Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a poor farmer named Jack. Jack was struggling to make ends meet and provide for his family. Every day, he would work tirelessly in his fields, but his crops would fail and the yield would be minimal. One day, Jack came across a strange-looking cow in the marketplace. The cow had a shimmering, golden coat and looked as if it was from another world. Intrigued, Jack approached the cow's owner and inquired about it.
He wasn’t really having any of it at the moment. I knew that I just needed to love him up and hold the space for him and his emotions. And that I also needed to figure out how to not ruin every other bit of magic still left. Not yet. “Too soon!”
Or will they just open a concession kiosk inside FedEx Field, slap a sparkling Magic Johnson sign over it and highlight that as his influence in the community. And, you have to admit it s kind of magical that you go to bed with a tooth under your pillow and when you wake up it s gone and there s a dollar bill in it s place.
Intrigued, Jack approached the cow's owner and inquired about it. The owner informed him that the cow possessed magical powers and could produce milk that had the ability to grant any wish. Seeing a glimmer of hope, Jack decided to purchase the magical cow with the little money he had left.
The Tooth Fairy
Thing Four said this to me yesterday afternoon while standing in our kitchen, home early from school with his first-of-the-season cold. I tried to distract him by offering him a snack. But, he would not be deterred.
“I’m not hungry! I need you to answer this question, because I know you won’t lie to me.”
I knew what was coming… How? He’s my fourth kid, he lost his tooth in the middle of math class yesterday, and he was jumping up and down about the dollar that he found under his pillow before he headed off to school in the morning. I got myself ready.
“Okay. What’s your question?”
“Are you the Tooth Fairy?”
I tried to stall. “Why are you asking me that?
“Because a big kid at school today said that there’s no such thing as a Tooth Fairy and that it’s just the parents. I want to know if he’s right or not.”
The moment of truth. Ugh. I’ve walked down this path before, three times already. But with Things One, Two & Three they hadn’t posed the “Is (fill in the blank) real? Or is it just you and Daddy?” question until they were ten years old. Ten! In this day and age, I think ten might be pushing it when it comes to still believing in the magic of childhood and I was so happy that they did! Because, honestly, I still want to believe. But when I answered their questions, it was only to confirm what they already knew. Each of them expressed sadness – they were hoping against hope that magic was still real – but none of them were at all surprised.
As my tender-hearted, sweet and sensitive seven-year old boy stood before me with complete trust that I was going to confirm what he knew without question – that the Tooth Fairy was in fact very real – my heart was aching for him. The words, “Too soon! Too soon!” kept echoing in my head. He noticed my pause and asked again, “Are you the Tooth Fairy?”
“Are you really wanting the answer to that question right now?” This has been my go-to response for the older three on so many different topics over the years. I feel like it gives my kids an out if they aren’t really ready to hear the answer. And sometimes, my question stops them from going any further. My little guy’s smile started to falter and his bottom lip quivered a bit, but he still said, “Yes.”
When I told him that it was his Daddy who did the work of the Tooth Fairy his face crumpled and he started to cry. In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to find the older kid who’d given him a hard time at school earlier in the day, teasing him about still believing in the Tooth Fairy – and wring his little neck.
Instantly, I was transported back to the day I was five years old – FIVE! – and my older brothers, ages eleven and thirteen at the time sat me down and told me that none of it was real. They laid it all out – and I bawled my eyes out.
I decided to do my best to soften this moment for my little guy and asked if I could hold him in my lap and try to explain.
“I don’t ever want you to feel foolish or that you’ve been tricked. I don’t want you to think that we’ve lied to you.”
“But you DID lie to me! When I asked you in the past if if the Tooth Fairy was real, you always said yes!”
“Ah, but the Tooth Fairy IS real – your Daddy’s real, isn’t he?” (A loophole, I know – but I was needing to think fast…) “You could think of him as being the hands and feet of the Tooth Fairy. And the story of the Tooth Fairy has been told forever! Longer than even when I was a little kid!” (That always makes them understand the passage of time. My kids think I’m ancient!) “I’d like to think that maybe the story started because somebody’s kid lost their tooth, it freaked them out, and the parents told them about the Tooth Fairy coming to take the tooth and leaving them a gift in exchange to make it all less scary. To make it more exciting and magical! It was never done to be mean-spirited or hurtful. Are you angry with me?”
“I’m angry that I ever believed in the first place,” he mumbled in between sobs.
“But didn’t believing in the magic of the Tooth Fairy make it special for you?”
“Yeah – but it wasn’t real.”
“But the real magic is that your Daddy and me and all of your siblings -” I began, but he cut me off.
“Wait! Elisa, Ale and Lulu know there isn’t a Tooth Fairy?” a new round of tears coming down his sweet, little cheeks. “I’m the only one in this family who didn’t know?!”
And I was again transported back in time to what I remember feeling when I found out: a weird mix of wanting to fiercely believe that magic was absolutely real, wanting to remain young and innocent – and being utterly despondent that I wasn’t as grown-up and mature as my older siblings, feeling foolish for not realizing that it was all pretend.
“You know, each one of your siblings asked me the same question you just did, only they didn’t ask until they were about ten years old. Asking now, when you’re only seven makes it a lot harder on you. But you asked me to tell you the truth. So, I did. I’m so sorry you’re sad. But the magic of all of us wanting to create special excitement for you as you’re growing up, the fact that we all wanted to keep this alive for you is still very, very real. And, you have to admit – it’s kind of magical that you go to bed with a tooth under your pillow and when you wake up – it’s gone and there’s a dollar bill in it’s place!”
