Anonymous
Post 04/23/2026 19:26     Subject: 9 year old wants to shave her legs
Anonymous wrote:I got my 9 year old the American Girl body book for girls her age since she has been very curious about puberty and bodies lately. She’s been engrossed in the book and has become fixated on the section about shaving. She’s keeps asking to shave her legs. I feel like she’s too young. I was thinking this was more like a middle school thing. I asked her if other girls are starting to shave and she said no. I will say she does have naturally more noticeable body hair than average which is genetic. Would you let your daughter start shaving at 9?

Yes. I had noticeably hairy legs with very dark hair at that age. My mom was reluctant but my aunt convinced her to let me shave and bought me razors and showed me how to do it.
Anonymous
Post 04/23/2026 19:16     Subject: 9 year old wants to shave her legs
If she is hairy and it bothers her , I’d let her. I started when I also had underarm hair when I had just turned 11 at the end of 5th grade. My 16 year old daughter also started shaving at the same time at the end of 5th grade. My 12 year old still hasn’t started shaving her legs but she has very blond, fine hair and hasn’t wanted to. Many of my kids friends had already started shaving in 4th and had started their periods. If they feel self conscious about it , it doesn’t really matter what age they are.
Anonymous
Post 04/23/2026 17:59     Subject: 9 year old wants to shave her legs
Anonymous wrote:This thread is insane! IMy dark haired daughter with severe ADHD started shaving her armpits and legs at 9 and it’s completely fine. Sure there’s a little nick here or there but honestly not that much more than I get as a woman in my 40s. She felt self conscious and wanted to do something about it. It would have been incredibly hypocritical if I, as a woman who shaves my own legs, refused her that. There’s nothing sexual about it, simply a desire to not be teased. She gets to decide this for herself 100 percent.


I think the reason matters. Is OP’s daughter actually self conscious about it or is she just curious because she read about in a book? If it’s just a curiosity, I think it’s fine to say wait. My 9 yr old doesn’t do that great of a job shampooing and rinsing out her hair. Shaving would also likely require oversight from me. Unless it’s a real issue with feeling bad about one’s self due to body hair, I don’t need to now help a 9 yr old shave as well just for fun.
Anonymous
Post 04/23/2026 16:42     Subject: 9 year old wants to shave her legs
This thread is insane! IMy dark haired daughter with severe ADHD started shaving her armpits and legs at 9 and it’s completely fine. Sure there’s a little nick here or there but honestly not that much more than I get as a woman in my 40s. She felt self conscious and wanted to do something about it. It would have been incredibly hypocritical if I, as a woman who shaves my own legs, refused her that. There’s nothing sexual about it, simply a desire to not be teased. She gets to decide this for herself 100 percent.
Anonymous
Post 04/23/2026 14:51     Subject: Re:9 year old wants to shave her legs
"Too young?" It's a leg hair cut. Who cares. She wants to try it, so let her try it.

The only thing that would stop me was if I didn't trust her with a razor, but at 9, I'd think you'd be fine.

You people give stuff like this way too much weight. It's just hair.
Anonymous
Post 04/23/2026 14:16     Subject: 9 year old wants to shave her legs
Why does the age matter? Teach them how to shave with a quality razor and they won’t cut themselves. My daughter went to sleep away camp last year just before turning 10. She had full on long arm pit hair. She would have been teased at camp in a swimsuit. She shaved it before going and was very happy. She also shaves her arms and legs but not as frequently. She strongly dislikes having dark arm hair. I have made it clear she controls her body.
Anonymous
Post 04/23/2026 08:58     Subject: 9 year old wants to shave her legs
I wouldn't let my 9-year-old shave with a wet razor because I don't think she could do so without cutting herself badly. Maybe with an electric razor if it was really needed.
Anonymous
Post 04/23/2026 08:56     Subject: 9 year old wants to shave her legs
Anonymous wrote:I have a 13 year old and the only friends that shave their legs are the swimmers.


Yeah. My DD friends weren’t. My own hairy DD didn’t even care until HS and even then it was not super regular. I feel like body hair isn’t at taboo now as it was when we were teen
Anonymous
Post 04/23/2026 08:48     Subject: 9 year old wants to shave her legs
I have a 13 year old and the only friends that shave their legs are the swimmers.
Anonymous
Post 04/22/2026 14:00     Subject: 9 year old wants to shave her legs
Anonymous wrote:I would rather do it a day too early than have my kid be humiliated about this. If they don't care and aren't asking for it, totally different story.


Yep this. I am still angry my mom made me wait until I was 13 to start shaving. I refused to wear shorts in the summer after I was about 9 because I was so embarrassed about my leg hair.
Anonymous
Post 04/22/2026 13:44     Subject: 9 year old wants to shave her legs
I would rather do it a day too early than have my kid be humiliated about this. If they don't care and aren't asking for it, totally different story.