I'm a Liar

The Tooth Fairy has been a regular visitor to our house lately.  She has even been leaving notes! Teeny tiny little notes that have answered all of Grace's burning questions about her. Here is what we have learned:

She is real (because, obviously, there would have been no tiny notes if she wasn't)

She is a "she" and has a name--Saaski

She usually only comes when you lose a tooth, but she does check on you every so often so she knows when to stop by.

She uses Grace's teeth as stepping stones and little walls in her flower garden. They polish up beautifully, we are told.

She likes unicorns (pink and white ones)

At this point, you adults might want to stop your children from reading any of the rest of this over your shoulder.

Several nights prior to the first note, Grace lost a tooth and found the usual 50 cents under her pillow the next morning.  That night, she asked Darrel as he tucked her in at bedtime, "Is the Tooth Fairy real or do you just take my teeth and leave the money under my pillow?" He got a knot in his stomach, as any good parent would when telling their child an outright lie, even if it was for a good cause. Gulp, "Yes, the Tooth Fairy is real."

Right after this conversation, unbeknownst to us, Grace put a note under her pillow that read, "Tooth Fairy are you real?  Please write back." We found it the following night when Grace pointed out that the Tooth Fairy hadn't answered. 

Darrel showed it to me wondering what to do.  How could he keep lying to his daughter when she was turning to him for the truth? It made us recall a funny incident with Grace when she was about 4. I had asked her a question and she answered me and then plunked down on the stairs and moaned, "Oh, I'm a liar!  I'm just a liar!" because she hadn't told the truth. Ah, the burden of a guilty conscience! Even with that weight on his shoulders, Darrel decided he could do it this once and wrote back a tiny little note. 

Grace was thoroughly delighted with the note and happened to lose a second tooth that very night. And wouldn't you know, that lucky Tooth Fairy found not only a tooth, but a note with more questions!  Darrel wrestled again with what to do.  He felt he was just digging the hole deeper with each note and he honestly agonized over it, trying to talk me into doing it instead. But in spite of the inner battle, a scrap of paper with microscopic writing was produced, this time tied with a delicate pink silken thread.  "I'm a liar, I'm just a liar!" Darrel said with a nervous laugh as he went to tuck it under her pillow.

Christmas night brought a third tooth!  Another note requested.  This time Darrel was truly at odds with lying to his daughter and I'd fielded a few Santa questions, so we discussed the dilemma.  I reflected on my own childhood.  I don't know at what age I began to have my doubts about the Tooth Fairy and Santa, but I remember that even though they didn't make any rational sense, I still wanted to believe in that sort of magic.  And I never felt that my parents had done anything wrong by telling a little white lie and letting me believe.

Grace is presently out of loose teeth and seems satisfied with the mysteries of the Tooth Fairy and Santa. Darrel and I have decided to pass on to another generation the power of belief in something magical.  And we don't regret it one bit.