Shave with Babe in arms

**MattR** · 05-18-2009, 04:17 PM

Just wanted to share a new milestone in my wet shave journey. My 4month old daughter was very grouchy this morning and wanted holding by her Daddy. I was in the middle of my second pass but I couldn't just ignore her so I carried on my shave whilst holding her in the crook of my left arm, facing outward so she could see, whilst I shaved with my right hand. I did just fine - no cuts, no weepers and no irritation and almost a BBS. Oh, and Rose was happy. Only issue was being very conscious of not dropping her into the sink as I tried to get close to the mirror to see!

**GoldenMonkey** · 05-18-2009, 04:18 PM

Yikes! Careful there, partner...I applaud your attention to duty though...and not wasting a good prep and lather.

**JBLAZE725** · 05-18-2009, 04:25 PM

You're a bad man, and a good daddy.

**ouch** · 05-18-2009, 05:30 PM

If you use a straight, you can let her stretch your skin.

I done heard their fingers grows back if'n they's real young.

**Walter Sobchak** · 05-18-2009, 05:52 PM

Kudos Matt...that's a good and brave dad.

**kingfisher** · 05-18-2009, 06:28 PM

Not such a great idea.

What happens if you accidentally drop the razor?

I can't tell you how many horror stories I have seen over the years as a pediatrician from people doing ordinary activities and overlooking potentially dangerous situations.

**Brodirt** · 05-18-2009, 06:31 PM

My girls are 9 and 6 and I don't let them in the bathroom when I shave! You are brave, but having been there I understand your love for your daughter.

**instpasr** · 05-18-2009, 06:46 PM

I understand completely but remember in a few years you'll have to make sure she understands that she has to stay out while your shaving. My daughter and I just had this talk today. By the way, another fine example of fatherhood.

**ateace** · 05-18-2009, 08:17 PM

I admire your dedication to both your shave and your daughter.

**koso** · 05-18-2009, 08:36 PM

I let my five-year old daughter lather and shave with my empty SuperSpeed if she wants to.

Then she hears the mantra: don't bump me don't bump me don't bump me don't bump me don't bump me don't bump me don't bump me don't bump me don't bump me

**danek** · 05-18-2009, 08:39 PM

That's a fantastic way to quality-check your shave to make sure you're getting BBS.

**Venom** · 05-18-2009, 08:56 PM

Originally Posted by MattR

Just wanted to share a new milestone in my wet shave journey. My 4month old daughter was very grouchy this morning and wanted holding by her Daddy. I was in the middle of my second pass but I couldn't just ignore her so I carried on my shave whilst holding her in the crook of my left arm, facing outward so she could see, whilst I shaved with my right hand. I did just fine - no cuts, no weepers and no irritation and almost a BBS. Oh, and Rose was happy. Only issue was being very conscious of not dropping her into the sink as I tried to get close to the mirror to see!

From one father to another, there are dozens of people out there that will tell you what you should and should not do. I on the other hand do what I want. I have had my 20 month old son in the bathroom with me and talked to him about what I am doing and why daddy shaves. He looks at me and giggles and then runs around pulling toilet paper and playing with shampoo bottles. But I show him the world as it is and talk to him like a man that is growing up, not all the time, but most of the time after all he is only 20 months. I show him that traditions at a young age so he can learn to respect them and what they mean.

As I tell myself and the females in my family I am raising a man not a child.

There are not enough real men in this world, men that take the time to delve into an older tradition like wetshaving and do things old school. The world is not safe so why should we pretend it is. Sure we should protect but at what price I ask? Men need to step up and embrace who they are, do the hard part and what is asked of them, sure this is one heckuva reply and more likely than not I am rambling (my wife says that too) but I didn't get this far in life by doing what people said always the safe thing. My son will benefit from my mistakes.

MattR, one day, not now, when this board is gone and this post is a distant memory and your daughter will be grown up she is going to remember the time she was with her father in his arms and being held safe, that is the most important part.

**MattR** · 05-19-2009, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by Venom

From one father to another, there are dozens of people out there that will tell you what you should and should not do. I on the other hand do what I want. I have had my 20 month old son in the bathroom with me and talked to him about what I am doing and why daddy shaves. He looks at me and giggles and then runs around pulling toilet paper and playing with shampoo bottles. But I show him the world as it is and talk to him like a man that is growing up, not all the time, but most of the time after all he is only 20 months. I show him that traditions at a young age so he can learn to respect them and what they mean.

As I tell myself and the females in my family I am raising a man not a child.

There are not enough real men in this world, men that take the time to delve into an older tradition like wetshaving and do things old school. The world is not safe so why should we pretend it is. Sure we should protect but at what price I ask? Men need to step up and embrace who they are, do the hard part and what is asked of them, sure this is one heckuva reply and more likely than not I am rambling (my wife says that too) but I didn't get this far in life by doing what people said always the safe thing. My son will benefit from my mistakes.

