A Close Shave

Benjamin will be turning 15 years old in about a month.  Our oldest two are in college and our 'baby' is growing up - quickly!  It is incomprehensible, really, when you think about it, how fast kids grow up.  We raise animals and crops, but our most important (by far) thing we are raising is our kids. One day all of our kids will leave the nest.  It is an on-going task to teach them, mentor and mold them on how to survive in the big world out there.  Sometimes we succeed and sometimes we fail at this important task of preparing our kids for launch.

We've been working with him to teach him various "adult" tasks.  He's been driving to and from church on Sundays.  First we practiced on the gravel road and once he proved he was adept in his driving skills, he graduated to driving on the blacktop road.  He does a good job and he'll have no problem when it comes time to get his permit.  There are other skills that must be learned as you grow up.  We noticed that his "peach fuzz" on his upper lip was growing more and more and when it started to darken, we determined it was time to teach the old boy how to shave.  We talked about warming up the skin before shaving by taking a hot shower to open the pores and soften the skin, and then we lathered up his mini-mustache with shaving cream.

Benjamin's first shave

Then I showed him how to take a razor and carefully remove the growth without cutting yourself.  I remember when I first learned to shave, I had a Styptic Pencil that came in a clear plastic tube.  When I would see all the little cuts on my face from a bad shave job, I would rub the pencil across the cuts and the bleeding would stop.  It would burn like fire, but it would stop the flow of blood.  I no longer have a styptic pencil and need to get another one.  Right now, I use the old trick of sticking pieces of toilet paper to the cuts and then gently pulling it off once the blood clots.  Sometimes, however, this doesn't work.  You pull off the toilet paper and it starts bleeding again.  Note to self: Get Benjamin a styptic pencil!

Trying not to cut him

Benjamin mastered the art of making the funny faces necessary to tighten the skin to allow for a close shave.  I showed him how to maneuver the razor carefully around the nose area.  And guess what? No cuts! He got a close, clean shave - with a face smoother than a baby's... forehead.

Making "the face"

Since this shaving demonstration, Benjamin has shaved on his own and he's very good at it.  I bought him some After Shave Lotion to splash on his face once he's done shaving.  I like to use Royall Lyme because it has a nice, refreshing and cooling lime scent.  I alternate with the old stand-by, Old Spice, in the distinctive bottle.

Shaving every day is one of those things that I don't look forward to.  At least he knows how to do it now.  And we marked yet another thing off the list on his march toward manhood!