A Parent's Guide to the Tooth Fairy: Why Kids Need to Believe in Magic

[@nancywhite1439]

As a Waldorf nana to my 2 granddaughters, I worked with the one who is six to choose fabric she liked in order to prepare for her first visit from the tooth fairy. I folded & sewed the fabric into a small pouch with a drawstring of embroidery thread finger knitted for closure so it would be soft under the pillow. Thank you for the de-emphasis on the monetary system as the ‘reward’ as nature’s ‘treasures’ are real and true to every human. There is an amazing connection established from these earth elements which are long lasting throughout our lives even into adulthood as we discover more and more the true healing nature of these bits of substances whether in essential oils, herbal teas, ingredients for healing salves, or helpful spices for our nourishing foods. It all builds a strong bond for the child to know that nature is and will always be there for them.

[@SundaywithSarah]

That's beautiful, Nancy! I couldn't agree with you more. Thank you for watching and for sharing your own thoughtful ideas!

[@OceanSwimmer]

Thank you, Sarah. I agree that the magic of childhood is healthy and grounded in the roots of emotional and spiritual development. Unconditional Love is a means to connect with God or Higher Power. Through the ages the question of Divine purpose for each life is a message of Hope and Courage. Humans aren't perfect, but learning to respond to each other with goodwill and kindness is a lifelong vocation. Through it we learn to recognize the goodness within ourselves ---- and each other.

[@georginakaye1021]

Thank you so much for this video. I'm committed to weaving as much magic in my daughter's childhood as I can! Nature and magic go hand-in-hand. I remember being so shocked when my friend told me she wouldn't "lie" to her daughter, so she didn't believe in Santa Claus... I found it such a loss to her childhood.

[@IonIsFalling7217]

It was the only good part of Christmas. As an adult it’s just a stressful capitalist obligation.

[@SundaywithSarah]

I agree with you, Georgina, even though I know there are others who will not agree. I believe that discouraging a young child from believing in magic is a loss and deprives a person from learning to see all the magic of life and nature.

[@svetlanasovushka2075]

Dear Sarah, thank you for your fascinating video. I have been watching your utube channel for more than ten years. It is really dear to me to know all these warm things in English. I am in a hurry to tell you that here in Russia we have the same thoughts. I was brought by my parents and they tried to bring some magic things that our kids really need to have in their life. So as I am a child of seventies I remember our great literature masterpieces. I really don't know weather they are known in your country, but they are wonderful treasures. Maybe if I have time I try to find out about it and do it myself for popularity of our writers. We have Daddy the Frost and many kids believe in his presence. As for me I did it till I reached 13 years old!!! As for tooth tradition, I remember I gave it to a little mouse one day))) but I don't know why))) I find your channel so lovely, as I can feel and practice real alive language but not only exercises and rules. I use a lot during my lessons a kids adore it. So I express my gratitude and warm feelings and love and peace and worry as we teachers are not still splited out. Blessing on your life health and peace. With great love Svetlana 💖

[@SundaywithSarah]

Aww, thank you so much for your kind comments, Sventlana. It is interesting to note that cultures from around the world and for many centuries have traditions of magical figures and bringers of gifts. I believe it speaks to the universal need of children to believe in magic. Sending warmth and many blessings to you and the people of Russia.

[@knightsintodreams]

I love your channel. My daughter is only six months old but I’m eager to incorporate thoughtfulness and love into her childhood. I was introduced to Waldorf concepts through Bella Luna, and I found this channel. Thank you for your songs, art, and insight that you’re putting into the world 🙏🏻

[@mountainfolkfiberarts]

This is so sweet and just in time for my oldest son to start losing his teeth, thank you for sharing!

[@SundaywithSarah]

Glad you thought so. Thanks for watching and for taking time to comment!

[@Ashley.Heather]

We literally just had a talk about this today! So happy you’re covering this, thank you!!!

[@SundaywithSarah]

So happy to hear that the timing of this video was just right for you! That makes me happy.

[@latinlover929]

I was raised in a traditional american public school. I was incredibly imaginative and only ever wanted to engage in imaginative play. I believed in magic with my entire heart and soul until I was around 10 or 11. The day i found out magic wasnt real, i was destroyed. I really dont think i was ever the same again. I dont have kids, but want them someday. I think a lot about how i want to raise them. I want so badly to share in these wonderful traditions and let magic make them feel as amazing as it did for me, but i am worried it will turn them into pessimistic adults who were let down by the world. Im worried they will struggle seeing the beauty and magic of the natural world, or not think it comparable to the magic of their childhood, like me. Ive considered the montessori approach and waiting until they are past early childhood to introduce imaginative play, but by then im worried they wont see the point and miss out entirely, plus those early childhood years are when traditions like santa and the tooth fairy are the easiest to do because other kids arent likely to spoil the fun. Im really conflicted on this issue and wonder if anyone else feels a detriment to their lives from the loss of magic, and how they would approach it with their own children.

