What would that "polite and calm" discussion entail? "Sweetie, I love you, but I don't like the way your hair looks on your body and I don't care about your philosophical reasons for not shaving. Also you should feel comfortable having this conversation with me." |
+1 When you’ve actually had a polite and calm discussion with your daughter about this topic and you hear the words coming out of your mouth, you start to realize what a load of BS it really is. |
Maybe it's a trend and maybe it isn't. Our parents didn't like our ripped jeans, clunky shoes, dark lipstick....every generation has their thing. This one shouldn't be controversial. |
“OK, sounds good. I’m going to bring a razor for myself, and I’ll throw another one in my bag in case you change your mind.”
It’s fine for any girl or woman, at any age, to decide that they want to stop shaving—temporarily or forever. It’s not like you opt in and can never change your mind. |
NP. I wish I didn’t find underarm hair gross. But I do - it seems unclean. But now I’m feeling bad that my DD has likely absorbed that from me.
I didn’t realize so many teens are forsaking shaving these days. I do think the bikini area should be shaved in abs thing suit. |
Her body. Her choice. What are going to do? Hog tie her and shave her yourself? Hope you do it to your son too pp. Arm hair pit is ugly on boys too! |
Some of the younger women in my office (22-25ish) don’t shave. The younger generations don’t feel it’s necessary. It amuses me because my generation (Xennial) removed every last hair on our bodies for ages, so it’s a complete reversal.
But as for your daughter, it’s her body, and she’s not hurting herself, so it’s her choice. |
I did that at 15 because it seemed futile and to take a feminist stand. It was satisfying getting looks from the prissy girls at school. |
Some of you sound so old. You fit right in with the 1950s parents who lost their sh*t when The Beatles had long hair. Part of being a teenager is trying on different trends or ways of being with your appearance and your body, figuring out what you want to do and don’t want to do. It’s also exercising control over your body. Pack some extra shaving supplies in case she changes her mind, and enjoy vacation. |
Think whatever you want, but please leave other people alone. It’s not your job to police people’s body hair. There’s nothing wrong with having body hair, just like no one is giving you a hard time about removing it. You’re the one with the hangup. Keep it to yourself. |
+1. If nothing else it's poor hygiene and looks dirty. I put it in the same category of - you must shower, you must wash your hair, you must keep yourself clean and presentable looking. I wouldn't push right off the bat, but I would start a conversation and let her know that this is something that, as an adult, she needs to take care of. |
You need to get over it OP, maybe she will go back to shaving, or maybe she won't. Either way, it's her body, her choice. |
If she was 25, I would agree with you. At 15, she needs maternal guidance. |
We are the parents of teenagers, we are old. And it’s part of their job to make us feel out of touch with the times. I still don’t think this is a general trend, though, as the vast majority of girls appear to still shave. I’m totally in board with my DD doing what she wants with her own body hair, no argument there. As mothers, it is somewhat instinctual to worry they will be teased or shunned, though. It takes a lot of confidence to go against the grain when it comes to female beauty standards, so I applaud them. I just hope others are just as accepting and teaching their children to be, too. |
But it literally is not poor hygiene and it doesn’t look dirty. I mean, maybe you have looked at a man’s leg hair and thought it was dirty, but most people do not. |