A recent TikTok video posted by Leah Garcia has sparked quite the online debate after she was seen waxing her 3-year-old daughter’s unibrow. The 31-year-old Texas mother was shocked by the amount of criticism she received over the video, as well as the intensity of said criticism.
The video, which was uploaded on Tuesday, has garnered more than 20.5 million views, 2.7 million likes, and 32,100 comments. It was captioned, “I don’t care! I don’t care! I’d rather y’all call me a bad mom before I let my 3-year-old walk around with a unibrow like my parents did!”
In an interview with TODAY, Garcia explained that she got bullied for her thick eyebrows when she was younger and doesn’t want her daughters to face the same rude comments. She added that her daughters do it by choice and no one is forcing them or holding them down to do it.
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You can view the TikTok video below:
Some people responded with heavy criticism. “As soon as a parent points out a flaw it will stick with them forever. Even if they are thankful, they’ll remember not being perfect for mom,” said one user. “At 3, though?” said another. Luckily, the response is mostly positive and uplifting.
“My mom did this and my hair never grew back where she waxed. Best thing ever,” said one TikTok user. Another user said, “No you’re a good mom for that bc I used to get bullied so hard for that I was too embarrassed to ask my mom to help me wax my arms and eyebrows.”
Some users were even dishing out tips and advice for Leah Garcia. “Heck yeah, I’ve been using the eyebrow shaver on my girls since I gave birth to them, they are still thankful,” said one user, with another one adding, “I’m a preschool teacher and see this all the time. Thank you!”
For others, they were torn between emotions and didn’t know how to feel after seeing the video. “How do I find balance with this? I’m so worried about them being insecure about their natural selves but I don’t want them to be bullied either,” said one confused and befuddled user.
Here’s What a Professional Says About Leah Garcia Waxing Her Child’s Unibrow
While everyone has their own opinion over Leah Garcia waxing her daughter’s unibrow, it’s always interesting to hear a professional’s viewpoint as they can help put things in perspective for everyone. In an interview with TODAY Parents, that’s exactly what Francyne Zeltser did.
Zeltser is the clinical director of psychology, training, and special projects at the Manhattan Psychology Group, PC. While she doesn’t have a problem with what Leah Garcia does, she’s urging parents to consider speaking with their family physician before waxing their child’s hair.
She added that parents should ask their children questions to get a better feel for how they perceive themselves and how they feel about their appearance. At the same time, Zeltser wants mothers to avoid projecting their own views, opinions, and/or thoughts onto their children.
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It’s important that the child is the decision maker in this instance. “And make clear that while waxing is usually a monthly treatment, it’s not permanent and you can stop at any time,” added Zeltser. “There’s no right or wrong answer. People have to do what’s right for their families.”