Parenting
All year long, my daughter had been buzzing with excitement. “Mom, am I going to lose a tooth soon?” she would ask as summer faded and the school year began.
Once she started kindergarten, stories about friends losing teeth filled our conversations. “Claire lost hers while munching on an apple during lunch!” she’d say, eyes wide. “Allison’s popped out right in the middle of reading time!” And then there was Georgia, who lost her first tooth while the girls were engrossed in an episode of Strawberry Shortcake. My little one developed a serious case of tooth fairy envy, dreaming of the magical fairy who delivered treasures for lost teeth—chocolate bunnies, silver coins, and even shiny tokens that looked like money but weren’t quite.
While I loved her enthusiasm, a wave of sadness washed over me every time I thought about that first tooth falling out. I could still remember the days when that tooth hadn’t even arrived. I could picture myself in the middle of the night, cradling my baby, applying an ice pack to her swollen gums as that first tiny tooth tried to break free. It had come just in time for cupcakes, two months before her first birthday. Now, as I thought of those very teeth falling out, I felt a pang of grief as pieces of her childhood began to slip away.
These milestones remind me just how fleeting childhood is. As she takes these small steps toward independence, I feel a sense of loss, especially as the mother of an only child. I don’t have another little one to relive these moments with. So, I keep my feelings tucked away, determined not to dampen my daughter’s excitement as she looks forward to growing up alongside her friends. As a parent, I want to shield her from the bittersweet realities of growing up. I remember my own first tooth loss and the emotional minefield of elementary school—girl cliques, friend disputes, and all the little heartaches that accompany growing up.
Like any child, my daughter is eager to climb the ladder of life. She can’t wait for sleepovers, camping trips, and riding her bike without training wheels. Each time a classmate experiences a milestone before her, I see her spirit deflate a little.
Finally, after a long wait, her moment arrived. Just last month, as the school year was winding down, she beamed at me, “Mom, my tooth is super loose!” I felt it sway back and forth like a rocking chair. Two weeks later, during a dental checkup, that tooth was hanging on by a thread.
“Dr. Sam, you promised I’d lose a tooth by six and a half!” my daughter reminded him excitedly.
“I better keep my word!” he chuckled, gently pulling on the tiny tooth with some dental floss. And just like that, it popped out.
“I lost my tooth!” she shouted in delight. We cheered for her big moment, and Dr. Sam gave her a little wooden box to carry her tooth home. I felt a wave of nostalgia as I saw that small baby tooth nestled inside.
That night, I took the tooth out, holding it closely. It felt like a piece of her history. I wondered if teeth were like fingerprints, each one uniquely hers. After a moment, I placed it back in the box and slipped a five-dollar bill under her pillow, thinking about how special this moment was.
The next morning, she burst into our room, waving the money excitedly. “Mom, Dad, the tooth fairy came! She gave me five dollars!”
While she was thrilled about the cash, her true joy came from finally being one of the crowd. She couldn’t wait to share her news at school. No longer the outsider, she was part of the club.
As she smiled, I noticed the gap left behind where her tooth once was. My heart ached again, bittersweet, as I realized that every milestone is a reminder of her growing independence. I took her hand as we walked to school. “Guess what, Allison? I lost a tooth!” my daughter yelled from the sidewalk. Her friend turned, high-fived her, and then I got in on the action, giving her a high-five too.
This article was originally published on July 18, 2015.
In summary, losing a first tooth is a rite of passage filled with excitement and a tinge of nostalgia for parents. As children grow and experience these milestones, it reminds us of how quickly childhood passes us by, leaving behind bittersweet memories.