Friday, October 17, 2008

Humor Me Puhlease ;)

My tweenie is getting all too growed up, all too fast. She has been bugging me since March to let her shave her legs. I just don't think I'm ready for that yet. But then again, she is going to grow up whether I want her to or not. And if I don't help her out and explain things to her and show her how to do things? I just don't want to think about what kinds of wrong ideas that will give her. Or that her friends will give her.

Last weekend, after her halloween stay-over party... she asked me if she was going to get the Gardisil vaccine. Because her friend V was talking to her about it and had gotten it. V is at least 2 years older than tweenie. We had actually talked to our family physician about it and she suggested around the age of 13 (which is how old V is). So, thanks to V, I had to explain a few things to tweenie.

Then on Wednesday, during the debate, tweenie asked what abortion was. Thank God she asked during the debate and my husband wasn't too shocked to say anything and he told her we would talk about it later because we wanted to hear the debate. Now I have to come up with how to explain that one to her. Thank you presidential debate.

Back in March when she first started asking me if she could shave her legs, I put her off by saying that she needed to show me that she was responsible enough to do the "necessary" things like taking a shower, brushing her teeth and hair, clipping her nails and remembering to put deodorant on without being told before she could move on to the more optional things. She remembered to do some of those things for a couple of days after each conversation... I don't know what it is with the girls her age, but they do *not* like taking baths or showers. My step daughter is 9 mos older than tweenie and is the same way. Neither of them will do any self-maintenance things unless and until you specifically tell them to.

And sometimes, I hate to admit, I am not completely on top of it all and may forget to remind them to do these things. They will not say anything. They will run around unshowered for as long as it takes me to remember to tell them to go shower.

When I was that age? I'll be damned if I didn't take a shower every other day if not daily. And the first time I smelled my own armpits? That's when I totally started showering daily come hell or highwater! And I never would have left the house without putting on deodorant. I mean there were cute boys at school! And tweenie and the step-daughter? They are totally into boys too! Don't they want to smell good for those boys?

But back to the shaving thing. The other day Tweenie tells me that her leg hair is embarrassing and can't she puhlease start shaving? If she remembers to shower for the rest of the month without being told can't she puhlease start shaving? Everyone else in her class does! I tell her that its almost winter and there's no point in starting now because she'll be wearing pants until spring. But no! There's gym class and she'll be wearing shorts for gym class. Well, she's got a point there. But the embarrassing part? I told her that what would embarrass me more than unshaven legs was smelling bad. She looked at me like I was joking around with her. I told her I was serious. I would so rather be caught with hairy legs than with horrid BO! I would go out in public with stubbly or fully hairy legs way before I would ever leave the house without showering and lathering on the deodorant.

I told her I would think about it.

I asked my step-daughter's mother if the step-daughter had start shaving yet. She is a year older. And she said that just last week she'd helped her shave her legs and armpits with an electric shaver. And I think that when I do let tweenie shave it will totally be with an electric shaver. Part of the reason I've been so hesitant is thinking of the mess that tweenie will invariably leave behind in the bathroom...and all the knicks she will end up with on her leg because she will be trying to do it so fast...and the potential of her using my razors... Electric shaver seems like the way to go. Now for the when part... Can't they just stay 5 forever???

Please help me out by voting in my poll on the sidebar! :)

13 comments:

Amy said...

I started when I was 11. And man did I think it was aweosme. For the rest of the day I kept petting my legs.
Then reality hit that I would have to do it every single day for the rest of my life.

I kind of wish I had waited.

Same with plucking and all that.

But everyone has to learn the hard way I guess.

And maybe if she starts shaving it will inspire her to keep better care of herself. Because in order to stay hairless she will have to do it about every other day.

Melissa said...

This is too funny... I remember vividly the first time I shaved my legs and I didn't tell my mom and I kept trying to hide my "freshly shaven" legs from her as we were driving!!! :)

PS- I will go vote now on your sidebar!!

April said...

First of all, THANK YOU so much for leaving me a comment. Your blog is what made up my mind on doing one. If she can be brutally honest and not get jumped on than so can I.
On the shaving thing. I would definantly go on the electric razor. That's all I use during the fall and winter months (who has time to really shave with 3 kids). But, I do use a mans razor. That was actually my mothers day gift (because I asked for it). But don't use them under you arms. Razor burn for a long time!

nikkicrumpet said...

Dang...you reminded me why I'm so happy my girls are all grown up!!! I couldn't take the teen years again lol. Thanks for stopping by my blog on my SITS day. It's been fun following people home to see their blogs! Stay strong mom...it gets worse before it gets better lol!

Sandra said...

OMG... am I glad I didn't have girls. I remember how I was at Tweenies age. Yikes.

Good luck

I have heard lots of mommies complain about their kids not bathing. My boys shower all the time, but they are in sport after sport and their "aroma" wafts for miles.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I remember I started w/ an electric shaver. And when you do move to regular razors get the ONE blade kind...so many have multiple blades now.

I think you should let her shave bc from my point of view (former teacher, husband is a teacher) kids are MEAN and if it were my kid I would want to do everything possible to make their life easier, and if that means letting them shave so other kids don't 'make fun of' them (yes...kids are mean), then I guess I would give in.

And what is WITH kids not 'grooming' themselves these days?! My husband's half sister, who is 17, came to visit this summer and we would have to nag her to shower after days and days of her not doing it!

Anonymous said...

I started around age 11 too, and I didn't regret it, I thought I was 'cool'!

Jo-Jo said...

I started around 11 too. I remember a girl in our class that had really hairly legs and her mom wouldn't let her shave. We didn't make fun of her but it is weird that I remember it.

LazyCrazyMama said...

@ Everyone: Thank you all so much for your advice and stories :) I loved reading them!! I don't even remember how old I was when I started shaving. But I should let her start... maybe I will pick her up her own special electric razor today. I would hate to have other kids make fun of her. You are so right, kids can be so mean... and I can only hope that it will help her in the hygiene department and encourage her to take showers more often! Maybe some real grown up responsibilities are what she needs.

Rachel said...

My son is 9 and I have to constantly remind him to take a shower on the weekends...during the week it's part of his routine but he thinks the weekend is no shower time LOL

How old is she 11? OMG can't think about that...I am torn...but I would not want my child to be made fun of...maybe wait til after the winter...or let her do it...I agree with what you said above...sorry I'm no help Im so indecisive

Carrin said...

I let my 12 year old daughter start sheving this summer. I remember shaving behind my mom's back and cutting the hell out of myself. I figured if she was gonna do it, I better teacher her how. I taught her with an actual razor. I bought her her own and let her know that those razors were hers and not to use mine! I found that she showers more now because of the fact that she needs/wants to shave her legs.
The decision to wear a bra was harder for me than the decision to shave her legs.

LazyCrazyMama said...

@ Rachel: LOL! We take breaks on hygiene for the weekends here ;)

@ Carrin: LOL! I actually had to get her some bras last year! :( Well, I got her the teen type ones, not quite the "real" bras. But I think I'm going to have to get her some real ones now! And, I really hope she starts showering more often if I let her shave!

Anonymous said...

lucky for me i don't have a daughter! haha just kidding!

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