Keeping the Magic of the Tooth Fairy Alive
The magic of the tooth fairy is honored by many parents as a way to help their kids ease into a new phase of growing up. Losing a first tooth can be painful, scary, and sometimes totally unexpected. Leveraging a child’s sense of wonder and magic to put a positive spin on this time of uncertainty can make it easier on everyone.
Once tooth loss is underway, however, a parent’s commitment can really be put to the test! If a child is losing several teeth in a short time, even the most experienced tooth fairy can struggle to keep up. It’s not uncommon for the tooth fairy to need a creative excuse for not making it in time. If a child still believes in the tooth fairy, even a slip up can be effectively framed to keep the belief alive. This phase of parenthood is temporary, so we encourage you to embrace it and have fun with it as long as your child’s imagination is being fed.
When the Tooth Fairy is Suspect, but Not Yet Disproved
Last night’s tooth exchange was clumsy and noisy. A conversation on the school bus highlights some inconsistencies. An older sibling begins taunting with suggestive hints. At some point, your child will get the feeling that the tooth fairy might not be so magical after all. This realization can come at any time, but not every child is ready to give up the fantasy. Many kids are more than happy to stay in the magic a little longer, and we encourage parents to support this.
Childhood is short, and the tooth fairy lives in an even shorter span within that time, so we at FlutterPop think kids should get to believe in the magic as long as it works for them. Even when kids know the truth, they often want to keep up the myth just because they like knowing that mom or dad is doing something special just for them. During this time of limbo, keep the secret and wear those wings a little longer.
The Light Shines on the Tooth Truth
Almost every child knows the truth of the tooth fairy long before the last tooth is lost. While great care and planning can go into keeping the magic alive with mythical creatures who visit once a year, it’s next to impossible to keep the charade going during high volume tooth loss periods. When kids actually start asking the hard questions, most parents are tired enough to go ahead and gently tell the truth. Generally, kids are over the fear and uncertainty of losing teeth by the time they learn the facts, so it should not be a very traumatic realization.
At this point, parents are in a great position to pivot their kids’ focus to maintaining great oral health and being responsible with tooth fairy rewards. If you are enjoying the digital resources that FlutterPop has to offer, keep your kids engaged by reading our blog together.
Make sure your kids know that once they discover the truth, they are inducted into the tooth fairy’s own secret society. As a member of the society, it is their duty to protect the identity and magic of the tooth fairy to younger kids who still believe in her. This ushers in yet another phase of growing up for your child, where you can encourage maturity while stoking the imagination. We’ll bring the fairy dust!
FlutterPop wants to help parents keep the magic of the tooth fairy alive, particularly in the digital age! If you are as excited as we are about the fun of tooth fairy magic, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.