The Great Tooth Fairy Failure

Isn't it crazy how we have expectations and want things to just be perfect for our children?  We want to create these perfect scenarios for our children, but we do not live in a perfect world, so isn't this sending mixed messages to our children?

After the little fiasco we had with Audrey's tooth needing to be pulled, I was so sad that after she went to sleep I had to scramble to create this great tooth fairy experience. Before this all happened, I knew I had at least a year to create the perfect tooth fairy experience.  I needed to get the tooth pillow, and the perfect sleeping picture of Audrey.  Why the picture?  Have you been on Pinterest lately?  They have all these great ideas and I so wanted to pay the $7.95 to have Audrey sleeping with the tooth fairy hovering over her.  I wanted this experience to just be perfect, and the urgency to make it perfect increased when the mom guilt fell over when she lost the tooth so earlier than expected.

This urgency became so overwhelming.  I was literally searching ideas and snapping at Tyler because he wasn't able to help me.  I finally found a letter on Pinterest explaining to Audrey what the tooth fairy does with the teeth, and why she didn't see the tooth fairy.  Adding sparkles to the dollar bill and some glitter on her windowsill was suppose to be the icing on the cake to make this not so perfect scenario perfect.  I snuck the letter in an envelope with the glistening dollar bill and hoped this was going to be a good experience.

The next morning, Audrey ripped open the envelope and pulled out the dollar bill and was super excited.  As for the letter, it was gently tossed aside.  Really?  All she needed was the money?  Why did I bother with all the stress, when it was just the little magic of glitter on the dollar bill that made her happy?  

It is this feeling of needing to be perfect, creating perfect situations, to try and make life warm and fuzzy that is beginning to suck all the energy out of me.  I am trying obviously too hard, and it is simple that keeps my children happy!  I know this and I know that many moms out there know this, but we still try to be better.  Why?  We always want to improve things, but when it comes to be being moms, shouldn't we just be happy we are able to embrace this title as mom and know that we are the best for our kids?  Easier said than done...I know.

Through all this tooth fairy drama, I have come to the conclusion that I created the perfect scenario for Audrey, but it wasn't necessary.  My daughter loves to dream and loves fairies.  The letter worked for her, when she made the connection the tooth fairy was like Tinkerbell and the tooth fairy left "pixie dust" to help her make wishes.  She totally ate that concept up.  She was excited about the dollar, but was eager to hand it off to me because I was running out of cash.  This girl's heart, I tell you!

Our tooth fairy experience was good, however I am sure a dollar under the pillow would have been just as good.  I created more work for myself than necessary, but it was worth it!

Parents...here is to us doing our best and creating memories, but not obsessing over the memories being perfect!