MattR, one day, not now, when this board is gone and this post is a distant memory and your daughter will be grown up she is going to remember the time she was with her father in his arms and being held safe, that is the most important part.

Venom,

We are on the same wavelength. My 2 year old son spent most of his early mornings in the bathroom with me as well, I figured he was safer in there with me than by himself in another part of the house - (I look after the kids for the first hour or so before I go to work so my wife can get some much needed extra sleep before her day shift begins). He also knows (in his own limited way) what shaving is because he has seen Dad put on his funny white beard each morning then take it off with the razor. he knows the razor is sharp and not to be touched because I told him so - many times and with great meaning (then I hung up 5feet off the floor anyway). He loves to play with my shave brush and thinks it makes him look like Daddy when he pretends to use it. He once put nappy (diaper) cream around his face just like lather, and did a surprisingly good job of covering the whole beard area, then came and showed me. He was very pleased with himself!

I could have taken another option yesterday morning. I could have yelled out from the bathroom for my wife, who had already spent 2hours during the night nursing my daughter, to come get the baby whilst I shaved or I could have left her crying. Instead, as you already pointed out, we spent some quality Daddy-Daughter time, my wife slept and my son just popped his head around the door and saw I was shaving, thought "that's pretty dull, seen that a thousand times" and went and played with his cars in his room. I also made it to work on time.

As you say, life is full of risks. Some you need to avoid, some you need to be careful of and some you need to take because doing either of the other two is actually worse for you and others in the long run. If I wanted to avoid risk I'd use an electric, If I wanted to be careful I'd use a cartridge and goo, the best outcome though is to take a risk now and again and mitigate it with good training and thorough understanding and respect. That's why I shave with a DE. That's why I choose to expose my kids to the whole deal.

Hopefully the way you and I choose to do things will produce members of the next generation that are grounded and can make and stand by their own decisions. Then again, maybe they'll decide we are nuts and read way too much into what is, when all said and done, another daily routine.

Happy parenting and smooth shaving.

**Doc4** · 05-19-2009, 05:15 PM

Originally Posted by MattR

... and almost a BBS.

Well, at least you can say that with some confidence, having the bona fide item to make a comparison.

As someone with about 5 months more parenting experience than you, I can warn you that soon she will get to the "I gotta grab that" stage ... not a good idea to have her anywhere near a razor, especially one gliding over your face (or neck

)

**ouch** · 05-19-2009, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by Doc4

As someone with about 5 months more parenting experience than you, I can warn you that soon she will get to the "I gotta grab that" stage

Don't ask how he knows that.

**MattR** · 05-19-2009, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by Doc4

Well, at least you can say that with some confidence, having the bona fide item to make a comparison.

As someone with about 5 months more parenting experience than you, I can warn you that soon she will get to the "I gotta grab that" stage ... not a good idea to have her anywhere near a razor, especially one gliding over your face (or neck

)

Very true. Memories of my son's fascination with my chest hair still conjure up painful memories.

**soapbox** · 05-19-2009, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by Doc4

Well, at least you can say that with some confidence, having the bona fide item to make a comparison.

As someone with about 5 months more parenting experience than you, I can warn you that soon she will get to the "I gotta grab that" stage ... not a good idea to have her anywhere near a razor, especially one gliding over your face (or neck

)

Yep, my 11 month old daughter would be verrry interested in the shiny-thingy-that-Daddy-won't-let-me-have...

plus she's really squirmy on a good day now; but when she was 4 months old and so tiny, I think that might have been sublime.

**raven1** · 05-20-2009, 01:38 AM

Nice :).

Sort of reminded me of my recent experience with my 3 year old daughter. I received a new DE razor in the mail (with no razors in it of course) and she wanted to play with it being shiny and new.
She put it up to her face and pretended to shave, and would giggle whenever I looked at her.

Not that you need any more advice but I would say keep shaving with your daughter.
I don't plan to banish mine when I shave :). Better to teach them to deal with life's dangers then try to hide them.

**SRock** · 05-20-2009, 04:26 AM

You are a brave man Matt. Shaving is important, but that little girl of yours is the most important thing in your world. Kudos to you for taking care of her. Just be mindful of those razors!

**Mandrake** · 05-20-2009, 04:39 AM

I guess I do both: keeping dangeroud things away from them, but also teaching them what is dangerous, but with a practical approach, like when they were atracted by a flame from a lighter I'll say: "It hurts, but if you want go ahead and touch it", thuy usually don´t but in any event I prefer they try those dangers when I am there with them, and I am sure they will never forget afterwards....