Re: children and threading
It’s funny, this past weekend, my sisters and I went with their four daughters for a pedicure afternoon. The girls range in age - the youngest is 5 and the oldest is 11. It was an exclusively an indulgent afternoon where the girls got to feel a little grown up and pampered. Did any of us need a pedicure, absolutely not. Do I remember getting a pedicure before I was in my 20s - nope. My own mum never believed in them. But what is cosmetic, is not necessarily a bad thing and these grooming services don’t necessarily have a specific age - I think the intention behind it is key. The girls know that the pedicure is an indulgence and will not be regularly repeated. They know that a pedicure in and of itself doesn’t make them more attractive - so yes some cosmetic services are just that.
In my mind, I’d prefer for the girls to be a lot older before they ask for waxing/threading. But at the same time, I remember shaving my legs at 12-13 - I used to wear gym shorts in phys-ed classes and I felt self-conscious about my legs. Funny enough, I waited until I was 18-19 before the first time I ever threaded my upper lip, and my eyebrows weren’t done until a few years later. One’s self-image and how they fit into the group can’t be dismissed. So as someone who remembers cosmetic/grooming services for myself at younger ages - I’d be a hypocrite to suggest that girls not get the same services for themselves.
I think the key is what a lot of people above have mentioned - having a conversation with the child and keeping in mind the child’s maturity. The child needs to understand that a cosmetic/grooming service doesn’t define their self-worth.