I sent my son to bed with tape on his mouth.

[bestmommyeber]

 My son, Dominic, is four years old. He loves to make up jokes, tell incredible stories, and ask questions all day long. He never shuts up. Not that this is a bad quality; Being a SAHM, I usually find it amusing. Today was different, though. Today my son asked a question, and the only answer to the problem was to tape his mouth shut and send him to bed.

 At some point this evening, Dominic saw a cartoon featuring the Tooth Fairy. We discussed the famous pixie over dinner in length. Despite my most creative attempts, I could not convince my son that loosing his teeth was inevitable. And after our dinner discussion, he was still quite upset, and the questions continued right up until bedtime.

I showed him pictures of myself as a child, missing my front teeth.

"So you had to get fake teeth like Grandma?"

No, son. I got my big girl teeth shortly after this picture was taken.

"Did it hurt when the dentist put the new ones in?"

No, son. The dentist didn't put them in, they grew in, and it didn't even hurt!

"The dentist hurt my teeth when I had my cab-uh-dee"

That was different-you had a cavity because -but this isn't -the dentist doesn't- i mean-(stammering)

 Even when I explained the cash value of loosing a tooth, he refused to believe that the Tooth Fairy, and the entire twisted process of loosing teeth, was acceptable. He was determined to do everything in his power to avoid the thief in the night, coming to rip his teeth out of his gums. After a short battle over the option of sleeping in my bed, and judging his teddy bear an unfit watchman, Dominic declared his mouth would be taped shut for the duration of the night. Turns out that this idea also came from a cartoon. Dora the Explorer will be credited for convincing children that simple scotch tape can hold anything. Funny, I can't even convince them that loosing teeth is a natural part of growing up!

 So when he backed his argument with a reference as reliable as Dora, I could no longer compete. I tucked each of my three children into bed, said prayers, and gave a kiss good night. Dominic got a kiss on the forehead. He requested this using crude sign language after moving his lips loosened the tape. Now, reflecting on my day, I wonder what CPS would make of all this. I wanted to post this to tell my side of the story first. Dominic will most likely share his version with his father first thing in the morning. I can hear it now. "Guess what dad!  Mommy said I was going to loose my teeth, so I had to sleep with tape on my mouth."

[forRobyn]

Dec. 16, 2008 at 9:16 PM

I think you did just the right thing!!  Your son will get a good night's sleep and tomorrow you have a whole day to convince him that loosing teeth is a good thing!

[Mackenzie40]

Dec. 16, 2008 at 11:37 PM

Way to funny ! So cute..and your right how could you argue with Dora..I mean really She knows stuff..=)

[YB5505]

Dec. 17, 2008 at 11:56 AM

LOL

I swear fuckin' crack me up!

[MyBelovedOnes]

Dec. 18, 2008 at 9:03 AM

That is funny.  At first I was thinking surly not, but seeing how the taped mouth came to be....sure.

[Sylbroyles]

Jan. 18, 2009 at 10:30 AM

My son had his 2 top front teeth and bottom teeth pulled by the dentist.  the bottom 2 were already coming in behind the old ones.  I was leary of the dentist pulling the top 2 but the said the tissue was soft and he would be getting new ones soon and he did. 

He thinks his teeth FELL OUT.  He does not think the dentist pulled them.  This was last May.

Then he got another tooth in, pushing the old one against the new ones, so I made an appt for FEB. But before we could get to the appt, it FELL OUT at Costco.  He was upset at first and Daddy told him about the tooth fairy and planted a $1 under his pillow.  Well, a dollar buys candy from the vending machine.  Skittles. 

Now the kid wants more money! LOL