‘She is literally 3 years old’: Mother’s absurd ‘protective’ measures transform tot’s look into an unsettling enigma

Would you wax strip your 3-year-old daughter’s unibrow? This has been the subject of contention on social media after TikTok user @leah_txrealtor posted a video of her waxing her daughter’s excess brow hair.

“Alright girl, now you got two eyebrows!” Leah, the mother, explicitly stated that she didn’t care if she was called a “bad mother.” Comments on TikTok showered Leah with praise for being preemptive with her daughter’s eyebrow care. A user named Jerri shared their experience in the comment section, stating that their mother thought 12-years-old was ‘too young’ for someone to start shaving. Regardless of her own mother’s comments, Jerri got rid of their unibrow and moustache anyway.

Despite the support the video got on TikTok, Twitter users weighed in. Twitter user @shadwheart reposted the video. “Mothers are their daughters’ first bullies in a way.”

Many users agreed with their tweet, but the replies were split. One user believed that the practice would “prevent” bullying. They claimed that ‘the world is harsh’ and don’t want their child’s self-esteem crushed.

Shame is taught and learned

If her child was a boy, would she bother with their unibrow? Would she feel the need to alter her little boy’s looks to conform to beauty standards?

Three-year-old girls don’t think about body image until they’re in puberty. Even then, family and friends play a crucial role in fostering an accepting environment. Leah might not know this, but she’s teaching her daughter how to people-please early on. The child learns that adjusting her looks for others can ‘prevent’ bullying and make her feel pretty based on the standards of others. Bullies will always find something to pick on. If this child grows up with hairy arms or legs, they’ll taunt her for having those traits too.

I understand that excess body hair can be a struggle for Hispanic women—my unibrow grows back three days after shaving. Other Hispanic women who were supporting Leah in the comment section shared their insecurities about their body hair. Nevertheless, I don’t think waxing your toddler is the solution.

It’s possible that Leah’s actions will crush her daughter’s self-esteem long before bullies can. What parents need to teach their child instead is that there’s nothing wrong with excess body hair. Even if bullies come for Leah’s child, she’ll be able to feel confident in herself. This is a better way to prevent bullying, because bullies won’t be able to exploit and control her emotions. If the child grows up and wants to wax or shave, that’s her choice to make alone. It shouldn’t be forced by parents under the pretense of love and concern.