Call me naive but when my six year old interrupted my lady grooming time in the bath the other day with a “mommy, can I shave your legs?” what choice did I have but to agree? She’ll want to shave one day, so why not practice on me?

Mistake number one: giving a sharp implement to a child under seven.

Mistake number two: letting her shave over my knee.

It didn’t start bleeding right away but after two minutes there was an impressive blood cloud in the bath. I was swiftly offered one of her Halloween Zombie plasters but in the interest of earning Hardcore Mommy Of The Year and trying to teach her suck-it-up skills, I pretended it wasn’t that sore.

Moral of the story? LET YOUR CHILD HELP WHEN THEY OFFER, EVEN WHEN THEY MAKE YOU BLEED OR DO A HALF JOB.

Even if they end up sticking your sanitary towel down for you while you’re on the loo, or their ‘made’ bed looks like a rat’s nest, the kitchen floor has more crumbs after they’ve ‘cleaned’, and after ‘helping’ with the dishes, there’s a wet floor. Letting them vacuum the house is the best cardio workout EVER as you catch falling knickknacks and polish little fingerprints off the furniture. Just let them do it.

Life lesson number one: practice makes perfect.         

Life lesson number two: helicopter parents stymie their kids.

Soon puberty will set in and that sweet little kid who covers your face with kisses, dive-bombs your legs and plays ‘catch the plushie’ will think you’re as uncool as socks with flip flops. Teach your child how to shave and learn a life lesson or two for yourself.