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The question
My 8-year-old daughter wants to start shaving. She does have dark leg hair, but she's 8! Any advice?
The answer
Your eight-year-old girl is too young to start shaving, even if it's done under a mother's supervision.
Using a razor to get rid of dark hairs at that age may set her up for nicks, infections, bleeding or scabbing. It may also cause a post razor burn.
It would be wise to wait until she is older--close to about 10 or 11 years. Even at that age the first few shaves should be supervised.
Explain to her that there are some risks involved with using a razor at such a young age. Try to find out why she wanted the hair removed. Did someone tease her at school or does she have a friend who had her hair removed? (Peer pressure may be strong)
That being said, we must not dismiss the reason why such a young kid is bothered by hair. If the child absolutely insists on removing the hair, explore other methods of hair removal - creams, foams, laser hair removal for example - that may be safer than shaving.
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