Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012

Tales of rookie elves and fairies

A few years ago, my children came to me with a list of complaints about our tooth fairy.

She sometimes missed our house completely. Other times she only left coins with a note that she was out of cash in her magic purse. Many mornings, Laurel and Trevor couldn’t find the money, but Daddy could always find the cash under the pillow.

I explained our tooth fairy’s inadequacies by telling them that I had received an apology email telling us that we had been assigned a “Tooth Fairy in Training,” and they seemed satisfied with the response.

A few days ago, the kids began complaining that it wasn’t fair we had both an “Elf on the Shelf” in training and a rookie tooth fairy.

Trevor reminded me that our elf didn’t show up until a week after Thanksgiving. Laurel said that sometimes our elf was in the same spot when she woke up, but moved during the day.

Both complained that our elf didn’t do anything fun like bake cookies, make big messes or redecorate the tree, like other people’s elves. And from reading endless Facebook updates about those other elves, I know that the kids are telling the truth.

I told the kids that I was positive our elf would get his act together soon. But it made me sad. Because I’m betting that by the time our elf finally gets his job down pat, my kids will no longer race through the house each morning in search of him.

Read Jennifer Gregory’s entire blog at TriangleMom2Mom.com/blogs/the_middle_years.