Dan had to wear pretty thick glasses at a young age. Knowing that my son could inherit this bad eyesight, I still named him Fred. Then I go and knock his teeth out. Does anyone have any tips on how to raise a confident child?
That is my attempt at making light of the situation. When I was at the dentist office I was in one of those moods where you might break into tears if someone asks about your feelings. I was strong though. When the dentist asked, “And how is mom?” I was able to get out, “Not good.” without breaking down. The nurse could tell I was feeling pretty down and offered up the ol’ “look back and laugh about it” comment. I appreciated her efforts but thought it was the dumbest thing I had ever heard. “Remember the time Fred crushed his mouth on the wooden stairs? FUH-NNY! And how he was gushing blood and his little teeth were in a puddle on the floor? Oh, I can’t stop laughing! “ I’m pretty sure there will be lots of laughing at but not laughing about. The more I think about the toothless years ahead the more I think I’ll want to put some fake ones in as soon as we can. The dentist said around age three. That is Stella’s age. Three years seems like forever. Eight years is nearly unfathomable.
That is my attempt at making light of the situation. When I was at the dentist office I was in one of those moods where you might break into tears if someone asks about your feelings. I was strong though. When the dentist asked, “And how is mom?” I was able to get out, “Not good.” without breaking down. The nurse could tell I was feeling pretty down and offered up the ol’ “look back and laugh about it” comment. I appreciated her efforts but thought it was the dumbest thing I had ever heard. “Remember the time Fred crushed his mouth on the wooden stairs? FUH-NNY! And how he was gushing blood and his little teeth were in a puddle on the floor? Oh, I can’t stop laughing! “ I’m pretty sure there will be lots of laughing at but not laughing about. The more I think about the toothless years ahead the more I think I’ll want to put some fake ones in as soon as we can. The dentist said around age three. That is Stella’s age. Three years seems like forever. Eight years is nearly unfathomable.
CUTE:
GOOFY:
These are the only pictures I have of Fred's teeth. I'm puting them here for quick reference when I'm longing for happier times:
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Maybe if, when he's old enough to want $ from the tooth fairy, we give him the added interest from all the years he went without teeth he'll forgive us. (Does that sentence make sense? I can't think with Stella crying and yelling, "I want ice cream!" over and over. But she's not going to get any because she didn't eat her dinner and she bit Chloe.)
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I've thought about this a lot. Most kids start loosing teeth around age five or six. Fred will look like all the rest of the kids once he starts kindergarten. Up until then he probably won't care. Asa thinks his vampire teeth are the coolest. They don't affect his speech, eating, confidence at all. One of the saddest moments of my life was when the doctor brought Asa out of surgery knowing that he couldn't "fix" his broken teeth and seeing my baby all bloody and in so much pain. I won't ever look back on that situation and think it was funny. Kids are so resilient. I'm sure Fred will be the same way.
Oh Katie dear! You are such a funny writer. Your first post about Fred...like I told you...I was close to tears. This post, however still sad, was damn funny. Stella and the missing teeth. Actually, she looks like any other child (a couple years older) who is starting to lose teeth. Fred is so adorable that it makes up for missing teefies.
No, no laughing about it. He's still the cutest darn Fred I've ever seen.
I think Heather is totally 100% right. You will care way more than he or anyone else does and by the time he might care all the kids will be losing teeth. I never even noticed Asa's "vampire teeth" until Heather mentioned it in her comment above.
At least he won't be deprived of ice cream for biting his sisters...
too soon?
I was going to ask about the tooth fairy thing earlier, but didn't want to seem insensitive (like the dentist girl). The interest thing works out pretty good in his favor. I think kids like being different in elementary school. He'll be proud of his battle story with the stairs and can tell it if he forgets to bring something for show & tell.
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