The Tooth Fairy

In the last week the Tooth Fairy has visited our house twice. Our son has lost his 5th and 6th teeth, both within a 3 day span. Both front, top teeth. They both had been loose for some time now, so it was definitely time for them to come out. He missed by days being able to sing the old song ‘All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth’.


He is not quite sure how the whole Tooth Fairy thing works, and has tried to explain it in a number of ways. The thing I have noticed is that they have such simple faith. Simple not in the believing anything they are told kind of way, but simple in the ‘this is how we have seen it work, so we believe that is what is really happening’ kind of way.

A few days ago when the first one came out, I helped him wrap the tooth in a Kleenex and carefully place it under his pillow. The Kleenex is to keep it safe and clean I explained, when it fact it really helps me find it in the dark under his pillow once he goes to sleep.

This particular night he got in to bed and about 10 minutes later he got up needing to go potty once more. While he was in the bathroom I made the switch of cash for tooth, hoping he would not check on the tooth when he returned to his bed. He didn’t, and went right to sleep.

The best part is always the next morning when, in wide-eyed wonder, he comes out so excitedly displaying the results of the magic of the Tooth Fairy’s visit.

Some would say we do a disservice to our kids by ‘tricking’ them in ways like this. I don’t think so. While I won’t say it is necessarily meritorious to do such things, I don’t think it is a negative thing. As I reflected on this experience, I began to ponder how God might view us. Does he see us as simple-faithed people who continue to believe Him because of how He has acted in the past? Or are we people who are easily ‘tricked’ by someone/something that is beyond our knowledge? I also pondered on how we as parents do many things for/to our kids that they simply don’t understand or see. In the same way, what things does God do to/for us that we simply don’t see or understand?