The Tooth Fairy and Me

My kids have the worst tooth fairy EVER. Occasionally she'll come get a tooth the night after it's lost, but she's usually a night late. She's even been known to be two or three nights late. Oh sure, we make excuses for her--perhaps she had high volume tonight, she might get backed up on holidays, maybe she didn't get the message--but to be honest she is just lame and by the time she goes to bed has totally forgotten that she even has that job title.

Number 4 lost his first tooth the night before his 6th birthday, and she thankfully made a BIG effort to not forget. But he lost his second tooth less than a week later, and she was a no-show. And geesh, I am the one who has to look at those sad disappointed faces and think of yet another reason why she's late. I even overheard #2 telling #3 that there was one tooth that she never got money for at all. That could be true. I'm not sure.

It's interesting, because in a similar vein, I heard #4 excitedly tell #2 yesterday that mommy had promised to knit him an orange scarf and hat to match his coat, and he can't wait. I cringed. You know, I don't mean to lie to my kids. In this case, I have yarn. I've had it for months. The problem for me seems to be that the kids' requests rarely come with deadlines. I get their costumes made in time for Halloween. I'll get a pretty dress finished for #3s upcoming baptism if it kills me (which it may). But things like knitting scarves and reading books, setting up savings accounts and going to Chuck E. Cheese--well, there are no time frames for things like these. And I will ALWAYS find something more urgent than something else without a deadline.

I set up false deadlines for projects around the house I want or need to do. "I want to have the bathroom painted by the pool party in three weeks." "My sewing room must be clean for Valentine's Day." It can be the only way something makes it onto the list. It's clear I need to get the kids' things put on the list. Maybe even ahead of the baby afghan I need to finish crocheting for a baby who was born in October. Because I do not want to be a mom who's always letting her kids down. After all, I try to be reliable for everyone else.

Now, what was I telling you about?

Oh yeah, that stinkin' tooth fairy . . .