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Extra-curricular activities

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Tween dancer worrying about her armpit hair

54 replies

WindsurfingDreams · 07/11/2024 20:15

Just wondering if anyone else has advice on how to deal with this.

Dd (11) has a bit of armpit hair and said today she feels self conscious about it at dance (she dances four days a week) because of course she is wearing a leotard.

I'm pretty low maintenance and so it's definitely not a hangup she's got from me and I know the head of her dance school well and again I know she wouldnt allow any comments to make the girls self conscious.

But I also dont want it to put DD off dance when she lives to dance and gets so much joy from it.

I said I would have a think and that body hair is natural and normal but also that I could understand her feeling how she did. So really am hoping for some wise words or ideas.

Part of me doesn't want to encourage her to remove it but another part of me thinks I shouldn't stop her following her wishes either.

I am also worried practically about the best way, I wondered about just cutting the hair shorter as a compromise. As I dont like the thought of the chemicals in hair removal cream but also don't want her injured with razors etc

OP posts:
WindsurfingDreams · 07/11/2024 20:19

sprigatito · 07/11/2024 20:18

I think it's a good opportunity to show her that her body belongs to her, and she gets to make the decisions about it. By all means discuss the ethical issues around removing body hair, but let her make the choice.

Thanks, yes that's where my head is going with it I think

OP posts:
Aytr · 07/11/2024 20:18

I'd just let her shave it. She will in a year or two anyway and her dexterity (so chance of injury) will be pretty similar. I really don't see shaving under your arms as a big deal at all.

sprigatito · 07/11/2024 20:18

I think it's a good opportunity to show her that her body belongs to her, and she gets to make the decisions about it. By all means discuss the ethical issues around removing body hair, but let her make the choice.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 07/11/2024 20:16

Electric shaver, sorted.

End of online discussion of pubescent female children and their development before it goes off on a tangent that may or may not be intentional.