Can difficult child be trusted with a razor now?

klmno

Active Member
He'll be out in 10 weeks unless he messes up again, but I tend to doubt he will get any more charges at this point. He has a faint mustache and a few of the long hairs on the chin (that remind me of our previous conversation on the WC LOL). So, he's ready to start shaving.

I need inexpensive things to fill a Christmas stocking with and was thinking about shaving supplies. I don't know if men can start with an electric razor- does anyone here?

If not, how comfortable would you be giving him a razor? (Remembering that he was cutting himself before and was turned over to Department of Juvenile Justice for pulling a knife on me to get cigs.) Of course he seems like a easy child now but I'm positive he's going to have some pretty low points after he gets home and reality really sets in.

Also, I have a tiny halloween bag that will be filled with candy that he hasn't had since being in there, a strawberry heart-shaped lollipop, clothes and gift cards and a book or two, school supplies (b-day and Christmas) to make up for those holidays a little. Can anyone think of anything small and inexpensive that would represent last July 4?
 

everywoman

Well-Known Member
I would by an inexpensive electric razor.

4th----watermelon, a gift certificate for Ice Cream, pass to a water park (either indoor to to be used when it gets warmer)
 

klmno

Active Member
Well that's really great if an electric razor can be used even at the start of shaving- it somehow makes it seem more special, at least to me.

I love the idea of watermelon because junk food was starting to pile up. Thank you both very much!!

I find it very sad that Department of Juvenile Justice doesn't do ANY transition back into home like I've heard Residential Treatment Center (RTC)'s do- like day passes or weekends, etc.- they are in 100%, then they are discharged on parole.
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
Norelco and a couple of other companies make really nice 3-headed shavers. There's no way to get the blades out from under the grids to harm oneself.

The modern razors do a good job of picking up "whispies" and are comfortable and easy to use according to males I've spoken to who use them.

husband used a cuthroat straight razor to shave with, which gave me the willies, but he claimed it gave a better shave than anything else. I sure as heck wouldn't recommend using one, especially for a difficult child.

Maybe, once his hair gets a little thicker, it might be a nice treat for him to have a barbershop shave
 

klmno

Active Member
A barbershop shave is a great idea for the future Gn- thank you all very much!! Maybe I will suggest that he go ahead and shavve a couple of times while he's still in, then put the electric razor in his stocking for homecoming. (They only let the "older" boys shave about once a week in there and they are supervised when they do it.)

difficult child has tried really hard so I want to support his efforts and not do anything to emasculate him, while still supporting a realistic transition.

ETA: I forgot to add- I realy like the idea of watermelon too, since junk food was getting too much, and if we have cake/ice cream for belated b-day, I was thinking there are just too much sweets. He's been working to lose weight since being taken off medications and sure won't need sugar highs or compulsions- thank you again- that is a GREAT idea!!
 
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klmno

Active Member
I'm not familiar with trimmer razors- oh, maybe I've seen them in kits. He has been using a medication that has helped immensely with the acne but he still keeps a couple of pimples- will an electric razor or trimmer be a problem on pimples?
 

DDD

Well-Known Member
Our boys (both generations) started with electric razors and they were living at home. The messiness of regular shaving wasn't desirable as all but one were messy by nature. :D DDD
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
A beard and moustache trimmer is a great idea. It would work right now as fine as his hair is, and if he decides to keep some facial foliage he'll still need it to keep things neat.

husband looked on a real barbershop shave as if it were a sort of "spa day" for men. Not cheap. I think a shave was around ten-fifteen dollars ten years ago.

Let's hope he doesn't grow as thick a beard as husband did, though. husband, during his Army days, had to shave twice daily to look presentable.
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
Dude could care LESS about a real razor - and he's a hairy lil booger....but he could NOT live without the trimmer. It's like a large (sorry for the description) dog clipper, but about 1" wide....

I wouldn't give him razors until he asks. Then like us ------I'd allow him to ask for one at a time and return it when done. We tell Dude it's so the dogs don't knock the trash can over and chew them up - and well, it is.
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
Star, it IS a lighter duty version of a small dog clippers. Groomers use them to clip paws and faces and around the ears.

The only real difference is that dog clippers have a different blade and usually length adjustments, and the human ones don't.

