Getting your daughter to shave her legs is not an automatic task to think of when going over your mental list of things to do to get her ready for high school. Many girls may have shaved their legs long before this point, but I’m one of those mom’s who has a daughter that could care less about her hairy legs so I had to take it upon myself to let her know it was time. Either way, at some point in their lives, every girl must shave her legs for the first time.
Shaving is something I do as a mindless act in the shower, so in gearing up for my tutorial I started thinking more about what I was doing. That was a mistake! Taking the act out of a second nature thing and over thinking it caused me to get razor burn a few times from pressing too hard as I was trying to get a feel for the amount of pressure to tell her to use, and from either going too fast or too slow.
I eventually decided to just Google it, but all that brought up for me to read was sponsored advice from shaving companies saying that the best way to teach your daughter to shave her legs for the first time is to use their razor and shaving gel. Needless to say I abandoned all of that and eventually figured out some strategies of my own. I wanted to share them with all of you who are just like me and needed the advice I couldn’t find.
1. Do not make a big deal of this; for your sake and hers.
Keeping this as matter of fact as possible will save you from emotional trauma. I think some people might like to make a celebration out of this right of passage, but for me I think it stinks that from now on she will have to shave her legs every day for the rest of her life (except in Winter when we all get a little lazy!). Her showers will now be longer and she will now be self-conscious about her legs and if you can see any stubble, or if they feel soft enough, not to mention any razor nicks. Keep it simple and it will instead become a very normal part of her life. As an aside, I learned this lesson when I made a big deal with my son about going out to pick his very own deodorant because it was time. He sobbed about it for hours! Very loudly too!
2. Begin by shaving with an electric razor.
The hairs on an unshaved leg are pretty long, so going at it with a regular razor will take forever as it will get clogged up with hair. We just used my husband’s razor that he has for his hair. My daughter was a little worried that it was going to hurt so I did a few passes on my own leg first to show her it was ok.
3. Proceed to the shower for the real shave.
The electric razor doesn’t leave the leg perfectly smooth, but it makes for a perfect transition to the real thing. Perhaps if you have a proper electric shaver made for legs and not haircuts you would be left with a smooth leg and then you could just leave it at that and proceed to this step the next time. I had her wash up in the shower so her skin would be nice and soft. I handed her the shaving cream and let her have fun loading her first leg up with it. After years of shaving, I just use hair conditioner, but with the shaving cream it adds a better protection, an element of fun and it helps her keep track of where she has shaved as she moves around her leg.
4. Be prepared to shave for her.
I passed my daughter the razor and told her what to do. She asked me to do the first leg for her. I admit, I got really nervous inside after my previous botched attempts at thinking about the amount of pressure to use on my own self. I just took a deep breath, said a little prayer and Voila! it all came so naturally.
5. Teach her to moisturize.
I gave her a big bottle of cream and told her the importance of using it as soon as she got out of the shower to avoid getting a dry-irritated leg feeling.
6. Follow Up.
Quietly take a peek at her legs the next couple of days. If she hasn’t shaved them again and it’s obvious she needs to, just provide a gentle reminder in the same vain as teaching her how to do it in the first place.
Before you know it, shaving will just be a little added task to her routine. For me, I’m gearing up to tackle her eyebrows next!
karen barnett says
Great post. I will teach my daughter to shave her legs. Thanks for guide!
Brie says
Glad you found it helpful! Things like this seem easy enough, but when it comes time to do them, we sometimes get a little nervous as parents : )
Marina says
My daughter first time hassled rash on legs.
Brie says
Ugh…a rash can be so uncomfortable! Thanks for sharing the article.
Chantell says
Deodorant can help prevent razor burn especially on the bikini line I always used to get razor burn on a certain part of my calf till I applied deodorant after shaving and no razor burn!!
Antonymous says
Hi, oh, that’s an important and delicate moment, especially being you who came to her, so I hope you also let her know that there was nothing wrong with her and that you were available to her in case she felt ready.
Not that one can’t stop later embracing hair, but as there’s a possibility it changes her hair texture a little bit, it’s best to be informed on some long term effects, before making the choice, knowing what to expect makes it easier and you help other people with advantages, downfalls and how to minimize them and get the best out of it, not going above the knee the first time :). Feeling there’s nothing wrong with her as she is now, but changing is good too if it’s what one desires, but there’s some minor upkeep and maintenance from then on, just a slightly bigger change than a new haircut.
If her hair might become noticeably thicker and black after she shaves, it’s likely a myth that it comes from shaving, for the most part, as the stubble is immediate effect of the blunt cut, the rest is likely her going hairier to some varying extend because she’s growing up in the meantime even if she doesn’t start shaving, which at most might make it just a bit rougher and not as soft anymore, but not that noticeably thicker than if she didn’t so, nothing so big to worry about and a very minimal change in itself as isn’t hair getting thicker a temporary effect that you know?
ME says
My mom won’t let me! I’m 11 and going to sign up for track. She is making such a big deal, I reminded her that I’m my own person, she said I know but NO. What do I do?
Emme Rogers says
Sorry, I missed you post. Give it time. I am sure you don’t feel it, but you are still really young, and shouldn’t have to worry about such things yet. In a few years if shaving is still something you want to do, revisit it with your mom. You are right, it is your body, so your decision one way or the other (no one should pressure you either which way), but your mom is right too that now is the time to just enjoy being a kid without making this sorts of decisions yet. It may not feel like it at the moment, but your youth is short, so you don’t want to rush it.
julia ? says
Pls dont force her to shave if she doesnt want to!