Shaving

My cell phone rang at 8:30 this morning. "Can I talk to C?" I called my daughter over and she grabbed my phone and chatted for a bit. "Mom, can I go on the boat today?" "Sure." She shoved the phone at me, "Well, talk to her mom." Then she ran off to put on her swimsuit. I confirmed the plans with her friend's mom. My youngest sulked because she wanted to go to. My husband told her that he would take her to the water park and then to Larry's Giant Subs for lunch. She cheered up right away. This kid LOVES Larry's. We can right any wrong by agreeing to take her to Larry's.

My oldest came down stairs in her tankini and bag in hand. "Did you pack a towel?" She looked at me like that was a stupid question. "Yes...and sunscreen, my water bottle and a change of clothes." She is on it. I kissed her and told her to be good and have fun. She waved to me and walked away. Her hair is getting so long and wavy. She looked so beautiful.

That evening, I picked her up and she told me all about her day. How they took the boat out to Edisto and swam and that they went to Gilligan's for lunch and ate on the dock. How they saw a boy in their class on another boat and they waved to him. That they had a wonderful time. I thought to myself, This kid is living the good life.

She was exhausted and she got into the shower. I retrieved a towel for her and she dried herself off. I noticed a temporary tattoo on her ankle. "What are you looking at?" she asked. "Just the tattoo on your leg." She looked down and said, "My legs are hairy. I might need to shave them." She told me about how her little sister tried to take the hair off her legs with scotch tape. These kids are crazy.

I remember always wanting to shave my legs as a little kid because they were so hairy. I wanted to shave when I was in the 1st and 2nd grade. I remember being 11 and being really self conscious about my hairy legs but feeling like my parents would say no if I asked them to shave. So I had enough one day and I decided that I was going to do it without their permission. I found an old razor under their bathroom sink. It was dull, a little rusty but I didn't know any better. I got into the bathtub and wet my legs - no lather, and I shaved them with the dull, rusty razor. I pressed down as hard as I could because it was so dull. The water was pretty red by the time I got done. They stung and bled. I took chunks out. It must have been pretty bad because I got a my own razor after that.

I sat down next to daughter and asked, "When do kids start shaving their legs now a days?" She shrugged, "I think in 6th or 7th grade." I thought about that and it seemed pretty reasonable. "Tell you what- I will let you shave your legs when you are in 6th or 7th grade, or when you have underarm hair. Whatever comes first. Deal?" "Ok." Then I realized that 6th grade is only 2 years away. First she'll want to shave her legs, then she'll want to get her ears pierced, then she'll want to kiss boys. Uggh. That sounds pretty horrible.

I don't know what the big deal is about shaving. Shaving is horrible. Once you start you can't stop. I try to avoid shaving as much as possible. I love the winter time because I can wear pants and tights. I need to step up my leg shaving now that summer is here. My daughter doesn't know what she's signing up for - another chore.