It glistened in the soft morning light.
The single tear that fell from my daughter’s eye as she stood in our bedroom doorway.
“Mommy, she didn’t come!” breathed my eight-year-old despondently. Then that single tear turned into a torrent.
Oh, Fudge. The Tooth Fairy didn’t come last night.
“Uh,” I stammered in reply, elbowing my husband awake.
“What happened?” he mumbled.
“The Tooth Fairy didn’t come last night,” I replied.
“Oh, Fudge,” he said. Only he didn’t say Fudge.
How did we let this happen? Quickly I reviewed the night before. Exhausted by my first Girls’ Night Out in three months, I had gone to bed at 10pm (don’t judge) and left the money with my husband. He simply fell asleep before remembering his Tooth Fairy duties.
There more extenuating circumstances. Our daughter’s tooth had been wiggly for merely a day. That was extremely short notice vs. those teeth that hang on by a (nasty!) thread for weeks. Plus, she was eight now and it had been months since she’d lost her last tooth. In fact, our oldest child, 12, had finished losing his baby teeth long ago. My husband and I were definitely rusty in our duties as well as in the twilight of our Tooth Fairy career, eyes on retirement.
Still, the plain hard truth was that we blew it. The Tooth Fairy didn’t come.
We sprang out of bed, soothing our daughter (and each other) with hugs and reassuring words. There HAD to be a good reason she didn’t come, we told our daughter. In fact, my husband and I, along with friends, family and the internet, came up with 10 Reasons Why the Tooth Fairy Did Not Come Last Night:
- The dew was too heavy. Her wings got wet and she couldn’t fly.
- The Tooth Fairy was on vacation and the substitute Tooth Fairy didn’t know what she was doing.
- She couldn’t get to your pillow due to your messy room.
- Too much traffic. She’ll leave earlier tonight!
- She was sick.
- Spreadsheet error. Your tooth was projected to come out on Friday so she wasn’t ready when it came out on Monday.
- Some Tooth Fairies like snacks. Leave one out tonight and she’ll probably come.
- Oh, look, she dropped the money on the floor over there. She must have wanted you to keep your tooth as a souvenir!
- You probably woke up and scared her away, even if you don’t remember doing that.
- She ran out of money and will be back tonight. She’s a tiny fairy so she can only carry so much.
My daughter seemed to calm down after she spent the day listening to our reasons why the Tooth Fairy did not come. Of course, all was made right with the world the following the morning when, hallelujah, the Tooth Fairy DID come.
Moms and Dads, may your Tooth Fairy always remember to come. In case she doesn’t, may you find these reasons why the Tooth Fairy did not come to be useful!
OHmygosh I LOVE THIS SO MUCH!!! “Oh, Fudge,” he said. Only he didn’t say Fudge. <— LOL.
Those are awesome reasons… I pinned this so I can refer to them. Oh too many times we have been in this 'situation'.
Chris Carter recently posted…The Dark Side of Motherhood
Thanks Chris! So many people have told me it’s happened to them, too. I hope it’s handy to have a list of reasons. I aim to help!
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…10 Reasons Why The Tooth Fairy Did Not Come Last Night
Ugh. That horrid feeling upon hearing the plaintive “she didn’t come.” Katy, where were you and your ten reasons ten years ago? And 15 years ago? Ugh. I was such an idiot. I purchased the cutest tooth fairy pillow EQUIPPED WITH BELLS at a craft fair when my two were wee. Fool me. The delighted child who just lost a tooth, slipped the tooth in the pillow and tucked it under their pillows. Yes. JINGLY JINGLY JINGLY each time the tooth fairy swapped money for the tooth. Such a delight when the tooth fairy forgot to visit! She tried to do her duties while the sobbing child choked down his/her breakfast. JINGLY JINGLY JINGLY. Once was enough. All subsequent late visits were done the following night.
