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Challenge: Parent Fails

The Night that the Tooth Fairy Forgot to Come

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The Tooth Fairy...a fun tradition that can make us go crazy if things don't go just right. Here is a story from one of our MomCo moms about one night that the Tooth Fairy forgot to come....

I love making family memories and documenting them for my kids. I have spent countless hours pinning ideas for traditions, crafts, and other things that my kids would love. When I saw all of the amazing things that people do for the tooth fairy, I was so excited. Making glittery money, sprinkling fairy dust by the bed, leaving a cute note...totally fun stuff! I had big plans for the time when my son lost his first tooth.

My son was 7 when he got his first loose tooth. All of his friends were already losing their 2nd or 3rd tooth or more. It became an almost daily ritual, "Mom, when am I going to lose a tooth?" When one of his bottom teeth finally started to come loose, he got so excited. He'd stare at it in the mirror, wiggle it, pull at it, just hoping for it to come out. After a couple weeks, the stubborn tooth finally relented and came completely out.

He went to bed that night anxiously awaiting to see what the Tooth Fairy would bring him. I told myself, "Oh, I don't have time to do the Pinteresty stuff." Like most things that I pin, it went unused. "I will just put money under his pillow before I go to bed." A few hours later, I went to bed exhausted. I was so exhausted that I FORGOT to put the money under his pillow. Epic parent fail!

I woke up the next morning to a devastated little boy. "Mom! The Tooth Fairy didn't come!" he cried.

My mind started racing...how do I respond?

Excuses began to tumble around in my head:
"She must have heard you waking up and had to leave before you saw her."
"She must have not received the message that you lost your tooth yet."
"I forgot to turn the night light on, so she couldn't see."
"She ran out of Fairy Dust, so she couldn't fly."

But instead, I said, "That's crazy! I am sure she came. Go look again."

I knew that I had a dollar in my bedside table and grabbed it quickly once he wasn't looking. I followed him into his room and started looking through his bed. With the dollar bill already palmed, I pretended to find it between the headboard and the mattress. Triumphant, I showed him the dollar and said, "Here it is! You must have knocked it down here during the night and you didn't see it!"

Catastrophe averted!! He was so excited and got the biggest smile on his face. I took a picture and documented the memory. Phew!

Now I just hope I don't forget with the next tooth that comes out. You can only pull that move off so many times before even a seven year old will get suspicious.


Jillian Darlington is the CEO and Founder of the MomCo app. The MomCo app helps moms locate, connect and meet up with other moms that live close by with similar aged children and common interests. It also helps them find play dates and activities that are happening in their area. Jillian is a contributor for many parenting websites and a regular parenting expert on Fox5 and CW6 News in San Diego. You can follow Jillian and MomCo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and at www.momcoapp.com.

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