When should a 9 year old shave her armpits?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mom of hairy 9 year old girl here. This is NOT unusual for certain ethnicities. Please, those of you trying to diagnose a disorder, keep your comments to yourself!! Pediatrician has confirmed that my DD's development is perfectly normal and on the early normal end of puberty. She is of an ethnicity in Eastern Europe that tends to have lots of hair...think of the Iranian ladies to have to get their eyebrows threaded every week! My 9 yo DD has already had her armpits shaved. She will likely get legs shaved in coming months. Not sure what we will do about that mustache! Maybe bleach before we even consider waxing. I will make all the suggestions and let her decide what she wants to do. I basically bring it up and tell her to let me know if she wants to talk about it more. I don't force it on her. And when the time comes (late teens) I will spend the money for laser treatments, just like I had to.

I would be careful with what you are saying. I am Mexican American and I am not hairy at all. I have really good eye brows. Why did I ever notice That? My sister is super hairy like my father. She has to stay on top of her body hair. And basically has been like that all her life. My mother never said anything to her about it because body hair isn't a source of shame. However, my sister was shamed about it in high school where she was also shamed for being a 120 lb lb 5"4 woman. She basically doesn't let herself go above 108 now and is not just religious about hair removal but thins the hair on her head as well. I feel horrible seeing her live like this but there is not much to do about since she has internalized a lot of the bullying in high school. Fwiw, she went to Madison.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mom of hairy 9 year old girl here. This is NOT unusual for certain ethnicities. Please, those of you trying to diagnose a disorder, keep your comments to yourself!! Pediatrician has confirmed that my DD's development is perfectly normal and on the early normal end of puberty. She is of an ethnicity in Eastern Europe that tends to have lots of hair...think of the Iranian ladies to have to get their eyebrows threaded every week! My 9 yo DD has already had her armpits shaved. She will likely get legs shaved in coming months. Not sure what we will do about that mustache! Maybe bleach before we even consider waxing. I will make all the suggestions and let her decide what she wants to do. I basically bring it up and tell her to let me know if she wants to talk about it more. I don't force it on her. And when the time comes (late teens) I will spend the money for laser treatments, just like I had to.

I would be careful with what you are saying. I am Mexican American and I am not hairy at all. I have really good eye brows. Why did I ever notice That? My sister is super hairy like my father. She has to stay on top of her body hair. And basically has been like that all her life. My mother never said anything to her about it because body hair isn't a source of shame. However, my sister was shamed about it in high school where she was also shamed for being a 120 lb lb 5"4 woman. She basically doesn't let herself go above 108 now and is not just religious about hair removal but thins the hair on her head as well. I feel horrible seeing her live like this but there is not much to do about since she has internalized a lot of the bullying in high school. Fwiw, she went to Madison.

So what are you saying I should be careful about? At least I take the initiative to help DD make decisions about shaving. Sounds like your mom was clueless. Sad. Also sad that you come on an anonymous board to brag about your "good eye brows" and hairless body. Sick.

[Anonymous]

huge mistake to wait - PLEASE ask her if she wants to, i remember wanting to for months but not knowing what to say to my mom.

[Anonymous]

Why does a 9yr old have arm pit hair???? Take her to the pediatrician immediately for premature puberty which sadly increases their risk of cancer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why does a 9yr old have arm pit hair???? Take her to the pediatrician immediately for premature puberty which sadly increases their risk of cancer.

If you had read the previous comments, you would know that 9 is not young for this. It is normal development on the early end.

[Anonymous]

With all the numerous positions OP, maybe the best thing to do is offer to show her how and give her the supplies she needs, just for if she ever is interested. I could imagine a 9 year old not being worried about it, but I could also see one being too embarressed to admit they do not know what to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mom of hairy 9 year old girl here. This is NOT unusual for certain ethnicities. Please, those of you trying to diagnose a disorder, keep your comments to yourself!! Pediatrician has confirmed that my DD's development is perfectly normal and on the early normal end of puberty. She is of an ethnicity in Eastern Europe that tends to have lots of hair...think of the Iranian ladies to have to get their eyebrows threaded every week! My 9 yo DD has already had her armpits shaved. She will likely get legs shaved in coming months. Not sure what we will do about that mustache! Maybe bleach before we even consider waxing. I will make all the suggestions and let her decide what she wants to do. I basically bring it up and tell her to let me know if she wants to talk about it more. I don't force it on her. And when the time comes (late teens) I will spend the money for laser treatments, just like I had to.

I would be careful with what you are saying. I am Mexican American and I am not hairy at all. I have really good eye brows. Why did I ever notice That? My sister is super hairy like my father. She has to stay on top of her body hair. And basically has been like that all her life. My mother never said anything to her about it because body hair isn't a source of shame. However, my sister was shamed about it in high school where she was also shamed for being a 120 lb lb 5"4 woman. She basically doesn't let herself go above 108 now and is not just religious about hair removal but thins the hair on her head as well. I feel horrible seeing her live like this but there is not much to do about since she has internalized a lot of the bullying in high school. Fwiw, she went to Madison.

So what are you saying I should be careful about? At least I take the initiative to help DD make decisions about shaving. Sounds like your mom was clueless. Sad. Also sad that you come on an anonymous board to brag about your "good eye brows" and hairless body. Sick.