[@Nicereview763]

These are lovely ideas. Growing up my parents had a little tooth fairy pillow that we put the tooth inside. I like the idea of the crystals, it has a similarity to pearly teeth! I agree about these magical people like Father Christmas not really being a big lie. I have heard people say that they won't do it as they are lying and it could reduce a child's trust in their parents. Personally I think they are over thinking it and I doubt many children have lost all faith in their parents because they told them about the tooth fairy! I go along with whatever my children think, my eldest is 5 and has a very vivid imagination. If she asks if mermaids are real for example, I ask what she thinks. She says they were real a long time ago but don't exist any more, I said I thought she was probably right!

[@SundaywithSarah]

Thanks for your comment, Eleanor. I think it would be an interesting experiment to poll grown children to ask whether they felt betrayed by their parents if they believed in the tooth fairy (and other bringers of gifts), and if they would have preferred to have been told these magical figures were not real.

[@kacyanderson7402]

Thank you for coming back and doing videos for us!

[@AP-pb7br]

I love this video and I have noted everything. My daughter has just cut her first ever tooth and I might start practicing now with my rhymes and drawings. Thank you Sarah.

[@SundaywithSarah]

Aww, so happy to hear it! If even one person who saw this video decides to create a tooth fairy book for their child, that will make the effort of producing this video seem so worthwhile. Luckily, you've got lots of time to practice. Enjoy!

[@AP-pb7br]

@@SundaywithSarah Then you should know that I already have a big book of childhood notes, in which I collect all sorts of inspiration to help me make my baby's childhood as magical as possible. You're obviously a big contributor. Thank you again for everything ❤️

[@dinarobbins4799]

Thank you Sarah! I have been looking for just this information for a few months.

[@SundaywithSarah]

Glad it was helpful!

[@DisasterCupcake]

While aesthetically pleasing to some, the idea that ALL children receive the idea of magic in a beneficial way simply is not true. Perhaps, in a home of warmth, comfort and met needs, almost any child would be receptive. But these ideals are far from reality, and children do need to trust that their caretakers aren't lying to them if they have any doubts about the goodness of the world they find themselves in.

[@SundaywithSarah]

Thanks for taking the time to watch and for your comments. I think that if a parent or caretaker has doubts about the inherent goodness of the world, and if the magic of a generous spirit does not ring true for you, then establishing such traditions might feel like a lie and I would not recommend introducing them. I believe that parents and caretakers should always follow their own intuition.

[@nparksntx]

Unfortunately you can’t redefine what a lie is which is an intentionally known false statement. When a child asks, is the tooth fairy real and you say of course you’re lying. Just because something leaves us feeling good doesn’t mean it’s objective truthful. Truth can’t be subjective. Where does this universal truth come from? If telling my children the tooth fairy is real doesn’t make me feel good, would it then be a lie? How can something be both a lie and a truth?

[@SundaywithSarah]

Thanks for your comment, Nicole. If telling a child the tooth fairy isn't real doesn't make you feel good, then you should not introduce the tooth fairy as a tradition in your family. I did not recommend telling a child "of course" if they question the existence of the truth fairy. As I said in the video, my response would be that the tooth fairy is "truer than true," which I personally do not believe is a lie. To me the truth is love and the desire to give and to make a child happy that the tooth fairy represents symbolically. My purpose in sharing this video was to reassure parents who do allow their children to believe in the tooth fairy (or Santa, the Easter Bunny, etc.) that they are not harming their children by doing so. My intention was certainly not to suggest that parents who choose not practice such traditions are harming their children. Parents and caregivers must always follow their own intuition.

[@nparksntx]

@@SundaywithSarah thank you for taking the time to reply that is very kind of you. I’m not sure what truer than true means because fairy tales aren’t true, but are great stories for sparking the imagination imagination. Letting our feelings define truth I fear is a slippery slope and ceases to be truth.

