chosenfrozen

CHOSEN TO BE “FROZEN”

As mentioned in many previous stories, parents of the 1950’s mastered the art of “Kid Scare Tactics.” I don’t see this procedure used on kids these days by parents trying influence their actions. I suppose if a parent these days would use the same tactics used on us, that the ACLU (American Communist Liberty Union), would quickly be on the scene! Nevertheless, Tim and I turned out alright (Yeah, I know that’s a hotly debated subject). I thought of a few more examples of “1950’s Parents Kid Scare Tactics”. When we would watch one of the men in our family shaving, we would put some of the lather on our “soft kid peach fuzzed face,” then pick up their razor and start to “shave”. Our mother would then say, “Don’t do that, or you will have to start shaving everyday from now on”! She never explained the reason for the dire permanent consequences for such a seemingly innocuous act. I did get one theory from watching a recent “Leave it to Beaver” episode on T.V. Land when Wally shaved too early. June told him that it would “make your face hair stiff,” resulting in “having to shave everyday. That sounds plausible, but why is it that only mothers know this kind of “inside information”? Every time I “sneaked a shave”, I always had the fear of “having to do it every day” in the back of my mind. I pictured my mother taking me to the drug store to pick out my razor, and then deciding of what shave cream to use. During this whole time, of course, I would start living life with the horrible “a kid having to shave every day” stigma! Of course, I never actually knew any kid who had this stigma, but then again, that’s not the kind of thing that ANYONE would EVER make public knowledge! Certainly, these kids only dared to “shave” every day after dark in a shade-down curtain-pulled bathroom! (Hopefully with a rear-facing window)! I’m so thankful that in spite of the FEW times I did “sneak a shave,” that I somehow miraculously never fell victim to having to “shave every day” Whew! Did I ever live a “charmed” childhood! As horrible as the consequences of the former were, I also missed the consequences of the MOST feared of all kid actions! I used to “Make faces” all the time not only at everyone else, but also at MYSELF in the mirror! (Hey, “Practice makes perfect”)! When I would “make faces” in front of my mother, she would give another stern warning and say, “Don’t make faces like that or your face could “freeze” with that face for the rest of your life”! Whoa!!! Now THAT was a consequence even WORSE than “having to shave every day”! I must have been a very fearless and courageous kid, because despite all the consequences, I tempted fate countless times in spite of the horrible life-long risks I took!>



	CHOOSEN TO BE “FROZEN” CHOSEN TO BE “FROZEN” As mentioned in many previous stories, parents of the 1950’s mastered the art of “Kid Scare Tactics.” I don’t see this procedure used on kids these days by parents trying influence their actions. I suppose if a parent these days would use the same tactics used on us, that the ACLU (American Communist Liberty Union), would quickly be on the scene! Nevertheless, Tim and I turned out alright (Yeah, I know that’s a hotly debated subject). I thought of a few more examples of “1950’s Parents Kid Scare Tactics”. When we would watch one of the men in our family shaving, we would put some of the lather on our “soft kid peach fuzzed face,” then pick up their razor and start to “shave”. Our mother would then say, “Don’t do that, or you will have to start shaving everyday from now on”! She never explained the reason for the dire permanent consequences for such a seemingly innocuous act. I did get one theory from watching a recent “Leave it to Beaver” episode on T.V. Land when Wally shaved too early. June told him that it would “make your face hair stiff,” resulting in “having to shave everyday. That sounds plausible, but why is it that only mothers know this kind of “inside information”? Every time I “sneaked a shave”, I always had the fear of “having to do it every day” in the back of my mind. I pictured my mother taking me to the drug store to pick out my razor, and then deciding of what shave cream to use. During this whole time, of course, I would start living life with the horrible “a kid having to shave every day” stigma! Of course, I never actually knew any kid who had this stigma, but then again, that’s not the kind of thing that ANYONE would EVER make public knowledge! Certainly, these kids only dared to “shave” every day after dark in a shade-down curtain-pulled bathroom! (Hopefully with a rear-facing window)! I’m so thankful that in spite of the FEW times I did “sneak a shave,” that I somehow miraculously never fell victim to having to “shave every day” Whew! Did I ever live a “charmed” childhood! As horrible as the consequences of the former were, I also missed the consequences of the MOST feared of all kid actions! I used to “Make faces” all the time not only at everyone else, but also at MYSELF in the mirror! (Hey, “Practice makes perfect”)! When I would “make faces” in front of my mother, she would give another stern warning and say, “Don’t make faces like that or your face could “freeze” with that face for the rest of your life”! Whoa!!! Now THAT was a consequence even WORSE than “having to shave every day”! I must have been a very fearless and courageous kid, because despite all the consequences, I tempted fate countless times in spite of the horrible life-long risks I took!>