Don't make generalizations based on ethnicity! That is all I was saying. I never bragged about my hairless body. I have hair. My mother never thought body hair should be a source of shame. Should Frida have shaved her unibrow because of people like you? It is cultural. And when you are surrounded by white people who shame you for what you look like, it makes your life suck, which is what happened to my sister. I didn't care because I was a geek and was too busy doing geek things to know I was supposed to be jumping through stupid beauty hoops to popularity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel sorry for girls who are hairy and parents don't help them. It may be ok culturally in other countries but it isn't ok here in the US. I see little girls with unibrows and mustaches and wonder why their parents aren't doing anything. 10-11 boys and girls can be cruel. Don't give them extra ammo. Do you really want your girl to be known as the hairy girl!??!?

I have boys this age. They would never notice. Let kids be kids!

They noticed my armpit hair, and they were cruel about it. I was so embarrassed. I was also really disheartened by my mom that she didn't help me BEFORE I was teased about it. I'm 41, and remember it very well. Moms, help your kids out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does a 9yr old have arm pit hair???? Take her to the pediatrician immediately for premature puberty which sadly increases their risk of cancer.

If you had read the previous comments, you would know that 9 is not young for this. It is normal development on the early end.

For fat kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So I will be the lone dissent - my daughter started shaving armpits at age 9. I did go through the American Girl doll book and went through the various sections on hygiene. Then I gave her shaving cream and a razor and showed her how to do it. It was simple, painless and a great improvement in her appearance. She didn't ask - bc I didn't think she knew to ask.

Every kid is different, and I knew my daughter needed to shave.

Really, you were actually offended by your NINE YEAR OLDS body hair??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel sorry for girls who are hairy and parents don't help them. It may be ok culturally in other countries but it isn't ok here in the US. I see little girls with unibrows and mustaches and wonder why their parents aren't doing anything. 10-11 boys and girls can be cruel. Don't give them extra ammo. Do you really want your girl to be known as the hairy girl!??!?

I can't believe that you, as a grown woman (or man), is perpetuating this type of behavior. What a bitch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I will be the lone dissent - my daughter started shaving armpits at age 9. I did go through the American Girl doll book and went through the various sections on hygiene. Then I gave her shaving cream and a razor and showed her how to do it. It was simple, painless and a great improvement in her appearance. She didn't ask - bc I didn't think she knew to ask.

Every kid is different, and I knew my daughter needed to shave.

You are seriously f***ing kidding, right? She is/was NINE. Do you know why she didn't ask you? Because she had not reason to be ashamed of her natural, normal body!!! Way to ruin that nice and early.

Please, work out your own self image issues before your daughter gets any older, you are already doing some serious damage.

Different poster here. Are you an American woman? Do you walk around with hairy armpits and hairy legs?

It's kind of like body odor. It isn't ok in the US. I have been to many countries where people stink and women have hairy arms and legs. It's unacceptable in the US.

Yes, I'm American. I am a professional and I am also very attractive. Sometimes I shave my legs and armpits and sometimes I do not, even in the summer! No one tells me what I should or should do and I have never felt ridiculed or ashamed of either choice. So guess what, it IS acceptable, despite what you and your pearl clutching friends may think.

We are sending terribly damaging messages to our daughters when we tell them, at the age of NINE, that their bodies are not acceptable the way they are.

Does your DH find your hairy armpits attractive?

I'm sorry…….but are you ACTUALLY advocating that a 9 year old shave herself to make her more attractive to MEN?

Because that is what your post says. This post is about a NINE year old girl and you make it about sexual attractiveness? Sicko.

LOL No, I was trying to save the OP's DD some grief. Fine, let her be hairy. Maybe she won't hear for years. Maybe people will snicker behind her back. I personally think when I see a hairy unibrow or mustache on a little girl, it looks ugly. You can keep your unibrows, mustaches, hairy armpits and legs. I have boys. If I had a girl, I would teach her to properly groom herself.

Oh my god, you are a DISGUSTING, AWFUL human being.

[Anonymous]

For anyone worrying about precocious puberty - I had a full bush and my first period before I turned 11 - many years ago. I'm white and have been thin my entire life. I had none of the other markers people on this board love to handwring about. No abuse, happy and intact family, etc. Children develop at different rates.

[Anonymous]

When there is hair under them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel sorry for girls who are hairy and parents don't help them. It may be ok culturally in other countries but it isn't ok here in the US. I see little girls with unibrows and mustaches and wonder why their parents aren't doing anything. 10-11 boys and girls can be cruel. Don't give them extra ammo. Do you really want your girl to be known as the hairy girl!??!?

I can't believe that you, as a grown woman (or man), is perpetuating this type of behavior. What a bitch.

Oh please. Those of you who weren't the hairy dark girl in school can just sit down and be quiet. It doesn't have to be seen as "shameful", it's just good grooming. You don't let your kids walk out of the house with ratted, knotted hair, and you shouldn't let them out of the house with hairy pits and pubic hair coming out of the bathing suit. Let them decide to be the hairy hippie chick when they're older and can make a conscious decision to deal with the consequences.

You people are trying so hard to be PC, you're going to break something.