My 9 year old lost a tooth. Yes she still has a baby teeth. When she came home from school with a little treasure chest for her tooth she was so excited. I guess when you lose a tooth at school it is a big deal. In the lower grades you get a felt shaped tooth to store your lost tooth. In 4th grade I guess they still give a little holder. She was then pondering how much money she would receive from the tooth fairy (I hope she did not mention this at school!) Yes, the tooth fairy is alive and well in this household. Which got me thinking about when do they figure it all out or when do I tell them – no questions yet. I have friends who love the phrase “if you don’t believe you don’t receive!”
As I was told by friends with older children that you MUST tell your child the “truth” about Santa, the easter bunny, the little leprechaun the comes on this day to drop off candy in your shoes (who started THAT one?). They cannot go to 6th grade knowing, I was told (I still have a few years!) My heart breaks and I know it’s part of life. As I recall a close friend from grade school telling me her story about how she told her 10 year old about Santa. He began to cry and then he figured it out – well than what about EB? What about TF? and then he broke down even more! Such as the reality of kids getting older we need to have those tough conversations. I just read her The Care and Keeping of You Book, the Body Book for Girls and yikes she’s still losing teeth how can THIS be just around the corner too? But it is and like other moms I answer questions as they come up but tend to avoid telling – only when asked. That is my policy and I am sticking to it – at least for now! So tonight I will have them put their shoes out (forgot to last night) put in a little candy (er…the leprechaun did it) and enjoy the magic for a while longer!