He wasn’t really having any of it at the moment. I knew that I just needed to love him up and hold the space for him and his emotions. And that I also needed to figure out how to not ruin every other bit of magic still left. Not yet. “Too soon!”
“Well, what about…” he trailed off.
I responded quickly, “Listen, magic is real as long as you want to continue to believe in it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, your fourteen year old brother just lost a tooth last year, right?”
“Well, he put his tooth under his pillow and the next morning what did he find?”
“See? The magic still works as long as you believe in it. But if you’re ready to stop believing in the Tooth Fairy – the magic stops.”
Did I mention my kid is smart? He got it immediately and answered, “Well, I still believe in the magic – ALL of it.”
“Then it will still happen! Your Daddy will continue to be the hands and feet of the Tooth Fairy and when you lose a tooth and put it under your pillow, magically, a dollar will be there when you wake up.”
This was not the end of the conversation, of course. We hashed this out for at least another 30 minutes. He had loads of questions, but was quick to only ask those he felt ready to hear answers to. He needed to ask his Dad what he did with all those teeth over the years. He wanted to be the one to let his older siblings know that he knew. He had to figure out why some older kids kept the magic alive, and others felt the need to crush it.
He woke up this morning and climbed into bed between us and announced. “I’m still sad about all of this, you know.” I know, me too buddy, me too. But I still choose to believe. I choose to believe that the magic is not that a little fairy, (or in Puerto Rican tradition, a little mouse) picks up your lost tooth and leaves a gift in exchange. I choose to believe that the real magic lies in the desire to make this world with all of it’s harsh realities a little softer around the edges – to sustain just a bit of wonder in our minds and hearts for as long as possible.
I don’t know if you tell your kids that the Tooth Fairy is real or not. This isn’t supposed to be a “how-to” or “I do it like this” kind of post. Just one Momma’s way of finding her way with her littles about the big and not so big stuff of everyday living. And hoping that the decisions I’ve made in how I choose to speak to my children about magic and wonder keep these things alive in their minds and hearts for as long as they choose to believe.
Our world needs a little magic and wonder. Maybe now more than ever before.
“Are you really wanting the answer to that question right now?” This has been my go-to response for the older three on so many different topics over the years. I feel like it gives my kids an out if they aren’t really ready to hear the answer. And sometimes, my question stops them from going any further. My little guy’s smile started to falter and his bottom lip quivered a bit, but he still said, “Yes.”
He took the cow back to his humble farmhouse and anxiously awaited the next morning, eager to witness the cow's remarkable abilities. As the sun rose, Jack quickly went to milk the cow and to his amazement, the milk that flowed out was pure and radiant, shimmering with an otherworldly glow. Jack couldn't believe his eyes and decided to test its magical properties. He made a wish for a grand feast to feast upon with his family, and instantly, a bountiful table filled with delicious food appeared before them. From that day on, Jack's life changed drastically. He no longer had to worry about his family's financial struggles, as the magical milk provided everything they needed. Jack wished for a bigger farmhouse, new farm equipment, and even prosperity for the entire village. The magical milk granted all his wishes, and the village flourished with newfound wealth and happiness. However, with time, Jack's greed began to grow. He started making extravagant wishes, indulging in materialistic desires. He wished for endless riches, beautiful clothes, and rare treasures. His family started to distance themselves from him, as they saw him become consumed by his own greed. One day, Jack went to milk the magical cow and discovered that the milk had stopped flowing. Panic surged through him, realizing that he had used up all the magic in the cow's milk through his selfish wishes. Desperately, he pleaded with the cow to produce more, but it remained silent. Regret filled Jack's heart as he realized the consequences of his greed. He had taken the magical milk for granted and had forgotten the true value of gratitude and contentment. Jack apologized to the cow and vowed to change his ways, promising to honor the gift he had been given. In that moment, something miraculous happened. The cow, sensing Jack's change of heart, produced one last drop of magical milk. It was a reminder for Jack to appreciate the simple joys in life. From then on, Jack lived a humble life, grateful for the lessons learned and the magic that had once transformed his existence. The story of Jack and his magical milk teaches us the importance of gratitude, humility, and not letting greed consume our hearts. It reminds us to cherish the simple blessings in life and to use them wisely. The true magic lies not in what we possess, but in how we appreciate and share the gifts we are given..
Reviews for "Unraveling the Magical Milk Mystery"
- Sara - 2 stars - I found "Magical Milk Story" to be quite boring and unoriginal. The plot was predictable and lacked any real excitement or depth. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked development, making it difficult to connect with them. Additionally, the writing style was simplistic and lacked nuance. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to others looking for a captivating read.
- Mike - 1 star - "Magical Milk Story" was a complete waste of time for me. The concept seemed intriguing, but it fell flat on execution. The story was slow-paced and repetitive, making it difficult to stay engaged. Moreover, the dialogue felt forced and unnatural, which made it hard to connect with the characters. The ending was also unsatisfying and left many loose ends. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for an enjoyable read.
- Emily - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Magical Milk Story," but unfortunately, it did not meet my expectations. The plot felt disjointed and confusing, as if the author couldn't decide on a central theme. The pacing was uneven, with some parts dragging on for too long while others were rushed. The characters were also forgettable and lacked depth, making it difficult to invest in their stories. Overall, I found this book to be underwhelming and would not recommend it.
- John - 1 star - "Magical Milk Story" was a major letdown. The story lacked originality and felt like a rehash of countless other fantasy novels. The world-building was shallow, and the magical elements felt forced and poorly explained. The writing style was also dull and uninspiring, lacking any flair or creativity. I was bored throughout the entire book and had to force myself to finish it. I would not recommend "Magical Milk Story" to anyone looking for a captivating fantasy read.