it did not affect us, or her acting her age.
good luck. P.S. my 6yr old son is sooo hairy he will have to shave his face when he is 10!!!! don't sweat it.
becky -mother of 4. ~3 boys 1 girl :)
Bless your heart...I won't tell you what to do because you might have a different opinion but I will say what I would do. If my little one happens to be an early bloomer, I will let her start shaving only because my parents didn't allow me to start shaving until I was 12 and I hated it. All my friends shaved their arms and legs and well I wasn't allowed. I felt left out and thought I was being treated like a kid. At 10 or 11 years old I think all girls go through a stage. Of course if all my friends would have jumped off a bridge...I would not have followed, but at the same time that is a very fragile stage for a girl and you want to be like all your friends. Or at least I did.
I know this is lengthy I'm sorry. I tend to write journals. I hope this helps. Hugs to you.
I have a few nieces and they all started shaving at much younger ages than we did. I was shocked, but at the same time, I can understand. I wasn't allowed to start shaving until I was older and I had hairy legs. When I made cheerleader in 7th grade, they all made fun of me because my legs were so hairy and they didn't want to hold me in stunts and things, so I know the feeling. I started shaving without telling my mom. She found out and wasn't happy, but she understood. I guess my point is, if you don't let her, she will eventually sneak and do it. If you show her how, you wont lose the trust and bond you have formed with her. She will know she can count on you and come to you to help her through important things in life. If you tell her no and she sneaks, there is already a break in trust and it will make it easier for her in the future to lie if she wants to. She'll feel like you wont understand and then she'll go to her friends instead of you. The other girls will definitely tease her. Especially now days. Girls seem to be meaner than when we were in school. I know it's hard, but you have to let her grow up. Good luck!
D.,
I started my period at 9, I am 45 now. I started growing hair in my arm pits at 8 also. My mother wouldn't let me do anything about it. Then the hair started growing on my legs. She wouldn't let me shave until I was in my teens. I had to sneak to do it. Plus when I got my period I didn't know what was happening and was terrified. 8 is young, yes, but if you handle it with gentleness and teach her how to take care of herself properly and don't let her get frightened, you will both come out of it fine. Try the hair remover cream or teach her how to shave properly. Since she is young, she may not have to shave to often yet until she gets her first period. But please, please please, educate her on what to expect now for her monthly period so she doesn't have to go through the terror that I went through. I have a 4 year old girl and I am afraid what happened to me will happen to her. Please let me know how it turns out for you. Best of luck to you and your daugter. Books about the subject will help also.
If she needs it, 8 is not too young. It's better than being embarrassed. I didn't start menstruating till 12 but started to have hair atleast a year earlier.
Good Luck
This may sound crazy, but I would suggest peroxide. It makes the hair lighter, and with her being eight I don't think shaving is a good idea. The peroxide if applied with a cotton ball will make the hair turn blonder every time. I would never rule out tanks though! This maybe because tanks are my favorite thing in the world during the summer! Good luck.
Hi. A wonderful book a/b growing up & the changes your body goes through is "It's Perfectly Normal." You can find it on amazon.com or @ any Barnes & Noble bookstore. It explains everything & has illustrations. You might find it helpful in opening/continuing dialog w/your daughter a/b what her own body is going through right now.
I'd recommend allowing her to shave under her arms, if SHE feels self-conscious a/b the tank tops, etc. Otherwise, I'd just let her wear the things w/no comments. After all, little girls wear shorts all the time w/a bit of hair on their legs before we parents "give in" & say "Yes" to shaving!
Talk to your daughter - ask her how she feels a/b the hair - ask her if anyone's said anything/teased her. But - I wouldn't limit her wardrobe choices b/c YOU feel uncomfortable w/her shaving. You mentioned how hot it gets there in the summer; that doesn't seem quite fair to your little girl.
I didn't start shaving until 6th grade, but girls are developing faster now - whether the cause be the growth hormones leaking through the cow milk or whatever ... it's happening. They're developing breasts, starting their periods & growing body hair @ a much earlier age than we ever dreamed.
I wish you the BEST of luck w/your daughter.
My daughter is 9 1/2 and has been shaving her legs for awhile now. She didn't and still doesn't have the underarm hair but her legs were really hairy and she was self-conscious about it. I just talked to her about it and told her that if she starts to shave she can't ever quit. She was fine with that and she shaves about once every 2 weeks. At this age they don't have to shave as often (at least my daughter doesn't).
I had a similar problem when I was your daughter's age and my mom was awesome about it!!
I would talk to her about it (but don't make a big deal out of it). If it bothers her, you can teach her how to shave (with an electric razor). That's what my mom did and I felt so much better about it. It was never a big deal to my mom (at least she never said) and it made a big difference in how I felt about myself. It might make your daughter feel like she's growing up. (which stinks for us moms, I know!)
I can relate. My oldest who is 12 started "early". Yes it was hard but thats nature and there's not much we can do about it. Just help her the first few times and watch her shave after that to make sure she's careful. Then when she gets the hang of it give her her privacy. My daughter also loves to wear tank tops. I hope this helps
i went the same thing with myself and my daughter but what u have to realize is that kids grow up much faster now a days and times have changes. instead of shaving you might want to consider a hair remover what worked best for my child was VEET it works great and it help you with not wanting her to shave at such a early age. you can also try a electric shaver. we all want our children to hold off on growing up but its not really our choice.plus kids are very mean now a days do u really want her to be teased but the other kids.
