The soft sob my daughter gave was not normal.
It was a school morning. Which meant at 7:15 she was barefoot, and crazy haired from sleep. She looked up and Instead of the missing-front-teeth-grin, her mouth puckered and tears rolled down her cheeks.
“The tooth fairy never came.” Her lips quivered.
My heart picked up pace. Shit. The tooth fairy. How had I forgotten? I had helped my daughter pull out her tooth yesterday. She had been so excited, she had written a note. She was hoping for a dollar.
I was the worst mom ever. I would forever be late to everything and never remember important stuff like tooth fairies. She was going to be scarred for life.
“Where was the tooth? Was it on your pillow?” I kept my eyes on her and grabbed my purse and dug around. I had to have some cash.
“It was under my pillow.” Another fat tear slid down her cheek and she stuck her thumb in her mouth. Man, she was upset. My heart twisted in guilt.
“Did you try and stay up late to see her?” Yes, I am a sexists. Tooth faeries are girls. The only cash I had was a five. That would have to do.
She nodded.
“The tooth fairy is probably just running late. Put on your jacket and get your shoes on.”
“Yes, Mommy.” She sighed.
I ran up to her bedroom. I switched out the five for the tooth in seconds and was across the hall in my room before she spotted me. I added the tooth to the little treasure chest on the top of my shelf. This one would make the fourth addition.
I stood at my door and looked down at my daughter. She still had her thumb in her mouth and stared at the floor. “Stink bug?”
“Mooooom.” She rolled her eyes roll like her future teenage self.
“I saw something in your room.” I waited making sure she saw me at my door. I pointed at her room and hoped she would buy that I hadn’t just been in her room.
“What did you see?” She looked puzzled, but interested.
“It was small and fast.” I held my breath and watched her face.
Her twisted brows evened out and her mouth opened to a little ‘O’. She ran up the stairs and dove straight for her pillow squealing “The tooth fairy came.”
Sheeew. She bought it. I had put off winning worst mom of the year award. Having to give her a five for each tooth was probably worth it. Right?
My lesson? Don’t be afraid to improvise. (And maybe make sure you have cash.)
What about you any stories from the trenches?
If having to fake the tooth fairy last minute is a measure of parenting then we SUCK!!! My husband had an interesting perspective….the tooth fairy and Easter Bunny ruin Santa. They figure out the first two quickly, then they are suspicious earlier than necessary. But still, we did the toothy one. One interesting idea I read once was to keep a stack of foreign coins to put under their pillow. Unknown value, but causes an interesting trip to the computer/atlas, and shows the tooth fairy goes all over the world – yeah, good idea, but I never did it.
That is a fabulous idea! Keep those coins in the bedroom for just in case.
Ha, good save! Don’t feel too bad. By my third (and last) child I was completely hopeless when it came to the tooth fairy – I didn’t even lie well to make up for forgetting!
I only have two. I can’t image what three would be like. May have needed a distraction! Thanks for commenting.