Mum shaves 11yo's 'peach fuzz' for her confidence at high school

"There is a downside to this. What if she gets picked on for her nose or when she is a little older and is flat-chested? Are you going to provide surgery?"

Let's face it: puberty can be awkward. 

Some parents shy away from conversations with their tweens, but one mum is taking matters into her own hands. Literally.

Kathrin Downs shared a video to Instagram showing her and her 11-year-old daughter at their home, shaving the girl’s “peach fuzz” on her face. In the text overlay on the video, Downs explains that her daughter will soon be heading to high school and wants to ensure that she feels “comfortable and confident” with how she looks and feels. 

The video struck a chord as it has been viewed over 8.5 million times.

Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this. 

"This is important for her"

Her caption read: "I wasn't going to let her shave her little unibrow or the little peach fuzz because she's only 11, but after asking y'all and so many of you guys saying y'all did it at this age.

"Made me realise how important this is for her so l agreed-especially going to middle school! And if she wants to shave her legs, I'll help her with that, too."

Both mother and daughter stood proudly throughout the hair removal. The 11-year-old ended the beauty treatment with a hug, saying "thank you"—grateful her mum had helped her. 

Naturally, this unlocked many feelings, from the girls who were teased in school for their brows to mamas who do the same for their daughters.

Mum goes viral for shaving her daughter's monobrow and face. Source: Instagram

RELATED: I let my 12yo wax her armpits and facial hair

"Why let your child get bullied?"

On a personal note, my mum did the same for me growing up - I never asked her to do it, and I wasn't offended when she helped me remove it. But I also never thanked her for doing that, so thank you, Mum. 

"As a girl who wasn't allowed to do this until much later, thank you for listening to her and validating her feelings," one viewer wrote.

Another echoed, "As a bullied hairy girl whose mum didn't let me shave or do anything else about it, or even teach me how to accept it, this warmed a dead spot in my soul."

"Why let your child get bullied for the entire school year over something that could be fixed in less than five minutes? Now she's ready to go to school confident and excited! Yay!" a third applauded. 

Introducing our new podcast: Mum Club! Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode.

RELATED: Mum waxes three-year-old's eyebrows

"There is a downside to this"

Not everyone was cheering for the mum. One user said: "There is a downside to this. What if she gets picked on for her nose or when she is a little older and is flat-chested? Are you going to provide surgery?

"Showing young girls it's OK to change for other people isn't always a good thing. In the UK, it's rare for kids in primary school (11 years old and younger) worry about such things." 

Kathrin replied, "Are you seriously comparing shaving to plastic surgery?? This is why many girls don't go to their mums or dads; they take it to the next extreme! Trust me, I instill self-love and confidence in my girls, but if shaving makes them even more confident, so be it!! It's not that serious."

A teenager jumped into the chat to share her situation: "I'm 13, and I asked my mum a few times if I could shave my uni brows or moustache. It's not that anyone makes fun of me; I feel insecure about it. She told me I couldn't, and seeing you do this for your child genuinely makes me happy."

Originally published as Mum shaves 11yo's 'peach fuzz' for her confidence at high school