[@VeridianSnow]

@@nparksntx I think you missed the whole point of the video. She defines truer than true in the video as Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy etc. are representations of the spirit of generosity, love, kindness, joy... I am sorry it seems to be that you feel that little children need to be caught up in the "subjective" nature of truth, instead of being allowed to be children. My parents let me believe in the tooth fairy, it brought me joy, and when I questioned them when I was older (8 or 9) about the realness of it all my mother gave an explanation close to Sarah's...the spirit of the celebration is what matters, what they represent is the truth. I never felt I was lied to. In fact, I've never met a grown adult who felt that their parents lied to them about such things or felt they suffered any long term psychological damage from such things. I have however met adults who felt scarred that their parents made them grow up too quickly, expected them to act or think like adults when they were children, and did not allow them to just be a child.

[@nparksntx]

@@VeridianSnow Just because you don't feel lied to doesn't make something not a lie. In theory my husband could be cheating on me and if I say I don't feel like I'm being cheated on does that mean I'm not being cheated on? I'm not mad that my mom lied to me about Santa, that lasted maybe a day when I was 9 years old. Maybe adults say things that is a bit illogical like "truer that true" in order to justify that they are literally lying to their kid.

[@nparksntx]

@@VeridianSnow When kids ask if a certain person is real they aren't asking a metaphorical type question they are asking if their is literally a fairy flying into their room taking a tooth and putting leaving a treasure behind. You can give them a philosophical response which i think is dodging the question or be straight forward and answer what they are actually asking.

[@paulinaisaia3448]

Thank you Sarah!

[@SundaywithSarah]

You are so welcome, Paulina!

[@tiffanynichol7765]

"need" is a strong word. All children NEED is Jesus. If anything, the tooth fairy and Santa are getting in the way of that.

[@Courtz843]

Hi Sarah, there are no waldorf schools in Charleston, SC that go past 3rd grade. Are there any organizations that will help establish a k-8th in my community?

[@SundaywithSarah]

If there are no Waldorf schools near you, what I recommend is trying to connect with like-minded families interested in Waldorf education. Many schools have started out as study groups in the beginning stages of development. A group of parents (and perhaps teachers from your local school) could meet regularly for book study and to celebrate festivals together. With like-minded families, you can create a village and support one another through the parenting years. In addition, you could reach out to the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA) for guidance in helping to establish a new school initiative. www.waldorfeducation.org Hope this helps!

[@mariannaarie]

Did Bella Luna Toys stop selling the tooth fairy box? 😢 We have the pink one, unfortunately in our recent move it fell and broke and 3 pieces are missing.

[@ape475]

Hi Sarah, this video couldn't have come at a better time! I was looking today videos for inspirations and ideas on what to do with my kids. But I couldn't find any one Waldorf oriented. Thanks so much for the ideas. However I have a question, what do you do with the tooth? Do you save them in a different box as a keepsake? Thanks in advance. 🙏

[@SundaywithSarah]

Glad it was helpful for you! That's a great question about what to do with the tooth. I kept my children's baby teeth tucked away in a little pouch that is still in my dresser drawer! One mistake I made was to mix up the teeth of both my children and now I don't know whose were whose. I love pulling them out occasionally and looking at those tiny little teeth. If others have creative ideas on what to do with a child's baby teeth, I hope they will leave them as a comment here!

[@ape475]

@@SundaywithSarah Thank you so much. I would definitely take that advice. I can imagine how sweet and especial must be to be able to do that. ❤️❤️☺️

[@michalgilmore2024]

It was all very well until my daughter one day realized that I was the tooth fairy... she was upset that I lied to her. Just because you play with words doesn't change what is the truth and what is not. Santa is not real but still fun. My kids know from very early the origins of Santa and that it is not real... they figured that one on their own ... easy. still they enjoy the concept.

[@SundaywithSarah]

Thanks for watching and for your comment, Michal. Yes, it can be tricky when a child discovers that a parent is the "helper" of the tooth fairy or Santa. (And that's how I like to think of it--parents as helpers.) It is when a child starts to question that I recommend speaking to the truth of the spirt of love and giving. As you say, children "enjoy the concept." They they do, universally, in many cultures around the world, and have for many centuries. So I think it's important to think about, and better understand why children have always had a deep need to believe in magic.

[@tarahpi7821]

@@SundaywithSarah children definitely enjoy imaginative play, often times based in reality (ie creating a “small world” with blocks, playing school, tea parties, etc). But perhaps the perceived need for a child to believe in magic is really them enjoying that something so magical could possibly exist in their reality and they believe it because the parents whom they trust to tell them what’s real and what isn’t, have told them that these things are in fact real. once they find out it’s not they have to face disappointed or possibly feelings of betrayal to find that it was all something their parents just “made up.” Maybe everything the parent says CANT be trusted. What when the child reaches this point

[@MysticalMusicandArt]

divine timing :)

[@SundaywithSarah]

So happy to hear it! 🙏