How old would you let your daughter start shaving her legs

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We are a fair skinned dark haired kind of family. My daughter is only 8 and is already very self conscious of her hairy legs. She says none of her friends have hairy legs. She wears shorts for PE, but otherwise it will be more of an issue in the summer months.
I'm obviously not going to let her start shaving yet, but what age is it a good time to start do you think?

Yeah, I thought that. Not a chance in hell DD would let me help her wax!!! '

Oh my god your poor daughter

Mine has only ever had hers waxed and it's meant that now she only has some fine hairs. I'm jealous!

She was 12

I know some people have mentioned cream but that seems such a faff and only gets rid of hairs for a couple of days. Think shaving is better than that if they won't wax

It’s not fair that girls have this pressure that boys don’t but by removing it, it will hopefully allow her to focus on other 8 year old girl stuff.

It’s best that you do it than her stealing a razor from you or her dad and cutting herself.

My dd didn’t have bodily hair at that age but stole my tweezers to sort out her monobrow that someone at school “ helpfully “ pointed out. She over plucked and had to have her eyebrows drawn on for school.

My mother never shaved legs or armpits, and thought l was stupid when l wanted to at about thirteen. When l was at a grammar school, when we went swimming, l was mortified. I seemed to be about the only one who didn't shave.
We wore black tights in winter, and although l'm a redhead, the lower halves of my legs were quite hairy and the hairs poked through the tights.
It embarrassed me terribly. My auntie, who was a lot more into self care than my mother, thank goodness, bought me a Ladyshave one Christmas.
My cousin has a daughter, when she got to about thirteen, she took her to have her legs waxed. It was still soft vellus hair then, and as a result, after a few years it hasn't grown back.
If it's bothering her, l'd give her safe options to remove it, rather than risk her 'borrowing' someone else's razor and hurting herself.

Mine has only ever had hers waxed and it's meant that now she only has some fine hairs. I'm jealous!
This is what my cousin's daughter did from being about thirteen.
I've used an epilator for years (wouldn't recommend for a teen, though) and l haven't had to do under my arms for about fifteen years. I get about two stray hairs in each armpit occasionally, and l just tweeze them out.

Phillips ladyshave. It's rechargeable. I have one. You can use it wet if you like or dry. It's been very reliable.

There was no age I let her. She started when she wanted.

Why do you think you should stop her when you know she is self conscious?

I think about 11 (senior school) or earlier if it’s causing upset.

My daughter was 9 and self conscious so I got her hair removal cream to use, she used it a few times and then wasn’t bothered anymore. Could you try some cream if your DD is feeling self conscious?

Now, if it’s making her embarrassed, poor girl. Of course she shouldn’t have to, but how many adult women do you know who bare their hairy legs with pride? I don’t know any, so why should she?

Let her, get her a electric razor or help her use veet or similar

If she's only mentioned it once I'd use it as a good opportunity to talk about how everyone is different, how some children haven't yet learnt how to be thoughtful about other people feelings and say mean things.

I honestly don't think a young child should be encouraged to alter themselves physically to fit in. Down that path danger lies, and where will it all end?

I was a pale a hairy child but that was when kneehighs were worn so it wasn't so noticeable. I wore tights at secondary and probably started shaving them as a young teen when I started going to the beach with my friends. My mum was never involved.

My arms are hairy too - I shaved them once - never again! It felt so weird. I embrace it now. Anyone who doesn't like it can jog on.

I still remove hair from legs and underarm though as I find it uncomfortable to have either stubble or longer hair - just love the feeling of smooth legs in the bedsheets!

Whenever she feels self conscious. I don't see it as a problem to be honest.

I had a friend in primary school (perhaps around year 5 or 6) and her mum used to wax in-between her eyebrows and upper lip because she would get so upset about her darker hair and was scared to be teased.

In all honesty, no-one noticed at all, but it really boosted her confidence.

When she wants to. I wasn't allowed and resorted to stealing razors from the bin. I was 11, blonde body hair but lots of it. I still remember being shamed for removing it and having it turn into a fight.

I feel sad that she's even thinking about it yet - she's just a little girl.
She has only mentioned it once in the bath, and just that she feels hairier than her friends - not that she's being bullied about it.

In that case I'd leave it for now and if she mentions it again say that hair varies just like every other bodily characteristic and that's completely normal and healthy and that we have body hair to protect our skin. If she says she wants to get rid of it then help her but while doing that keep reinforcing that body hair is completely normal and that not removing it is as valid a choice as removing it and that different people can make different choices at different points in their life about it and that all are equally valid. You don't want her to feel pressurised and you don't want her to end up bullying another child who doesn't shave.

Eight is so terribly young to be worrying about this, maybe talk to school about letting boys and girls do PE in joggers rather than shorts to avoid it being an issue. Or having a PSHE lesson about what's normal.

Please coming from a light skinned dark hair hairy lady please let her shave or wax, but of course with your supervision/ help.

when I was younger my mother refused to help at all until I was at the end of year 7 and for years had ridiculed me about my hairyness and I also got bullied too.

of course only let her if she specifically asks to remove her hair!

My mum wouldn’t let me shave mine and referred to another (younger) girl at school as having caterpillar legs. She also told me I had knock knees. I didn’t wear shorts until I was in my 40s.

It's not about you.

This is a topic that always baffles me. Why are people so intent on refusing to allow their children to remove body hair? What's the big issue with razors? If they are responsible and old enough to do it, let them.

I think a child should be allowed to remove body hair if they become self conscious and want to remove it.

I wouldn't suggest it or point it out, but of course once they begin to ask I wouldn't refuse.

My daughter is 10 and asked for an eyebrow wax so i took her for a tidy up, she was happy. She hasn't yet expressed any interest in leg hair being removed.

Bloody hell.

If I'd pandered to every patriarchal societal expectation I would have been a nervous wreck by the time I was 18.

I'm glad my mum didn't buy into that nonsense and raised me as a confident, body loving teen, whatever shape, size, level of hirsuteness, hair colour, that entailed.

I was/am short, have hairy arms, a bit of a tash, strong eyebrows, a curvy figure and I have never been short of friends, boyfriends, confidence and I've had a lot of fun without having to worry about trying to look like everybody else.

Why can't people accept that we are all different and lovely for it?

An eyebrow wax for a primary school pupil? I'm stunned.

My DD is 11 and shaved for the first time last month. I was kind of reluctant about it, but she’s inherited my fair skin and her dad’s very dark hair and was feeling very self conscious. Also I shave despite being fair so I realised it was a bit hypocritical of me to try and stop her. I bought her a lady shave so she can’t cut herself though.

Whenever they want to, I remember being so embarrassed that all the girls had started shaving and my mum wouldn’t let me. This was year 7 so slightly older but I was mortified!

If she’s self conscious talk to her about options, I would also invest in IPL if possible. Waxing might be a better option long term.

I found my older sisters razed cut my finger and took a chunk out my leg which I then couldn’t tell anyone about as I did it in secret.

Oh this was my mum and I hated her for it. I was blonde too so fair but it wasn’t just about that it was all the girls shaving their legs and fitting in with the crowd. It’s a core memory for me and I won’t put my DD in that situation. Maybe reconsider it for your DD?