Everybody's cracking up about "The Best Letter Ever Written to the Tooth Fairy," and with good reason: You owe me $1.00. Not to be hard but I need money. It made me laugh, too, but then it made me wonder ... I didn't and don't push the whole tooth fairy myth with my kids. My motto with creatures of her ilk, including Santa and the Easter Bunny, is to neither confirm nor deny. But are my kids missing out on some serious childhood magic?
I wouldn't know. My mother broke the cold, cruel news to me about Kris Kringle and his kind when I was 2 -- she didn't want me to feel betrayed when I eventually found out the truth, she told me later. (Apparently she took it pretty hard when she was a kid.)
So I never experienced the giddy anticipation of tucking a tooth under my pillow and going to sleep wondering how much cold, hard cash would be in its place come morning. When I lost a tooth, I would tell my mother, and she would say, "Okay, I'll put a quarter under your pillow while you're sleeping. Or do you just want me to give it to you now?"
Christmas was similarly low on suspense, particularly because my mom didn't try very hard to hide my presents. Not only did I know they were coming from her, I also knew they were -- oops! Right there, in her closet, unwrapped. Oh well.
I'm not trying to be all down on my mom or anything -- I actually get what she was trying to do, which was to build our relationship on a foundation of trust. But at the time, I just kind of felt like the other kids, deluded or not, were having a lot more fun.
So why am I not one of those moms who goes out of her way to fuel her kids' belief in fairy tales? Why don't I leave a sprinkling of glitter (fairy dust!) on their pillows when I'm doing the dental dollar exchange? I guess because I don't want to influence what they believe either way. If they need to believe the fairy tale, I feel like they will, and they'll stop when they're ready.
At least I actually hide my kids' presents.
Do your kids believe in the tooth fairy?
Image via funnyordie
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Comments 72
haha! too funny! My son does not believe anymore. I think he did for a minute. lol
No... he doesn't believe in fairies! He came to that conclusion on his own.
We never had the the tooth fairy growing up and my kids aren't getting it either. I remember being jealous of my friend who got a dollar a tooth. First, of all there just isn't money for that. Second, it really bugs me when kids expect it. A friend of mine gives her kid $7.00 a tooth! We just celebrate by taking a picture which makes my little hams happy.
I find it far sadder that anyone would feel they can't give their kids a great childhood without making up stories. There is plenty of wonder in the world for anyone who looks for it and no need to make things up. My kid knows the difference between reality and fantasy, truth and myth, and he's well rounded. He also has a stellar imagination. He's sitting on the floor beside me making a menu for a restaurant he's constructed in the dining room and he's making up all kinds of food then drawing pictures and writing their names. Oh, he's done and I need to go to the restaurant now. I think I'll have the pastanta soup, it sound delicious.
I think the saddest part is all of these mothers judging the other mothers for what they choose do to with their own kid. My kids believe in Santa, Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny and all, but does that mean that I am miss Judgy Jane when I find out another mother chooses not to have her kids believe? NO, it's not really any of my business. The only thing that really annoys me is when parents don't consider that not everyone chooses to not let their kids believe...I think it only respectful to teach non believing kids not to say anything about it not being real to kids who choose to believe.