when did you let your girls start?

Just wondering after reading?'s for those with older girls thread.

If your girls have not started yet, please post with their ages.

 

I took a guess on them. Now that I think about it, I think I guessed wrong on the shaving. It was right around her 12th birthday, though (just cannot remember if it was before or after). She had really light leg hairs and she wasn't bothered by them. She started to become self conscious of her armpits though, so I got her a razor to shave them. She lasted a week before the legs went too. She has always been a stinky child, so she started using Tom's of Maine deodorant around 9 and went to stronger stuff within the last year or so.

 

Honestly, I would say more children in general, need to wear deodorant than do. I volunteered in 1st and 2nd grade classes for an activity every week that involved a lot of hand-raising and then standing next to that kid. Many, many kids in those classes needed deodorant. I never expected a 1st grade classroom to reek of body odor, but so many kids in both of the classes needed it, that the classrooms really would smell. I will say the 3rd grade classrooms smell better, so I would guess there is alot more deodorant wearing in 3rd grade.

Both of my kids starting wearing deodorant at 8. It wasn't because they wanted to, but because they smelled.

Marissa

 

Wow this is all so young. I don't think I started using deodorant until I was 13 or 14 and I didn't need it until then. Of course I also didn't need to start shaving my pit until 15 and didn't get my period until almost 16 so maybe I was just weird.

 

Hmm, I always assumed that B.O. didn't really start till adolescence. Granted, my kids stink occasionally, but it's usually when they've refused to take a bath for a few days!

Anyway, my DDs are 7 and there has been no discussion of deodorant or armpit-shaving yet. One of my DDs does ask us to shave part of her leg occasionally because she has a large birthmark there that grows extra-dark hair, and she's self-conscious about it. But that's kind of a special case.

 

I gave both of my younger girls deodorant when my nose told me they needed it. Andrea on the other hand, I can't remember, it was way too long ago. LOL!

I noticed when H & C were about 8-9 they were growing pubic and armpit hair. It was around then that I taught them how to shave.

 

Neither of my kids smell yet - but I do remember starting with deodorant around 9 and shaving my pits around then...my legs around 11 - and then my period started around 11.5 or so...

does anyone know if there is an AG body book equivalent for boys?

 

Not that I've come across. I wish there was.

Marissa

 

My boys are 10, and still don't use deodorant. If they stink, it is usually because they are due for a shower--they don't like to take them unless I make them, but they don't smell on a regular basis. I also thought it was a puberty thing.

 

My daughter started wearing deo around 9-10. She needed it, she is a gymnast and after a workout and in a leo...I could smell it and didn't want her to be the stinky kid! I let her shave her armpits at 11 and legs at 12. We did use the Nair for her legs from 11-12. She was self conscience at the gym and comes from a hairy family so I knew what she was going through. Now at 13 I am teaching her how to wax at home...she likes that better. I think its something you take on such an individual basis. One kid might stink at 8 while the next doesn't stink till 15...

 

For my oldest DD she started wearing deodorant in 5th grade...at times (not even everyday) at 11. This year in 6th grade at age 12 is the first year she has worn it everyday. I said 13 for shaving under her armpits because as of right now she does not shave under them and has no hair under her armpits at 12 1/2 (she will be 13 in Oct), so that was a guess. For shaving her legs she did that last summer before 6th grade (literally the week before school started)...she was 1 1/2 months shy of turning 12.

 

My girls are nearly 10 Jorja has been wearing deodorant for a couple of years (2nd or 3rd grade), she really needs it especially under her left armpit. Jessica doesn't need deodorant but we will be using hair remover on her legs this year. She was teased last year about hairy legs at school, she refused to wear shorts for a long time, they are honestly not that dark, but are quite thick. I sat her down and told her whenever she is ready we will use hair remover, she didn't want to last year but has already told me she wants to this year, so we will do it before shorts season.

 

Why hair remover over shaving?

 

I just thought the hair remover would last longer, but maybe that's not true, plus she seems a bit scared of the razor. Once its her underarms too I will probably introduce the razor

 

We did that for a year because it was just less invasive I felt. No razors, cuts or anything. I just wasn't ready to hand her a razor and let her do it. It does smell bad but we did it right before she got in the shower so it didn't smell long!

 

I personally will never use a hair remover again. I did that once and OMG! it burns if you don't realize you have a minor scratch on your leg.

 

I remember at the girls 7th bday party I noticed Zoe smelled like BO so bad that I had to leave and buy deodorant. I had never noticed it before. After that I made them get in the routine of putting it on EVERYDAY. Just a couple months ago I noticed that Allison was wrestling a small gorilla under her arm (really just a coulple hairs but they were long and black). She is in ballet and wears a tank leotard. They are both only 10 so I honestly feel they are too young to handle a razor on their own. So when they shower once a week I go in and shave their armpits for them. Devon says I shave their armpits more often than I shave my own

I do not remember when I shaved my legs for the first time age wise but I remember I did it on my own and cut myself horribly!!! It was not a good experience in fact I have a scar on my leg from it. I told the girls when they are ready to do that to let me know and I will get them the shaving gel and we will talk about doing it properly.

They have really blonde leg hair so I do not think it bothers them.

 

Side note, the girls have had friends spend the night that do not wear deodorant that really should be wearing it. I think at age 10 all kids should be getting in the habit.

 

The girls have been using deodorant since about 9ish. They just started shaving their legs and armpits since last summer, so they were 11. Their armpit hair is very little, but it bothers them, but their leg hair was beginning to get darker, so I bought them their own razor and showed them how to use it. They probably shave once or twice a week right now. We did use Nair for awhile but it itched and burned them too much, so shaving has been better for them.

 

I thought of this thread last week. The kids had a music program. It was 3rd and 4th grades combined (so 9 and 10 year olds). Sarah told me that night "mom, it really smelled bad on stage". Nothing like hot stage lights to bring out the b.o.

I originally wasn't real comfortable with the thought of Sarah using a razor. The thought of her going more into her shell and not raising her hand at school made me more uncomfortable though. What I came up with is I use the razor a couple of times first before I give it to her. That way it's not super sharp. Sarah is also super responsible and is very careful with everything. So far, this seems to be working. I'm still not giving in on the legs though.

Marissa