Belief

Children seem to constantly categorize things. Two of these categories are "real" and "not real". For instance, the other day Genevieve asked me if unicorns were real. I said no, but somehow still go into some conversation about how much more expensive they would be than horses if they were real. Either way, Genevieve was disappointed to have to put those in the not real category.

The Tooth Fairy has been a confusion. I was recently unmasked as the Tooth Fairy, but I never confirmed it. I always pretending to be shocked at the allegations, but I figured the jig was up. (I never denied it either- I don't believe in lying to my kids.) However, last week when Imogen lost her forth tooth (while trying to open a water bottle with her teeth), I forgot to perform my fairy duties that night. And the next night. After two nights Imogen was really upset. I was openly sympathetic and mentally kicking myself for having forgotten two nights in a row. (What kind of fairy am I??)

Anyway, that day while Imogen was at school, I rushed home after one of my classes and stuffed three dollars in an envelope and traded it for the tooth. When Imogen got in the car she quizzed me about my whereabouts that day in an effort to see if I had been away from home long enough for the Tooth Fairy to have stopped by. That's right. Somehow the unreliability of the Tooth Fairy has convinced Imogen that I'm not her after all. She came to this conclusion completely on her own. I should feel flattered. Mostly I'm confused. Don't my kids know me? But apparently they have not outgrown the idea that Mommy is really terrific and would not have failed so abysmally.

We got home that evening and Imogen was thrilled, of course. "Three whole dollars!" she said.

"Three dollars?" Jeremy glanced at me. "Overpriced tooth..."

"Maybe the Tooth Fairy felt guilty for not coming the last two nights," I said through clenched teeth.

As fun as the Tooth Fairy is, I've always thought Santa Clause was idiotic. I grew up not believing in Santa. My parents spoiled us like crazy and they wanted credit for it! As do I. Last year around Christmas, Imogen asked me if Santa was real. "No," I said bluntly. She paused, thinking about that and then said... "I don't believe you." What??

You've got to be kidding..