Ok so up until recently I swore black and blue that when DD asked to shave I'd start taking her to get waxed. It's what all the older and wiser mums had said and done before me. I distinctly remember sneaking razors to shave my legs at 11/12 /13 because my parents wouldn't have a bar of the notion that hair removal was something I needed. So I figured waxing is better and I would do this too whenever she felt ready because I wanted to listen to her rather than her sneaking razors as I did.

This was until DH weighed in. As he does because heck it's his daughter too

DH "Why can't she just shave?"
ME"Because waxing is better for her."
DH "So you'd rather put her through pain for the sake of what exactly?"
ME "Because that's what others have done, it's better for her and I'll know that she's serious then."
DH "Right so put of those who went for waxing when they were younger... How many of those now shave?"
ME "Ahhhh all of them actually."
DH "Right so basically it's some morbid torturous right of passage just because they want hairless legs... But actually doesn't mean anything because they end up shaving anyway? Ok that makes total sense."

Yanno. I thought about it and he's right. Why exactly are mothers dead set on waxing and plucking their daughters instead of letting them shave like we do? What are we teaching them besides an unhealthy association between pain and grooming as a woman?

And before everyone jumps on me with the view that shaving is somehow anti feminism and teaching poor body appreciation please don't. I can shave my legs and still fight for women's rights thanks. I believe in allowing my daughter a choice in all aspects of life. I hope I can guide her as much as possible but as it stands she actually has an awesome load of self worth and appreciation for her own body. So in that department we're all good.

So that aside if you took your daughter to have her legs/underarms waxed instead of letting her shave, why? And I realise embarrassing body hair is different and if we had that situation we would wax too.