I need to confess ...
The last chapter in my book is entitled, 'Parent Confessionals.' It highlights mistakes that parents have made that they have to get off their chest in the hopes that they can let go of some of their feelings of guilt, inadequacy or judgment. The very last story in the chapter is one that was submitted by me about my failure as the Tooth Fairy. It's all about the how I tried to start a tradition that was different and was our own.
The Tooth Fairy that visits our house has screwed up royally for my oldest daughter. Not only is she confused, but at times a little devastated. The story in the book talks about how I went from dollars to a unique coin combination to an over-elaborate letter to just not knowing what the hell to leave for a damn tooth. Since I published the book, I have made yet two more errors. Let me try to recount my last two errors and please know that this morning was the topper and I definitely lost Parent of the Year AGAIN!
So my son finally lost his first tooth last month. The first tooth is supposed to be a big deal. My oldest daughter got a $5 bill for her first tooth and assured her brother he would get the same (please note we do NOT give $5 for every tooth ... just the first!). As I went to find a $5 bill to put under his pillow, I could not find one anywhere. It was well after 11:00 pm and I didn't feel like driving to a gas station to conjure up this bill. So ... five $1 bills would have to do. My son was ecstatic but my daughter was stumped. She didn't understand why he would get five $1 bills and not just a $5 bill. She seemed to let it go after a day or two, but I could tell it was eating at her. We convinced her that maybe the Tooth Fairy wanted to do something different for her brother, that she was out of $5 bills or that he possibly had a different Tooth Fairy.
My daughter didn't want to believe that he had a different Fairy because in the ridiculous elaborate letter that was written to her by her Tooth Fairy, she stated that she was really going to try to be the Tooth Fairy for all the kids in our house. So ... I blew it yet again.
Well, this morning was the topper. My daughter came up in tears. She was devastated. She was emotionally distraught. The Tooth Fairy DIDN'T COME! Yes, you heard it right ... I FORGOT to leave my daughter anything under her pillow last night. Talk about screwing up. More lies began to be told (the story in the book is titled 'Inconceivable Lies' because I have been unable to keep up with all my darn lying).
"Maybe she didn't know you moved rooms." My daughter agreed that this could be it. But, still more tears came. "Maybe she got caught in the ice storm last night." My four-year-old assured her sister that the Tooth Fairies wings would freeze and she wouldn't be able to fly. "Maybe she couldn't find your tooth under your three pillows." This one didn't sit well with her since the Tooth Fairy is supposed to know everything.
Anyway, more lies! So, I did what all desperate moms would do. After my daughter went to school (I had her calmed down by this time and ready to enjoy her day), I googled a u-tube video on how to make origami hearts out of dollar bills. If nothing else, my thought was that I could distract her with my amazing folding skills. After watching the video for the third time (I might add that I continued to get Parent of the Year because my two youngest children were being babysat by the TV while I tried to fix my latest blunder), I finally had a menial heart. I made two of them in an attempt to make up for the 'forgotten' night. I then crafted a letter on the computer about the ice storm that kept the Tooth Fairy away and how I hoped my origami hearts made her feel better. I threw in a P.S. about how cool her new room was to try and make her smile! Oh, and then I folded the letter into a heart as well (I may have over-done it yet again).
Well, there you have it. I told more lies today. I am confessing my sins to all of you in the hopes that this event really is okay! I should take my own advice. I'm not perfect, I screw up daily, I make mistakes ... and, It's Okay. If nothing else, we have a new Tooth Fairy tradition. She will leave heart shaped dollars from now on! Maybe I can earn back 'Parent of the Moment' since I am sure to have lost 'Parent of the Year' again for about the third day in a row! It's okay.
Have anything you need to confess? Want to add a story to my next book, That's Okay Too: More Real Stories About This Thing We Call Parenting? You can e-mail me at teresahamilton@itsokaybooks.com or visit my 'share your story' tab on my website, www.itsokaybooks.com!
Hahahahahaha, sounds like you fixed it perfectly. Little white lies for a good purpose are FINE. You are such a good mommy to those kiddos of yours. Everyone is allowed mistakes, be forgetful, etc, yes, even you. Later, when she knows the "truth" about the Tooth Fairy she will laugh at this. When she becomes a mom herself, she will remember the origami and do the same, I am sure forgetfulness will run in the family.
ReplyDeletePlease update us on her reaction to the letter and hearts.
Beth
Having five children the tooth fairy has visited us many times. Seems like the tooth fairy is getting tired of visiting us because she tends to forget on a regular basis, one time it was fir three nights! Yes, three nights of seeing a cupfull of water with a little tooth just waiting to be rescued. There are some evenings my husband and I had to dig around to find those dollar bills, we did have to resort to quarters that evening. We told our youngest son the tooth fairy must have been extremely busy. He came home the next day stating three other kids in his class had lost their teeth too. So he sympathized with the tooth fairy for being so busy.
ReplyDeleteWell, I have to say that the heart dollars were a hit! Problem solved for now. I'm sure there will be more problems that arise. It's nice to know that I'm not the only mother who forgets to have the Tooth Fairy visit consistently!
ReplyDelete