It's over

Something happened this morning.  

A little bit of my daughters childhood withered away and died.  

It all started innocently enough.  Taryns second tooth fell out over Phils home made bread.  You may be thinking that the bread sounds unreasonably hard.  It wasn't.  It was soft and doughy and it smelled a little bit like heaven.  The benefits of having an insomniac husband is that when you get up in the morning you may discover delicious baked goods in the kitchen.  But I digress.  Taryns tooth came out.  Then she asked me straight up.  "Mum.  Is the tooth fairy real?  'Cos I think it's just the parents sneaking in and putting money in there."  I looked at her.  6 year old Taryn, adorned with a don't shit with me mum smirk.  I looked at her little sister.  Caity, who is yet to lose her first tooth, looks me dead in the eye and says to me "yeah.  I think it's just the parents putting money in your room".  I realise the jig is up.  It's time to man up and not lie to their innocent little faces.  So I take a deep breath and answer them honestly.  They weren't fazed.  Caitlyn just continued eating her breakfast.  Taryn held up her tooth and grinned.  I just sat there hoping that they didn't ask about Santa.  Let me just get one more Christmas with them believing in magic.  We go through so little of our life believing in magical beings (unless you're Christian.... ......too far?  Okay.  I take it back.) that I was hoping that they would hold onto this part of their childhood for a little bit longer.  Caity hasn't even lost a freaking tooth and she will never get to lie in bed, wondering what the tooth fairy will deliver.  Because she knows better, damn it all. 

Then the water works started.  Taryn got pretty upset.  Not because her parents have been lying to her.  Not because there isn't a magical fairy that sneaks into her room.  But because I told her gently, but matter of factly that now she knows the secret, she won't get money for her teeth any more.  Last time she got $1.40.  It was all I had on me.  This time, her tooth sits in a little container, not earning her a cent.  She's still upset about it.  I considered continuing the cash for tooth trade anyway.  But really, what's the point?  It's not like it's means the same.  She was wailing that now when a tooth comes out, she has no reason to be happy about it.  True.  Perhaps this is a life lesson?  I'm not sure.  I like the idea of always looking for a silver lining.  It's a good skill to have.  I'm considering some other type of treat, such as getting to choose dinner or something like that.  I'm yet to decide really.  Am I just perpetuating the idea that she has a right to get money for nothing or am I encouraging her to look forward to the bright side of things? 

When she got upset again at the dinner table and we discussed how lucky she is to have what she has and that not all kids have enough to eat etc Phil decided that we'd all name three things that we are lucky to have.  This might be a new nightly dinner routine.  After all, expressing gratitude has been shown to increase overall happiness.  I'd love the girls to have that as a daily habit from such a young age.

******

Anyway.  That was my morning.

Here are a few pics to sign off.

This one just makes me laugh.  I'm considering making similar Christmas cards to send out this year.