A Tooth Fairy Mystery

We have a tooth-fairy mystery at our house.

My son David recently lost a tooth for the first time, and in David's universe that's a big deal.

He wiggled it free just as he was going to bed, and he ran out of his bedroom proclaiming the news to everyone. He put the tiny tooth in a plastic zip-lock bag and told me he wanted to bring it to school so his kindergarten teacher, Miss Senger, could see it. (Sorry, Miss Senger.) I hugged David and congratulated him . . . and went to sleep completely forgetting about the tooth.

The next day, David told me that he didn't get any money under his pillow. I told him that's because his tooth fell out so late that the tooth fairy didn't get a chance to stop by. (Sadly, I have forgotten about teeth falling out many times, and I have ready excuses.) I was determined to remember the next night, but again I forgot, thinking about the tooth only as I was waking David up. When he sleepily went into in the bathroom, I quickly grabbed a handful of change, put the coins in another zip-lock bag and discreetly tucked it under his pillow.

I wanted him to check his pillow, so I asked: "Did you get anything from the tooth fairy?"

"Yes," he said. "I got a dollar, but I think it was really Paul."

Apparently a 10-year-old beat me to the pillow. David walked away still believing in the tooth fairy but a little skeptical. Meanwhile, I was proud of Paul, being so considerate of his brother. Later I asked Paul about the tooth-fairy incident, but he said he didn’t do it.

"I think it was Diggy," Paul said. "I think she's done it for me before." (Diggy is our 21-year-old, known also as Mary. And yes, I’ll admit it again, I'm a terrible mother who has forgotten about the tooth fairy way too many times.)

I haven't had the chance to ask Diggy about the rumor, but I'll get to the bottom of the tooth-fairy mystery. Besides underscoring my failures as a mother, the tooth-fairy incident has revealed something else to me.

I sometimes think about my children in terms of what they don't do and what they are not (dependable dishwashers, house cleaners extraordinaire, etc.). But I should give them more credit for who they are and what they do right: loving brothers and sisters who take care of each other every day. When I'm not around, they provide meals, transportation, homework help and companionship for each other.

My kids might have a faltering faith in the tooth fairy, but I'm OK with that. They're learning to believe in each other, that they truly are their brother's keepers.

Inspired by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.