Kelly L McKenzie recently posted…Just Two More Days
That JINGLY pillow sounds like those squeaker shoes they tried to sell me when my daughter was a toddler. “Look! Aren’t these cute! They squeak EVERY time she takes a step!” If I was suffering from low blood sugar, I might have nodded my head in agreement and bought them thinking they were cute for 1 minute before I spent the next month tormented by SQUEAK SQUEAK. Why do people make such thing?! 🙂
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…10 Reasons Why The Tooth Fairy Did Not Come Last Night
The Tooth Fairy has forgotten us many times. It’s awful I explain that he never got our change of address card.
Ally, that’s another good excuse! Must keep it in mind. 🙂
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…10 Reasons Why The Tooth Fairy Did Not Come Last Night
Haha. I’m sure I’ll forget one day. I’ll probably say the tooth fairy was too tired. Or a bunch of teeth fell on top of her. She’s working on climbing out.
Amber recently posted…Things I Say Nearly Every Day
Ha ha ha! That would be funny.
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…10 Reasons Why The Tooth Fairy Did Not Come Last Night
#3 is my go to. It’s always true and it always motivates them to do at least a little bit of cleaning!!
Rabia @TheLiebers recently posted…Sometimes You’re Right; Sometimes You Learn Something
My daughter has a messy room but a fairly clean path to her bed, which makes me laugh. It’s like a Tooth Fairy landing strip.
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…10 Reasons Why The Tooth Fairy Did Not Come Last Night
Oh gosh. Good job, Mama! My son’s had one loose tooth for more than a week now and I’m still not prepared. It’ll be his very first one so I’d better not forget right? Gah. Love this so much!
Kristi Campbell recently posted…The 80’s. Or, When I Was 19 and Knew Everything.
Call me when he’s like on his 8th lost baby tooth and it just falls out at 8pm with no notice after you’ve had a long day. 🙂
Enjoy those first, though! It’s fun.
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…10 Reasons Why The Tooth Fairy Did Not Come Last Night
Hahaha, oh no! Man, it’s a lot of pressure to be a parent. I remember losing a tooth on vacation once and yet someone the tooth fairy (aka my mom) somehow thought to bring something. I don’t anticipate being that organized when the time comes! Love this excuses, I will keep this in mind for the inevitable day when the tooth fairy does to make an appearance at our house.
Thanks Bev! My son had one tooth fall out on vacation at Disney World. He still remembers it to this day. The Tooth Fairy must have come–not that I remember–because he never mentions being jipped. 🙂
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…10 Reasons Why The Tooth Fairy Did Not Come Last Night
This is great! Love it!
Thank you!
🙂 I can’t decide which reason to pick as a favorite and have to choose all 10! I’d add that their network was down and they got the message too late!
Heheheh. Oh Fudge! Hilarious. ♥ I actually came to read your “nineteen” post…I think 🙂 Hugs, Katy!
Vidya Sury recently posted…Why I blog
The network is down – perfect for the smartphone generation! Thanks for the visit, Vidya.
Ahahaha awesome and hilarious post — found you via Traffic Jam weekend linky, congrats on the feature! If you felt like coming by and linking up at the Friday Frivolity party I host, I would love to have you join us!!
Thanks for the laugh!! 😀
So glad you came by to link up!! JUST as funny a post the second time!!
My tooth fairy once wrote me a tiny little note explaining why she had been late in coming. But I started writing back and my poor mother had to write tiny letters every time I lost a tooth as well as remember the money. Enjoyed your reasons. Very funny. #StayClassyMama
Oh your poor mother! I admit I’ve done that a bit with my 9yo writing to the fairies. It seemed like a good idea at the time…
Haha oh no! Great excuses though – especially if you had to come up with them on the spot#stayclassymama
Nice save. I especially like the messy room one. Classic case of misdirecting the blame/guilt! It’s not my fault the Tooth Fairy didn’t come, it’s YOURS!
Jenny @ Unremarkable Files recently posted…A Tooth Fairy Manifesto
I have had this same thing way too many of these to count!
I like the spreadsheet error one. Going to use that next time 🙂
#happynowlinkup
Jen recently posted…The Happy Now Blog Link- Up #85
Our tooth fairy is a complete flake. It’s not uncommon for her to take 2-3 nights to show up. I think that reason #3 may be why. Thanks so much for sharing at the #happynowlinkup!
Leslie recently posted…How to Make Custom Live Edge Wood Shelves