Also, the dog clippers are made with a heavy duty motor because of all the use they get. Otherwise? Same concept. Same technology.
 

susiestar

Roll With It
Wiz has gotten quite hairy and all he uses is an electric razor. He used to cut so we started him with an inexpensive electric razor. The 3 headed norelcos can run you $80-$100 or more. Replacement blades cost about $30+. These were the prices we saw when we looked for Wiz'. They do give a great shave but may be a bit spendy for you.

I would check prices online.

Some nice shaving products might be nice. Not shaving cream, but some of the men's grooming stuff. Bath and Body Works has some that we get an item or two of for Wiz - the CO Bigelow is the best line for this in Wiz' opinion. I believe they still have the clearance items on sale, including gift sets that did not sell, so if you shop in the next couple of days that might be affordable.

Otherwise any of the men's lines that you can stand the smell of. Target has some nice mens lines near the cosmetics.

If he has a game system like gameboy or wii or whatever, a new game would problem be much loved. Many places have them used. If you look online be sure to check out the options on amazon. They often have lower prices in small print. You can get items very affordably there. It just takes a couple of extra days to arrive for them to arrive.
 

klmno

Active Member
Otherwise any of the men's lines that you can stand the smell of.

LOL!! Tag is OUT! I was trying to get difficult child to learn that dousing oneself with a ton of cologne (any kind) did not make one smell good if he skipped his shower, before he went to Department of Juvenile Justice.

difficult child really wants to start shaving because the other guys have told him that if he does it will make more hair grow in, and thicker.

Dog cliipers? Well I used to have some around here somewwhere- maybe I'll just stick them in his stocking. (JK)

difficult child has learned how to use hair cliipers in Department of Juvenile Justice- is the trimmer that comes in a pack with hair clippers a trimmer for facial hair? (I know- I'm really naive in this area.)
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
Shaving does not (on men or women) make hair grow in thicker or darker. Normal hair tapers to the tip of the hair. When you shave the hair off; it starts regrowing from whatever was left after the last shave. It looks thicker, but it's really just seeing the middle of the hairs instead of the finer tips.

That's why "stubble" often looks much darker and thicker than normal hair.
 

klmno

Active Member
Shaving does not (on men or women) make hair grow in thicker or darker.

I had a feeling that was the case but I'm just going to let him believe it's true. My step-bro did the same thing when he first saw three hairs on his face. LOL! I guess they view shaving as a right of passage so no big deal.
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
It IS a rite of passage for a lot of young men. I know it was a BIG deal when my dad took (to be) husband out and taught him how to shave with a straight razor. He even gave him his own mug, soap, and brush at the time, and of course, a strop of his very own.

husband was fourteen at the time (we were true highschool sweethearts) and actually, husband and I weren't yet dating. husband and I were however good friends, and when things got too rough at home with husband's father, he'd seek refuge on our sofa.

The only objection my parents had was to feeding a growing boy of that age, LoL
 

klmno

Active Member
The only objection my parents had was to feeding a growing boy of that age, LoL

Cute story!! And I can understand this sentiment now that I have a teenage son. For the past 3 years he has eaten as much as any two adults I've ever known!!
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
yeah, and husband finished up growing at all of 5'7" and 142lbs soaking wet. He still ate like nothing I'd ever seen.

Actually, until he got sick, he ate like that. Never put on an extra ounce unless he put on a bit more muscle (he looked like an anatomy diagram with his shirt off--you could see all the tendons and muscles)

I think part of it was the dance and martial arts, part of it that he was just extremely active: couldn't sit still to save his life. Can't say it was genetic as both his father and his brother were obese. Could be something back in the gene pool.

I can remember watching him put down an entire roast chicken on his own, plus plenty of sides.

I was in a growth spurt at the time and while I ate like a pig; there was no comparison.
 

klmno

Active Member
:rofl:

difficult child shows his- he puts on the weight, but I'll give him credit lately- he is doing a lot of exercises in Department of Juvenile Justice even though he isn't required to and trying to get "a 6-pack". (His words.) I'm keeping his weight set I got him for his 13th b-day if I possibly can so he can use them when he's released but Lord help him, he shows every ounce he eats. But then, we are southern by blood and southern cooking isn't exactly based on tofou. LOL! I'm having left-over slow-cooked roast and vegies with-green beans and corn bread tonight if that reveals anything. One thing I wish people would change- sd's and Department of Juvenile Justice give candy for rewards 95% of the time- I honestly think they should come up with something else.
 
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