As a Mum of 3 girls… I let my girls shave their legs and arm pits when they asked. I didnt take note of their ages so i cant remember.
I can remember being 12 and one of the girls at school was crying one day because her mum wouldnt let her shave, refused to buy her a bra or deodorant

Later is better a you need to keep going when you start. However a personal choice as a family friend had a young daughter with a lot of hair and it was a very good decision for them to start early.

Yep, if she’s being bullied about it, get the hair removed. It’s no guarantee the teasing will stop, but if you can stop it, do it

I would have said when they start high school but in hearing she is being teased I would allow it. Kids are so cruel these days. It is young but being bullied can have unimaginable consequences on some children and it’s heart breaking your child being picked on.

I’m lucky. Mine is the same colour as my skin and short so I have never bothered. As I have scars from Dermatitis and scratched in my sleep when I was younger I wear slacks or jeans a lot of the time

The age does sound young however if it is a problem for her both physically and also she is getting teased about it, I think go for it.

My daughter has always had darkish hair on her legs and she wanted to remove it last year when she was in year 6 and I bought her all the hair removal sprays and creams but she was too worried about doing it because she thought that she would get teased for doing it as well as for having the hair (can’t win these days). She eventually asked me the day before she started high school this year to do it and now I help her do the hair removal each week. It gives us a bit of bonding time and she isn’t stressed about the hair anymore. I think 9 is a bit young but if she feels that it will eliminate the teasing and stress that it’s causing her daughter and help her daughter with her self esteem then do it. After all that kids have to stress about these days they don’t need something so trivial to worry about especially because they can fix it easily.

Yes definitely let her especially if she is being teased about it. Kids have a lot to contend with at school these days. Anything you can do that is going to ease her way in life do it. If you are worried then show her how to do it safely. This is one decision you will definitely not regret allowing your child to do

It’s different for each child. Kids mature and go through puberty much younger than when I was a child so I think it’s different for each child and family. If it becomes a real self-esteem issue, then I would consider it. However, it’s also important to note that once you start, you will be shaving or waxing for the rest of your life.

A 9 yr old wanting to have her legs because of being teased ?! Shaving her legs will not be a solution, she’ll only become more hairy. Talking with this child and building her self-esteem is a better solution. And of course talking with the teasers and bullies and approach the school.

It’s a sad world where a 9yo gets teased for the hair on her legs. If it causes her too much stress, just shave them. (although I think it’s too young)

Why are 9 year olds bullying other 9 year olds about their bodies, what a sad world we live in, kids are being forced to grow up too fast, girls already having to worry about their bodies, while boys get to just be themselves. Sure it is taking the easy way out by letting her shave them but is it right? Does this mean all other 9 years olds will feel pressure too? Or should she stand her ground and just be a kid? Waxing would be better because shaving makes them grow back thicker and faster.

If it;s going to cause her deep distress and anxiety because she is being bullied then I think its ok to start a bit younger, but I think each situation is different and there isn’t a really right answer to this

I think you need to do whatever helps your child’s confidence. As some girls menstruate at age 8, I think that age is ok.

Question is does she feel uncomfortable about the dark hair was she worried about the other girls saying something I would go with what your daughter feels

If the hair is dark and she is being teased, then let her use some form of removal under your notice. I don;t think I started shaving hair off my legs till I was in my mid twenties.

thank you for this post – my eldest is just about to turn 12 and she has been constantly complaining about her hairy legs! I have been managing to keep the topic at bay for a while but I know it is going to start again, thankfully she isn’t being bullied about it, she is just very self conscious about it – I think I will look into some hair removal creams and start her off on those first.

Yes ! there isn’t really a reason not to. I would also explain to her that it is okay to have hair on her legs if SHE wants to leave it there.

I think that if it is causing the child serious stress or unhappiness I would work out a way to allow her to get it waxed

I think 9 is too young. I don’t think I started shaving till about year 8 when I started getting Teased. I am blessed with fair hair, although then started shaving nightly. Yes one extreme to the next. It’s legit because other girls would run their hand up your leg and pay you out if there were any prickly bits. So wrong but when you’re young, you just don’t think anything of it. You do anything to feel accepted.. so glad I didn’t shave my arms like a lot of them did.