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Hmmm….let’s redefine ‘disposable’, shall we?
By Betsy Richter | 6:59 amI was planning to stop by the grocery store on my way home from work, so called The Mogul to see if he needed me to grab anything while I was there.
Imagine my surprise when I heard this: “some stuff so I can shave, please.”
Shave? My formerly cherub-cheeked child needed to shave? So I gulped once or twice, agreed to get him set up, hung up – and promptly called The Father.
“TM wants to start shaving. Yes, I know his mustache is merely peach fuzz right now – but he’s adamant. People are apparently commenting. Do you want me to have him wait until the weekend so you can do the father-son ‘how to shave’ bit?”
After some back and forth-ing, it was decided that I’d just pick up some disposable razors and shaving cream, and let him fend for himself.
So the kid did the deed (sans shaving cream, ouch!) and came back to show off his newly shorn face. Good – no blood, no nicks, no cuts. Yet another milestone hurdled.
Until I stepped into the bathroom later on, and saw the first disposable razor in the garbage can already. Since I couldn’t imagine that it’d dulled that drastically already after three or four swipes, well – I gingerly confronted TM the next day.
“Umm..do you know that you don’t just use a razor once and then throw it away? It’s meant to be used over and over again until the blade goes dull – then you throw it away and grab another one from the bag.”
He was dumbfounded, and more than a little belligerent (“then why do they call them ‘disposable’ razors?”) So I needed to detail razor history over the ages to convince him that, yes, the razor was still useful. And, given the state of his hair growth, would probably stay that way for quite some time.
Now if only I could stem the tide of those grey hairs that keep sprouting as each kid passes yet another milestone…
Topics: The Mogul | 4 Comments »
December 17th, 2007 at 7:59 am
Last year we put a nice non-disposable razor for my oldest stepson in his stocking. Great stocking stuffer and this year he’ll get blades. A one time expense that is so much better for the environment. Teaches a good lesson too.
December 17th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
Oooo, feeling very grateful that my son is just 8. Wow, that’s a milestone I don’t feel ready for at all.
December 17th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
Oh Betsy!! I don’t know what I’d do with myself. I’d say you handled it perfectly.
December 19th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
I can’t see him, but I would judge that one “disposable” would last him until, say, Jan. 30? But do get him to use the foam.
Hey, I saw The Oregonian made you famous. Congratulations.