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Sunday, January 6, 2013

The now infamous Tooth Fairy letter.

Holy crap.

That's about all I can say right now. Had I known what would happen when I posted a picture of a letter that the Tooth Fairy wrote to Emily at about 1:00 this morning, I might have thought twice. Or not.

The letter.
I thought that a few people would get a chuckle out of it, and that would be it. Now, here I sit less than 24 hours later....and there are almost 1900 likes on it on facebook and it has been shared almost the same number of times. More than 300 new people have come to my facebook page and have 'liked' that as well.

Really? It was just a silly letter to try to get my kid to clean her room.

I would say that well over 99% of the comments that I received and/or saw on other pages were positive - something that shocks me. It seems like even the most innocent share can trigger the haters and trolls to come out of the woodwork - so I got really nervous when I saw the numbers exploding after I posted it.

There were a few questions raised, and rather than attempt to answer them through comments on facebook, I figured I'd just address them all here. It's easy. And I might have a lazy streak in me at times.

The most common question related to the "bodies" in the bed. Yes, Emily is 11 years old, so no, there are no boys in her bed (unless one of her brothers sneaks in there during the night). The only other live body was that of her 13 year old sister, who insists on sleeping in the bottom bunk with Emily more often than not. And it irritates me to no end - whenever they sleep in the same bed, they end up fighting over the covers or who kicked who in the face or whose breath stinks the worst or whatever. So I hate when they sleep in the same bed. Plus, there were several inanimate bodies in the bed as well as a bunch of extra pillows and covers and all sorts of crap that made it next to impossible to find the tooth pillow under her pillow.

Tooth pillow. What's a tooth pillow? I saw that comment somewhere. If you look at this post you can see a picture of the tooth pillow. I got it when I was little, and the kids have all used it. It makes it much easier for the Tooth Fairy to find the tooth under the pillow in the bed if it's in this, and then the money gets stuck in the pocket so that it doesn't get lost either.

One comment that really kind of ticked me off annoyed me caught my eye was on one of the shares, where someone said something to the effect of me being a horrible mother, and my kid was going to be scarred for life. Uh huh. Whatever. I'm pretty sure that not getting her buck for her tooth until her room is clean is going to put her in therapy. Get over it.

There was another that wanted to know why she had to ask THE MOTHER and not THE FATHER. Too bad that was on a share too, so I couldn't comment and tell that person that there is no father in this house. I'm a single mom. I have The Dude, but he doesn't live here, and he's not their father. That one kind of bugged me too, but I just chalked it up to someone not being familiar with the story.

Probably the most common question was "did it work?"

Before
The answer to that is yes. And no.

Let me start off by saying that I do take responsibility for some of the mess in this room. We rearranged a month or two ago, and I had to take some of their shelves off of the wall in order to do it, and things kept distracting me and I didn't get the shelves put back up. And well, it's hard to put things away when the shelves aren't there. However, that has nothing to do with the dirty laundry all over the floor, or the garbage in general that was spread out all over the place.

They definitely started out strong. They got in there and they really started working. I got the shelves put back up (busted out some power tools to do it too...hehehe) and got some other shelves anchored to the wall and they got a lot of stuff put away. We had to stop to take Sarah to the school for open gym, and then we came back and worked some more, and then we had to stop again to take Emily to the school for basketball practice, so we kept getting distracted.

During
I thought that things were going really well in there, and it was starting to look really good, but then they dug into a huge tub (the green one in the 'before' picture) that was full of old artwork. It had been stored in cardboard boxes before, but the boxes got broken down over time and so we tossed everything into this tub. And they dug it all out and started going through it, so more of a mess was created. But, we got rid of a bunch of it, so that will help in the long run.

So yes, it worked to a point. The room is not clean by any stretch of the imagination, but they put in a good effort. So I may go ahead and allow the Tooth Fairy to come back tonight - especially since they'll be at their father's house for the next couple of nights. However, considering that it's after 11:00 and I can still hear them, I may cancel it again tonight.


Now....for something really funny. While Sarah was at open gym, I took the other 4 kids to the convenience store to get drinks. I left Emily and the boys in the van and went in to get what we needed, and then realized that I didn't ask her what she wanted. So I went back out to the van with drinks for me and the boys, and sent her into the store to get something for herself. She came out with a bottle of Jones soda.

If you're not familiar with Jones soda, they have little sayings under their caps. Keep in mind that we got these in the middle of the cleaning spree - and this is what Emily got:




(*Edited to add: In case you're wondering about how Emily has handled the hubbub around the letter, read this post - especially if you're one of the people who has something negative to say about it.)

(*Edited again regarding the hateful comments and judgment that I've received about this thing.)

(**Edited again to add: Emily has written her own post about this thing. If you'd like to read that - and you should - you need to click here.)

118 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. The bodies part was a little morbid I thought, other than that I thought the letter was cute.

      I never understood trolling, why people do it and why people get so upset.
      They just want to see if they can outrage people and change the topic. I just look over it like I would spam

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    2. Agreed, You rock... That is actually a real life lesson. Inspired.

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  2. Nice & love the Jones cap, quite fitting.

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    1. Isn't that awesome? She busted up laughing when she saw it!

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  3. I LOVE the letter and the picture with the cap is award winning!
    Hugs, Beth

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    1. Thanks Beth! I absolutely adore that picture of her!

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  4. SO FITTING.THE HEAVENS HAVE SPOKEN EMILY. SO FUN READING THIS BLOG EVERYDAY. GRANNY

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    1. That's what she said - "Mom, it's like a message from God!"

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  5. Ignore the rude and ignorant ppl in this world. I personally shared the letter I have a 3 year old and though right now I can simply ask her to clean her room and she goes and does it I have a feeling as she grows this will diminish. So I hope I can remember this idea. This year when santa came the night before she was very hateful to me, she is my step daughter and has her moments where she doesn't really throw a fit she will just take her emotions out on me. So her daddy (santa) Left her a note saying basically that next year if she continues this behavior she will not have as many presents cause shell be on the naughty list. She being 3 half understood this. Some can say she had no clue w.e. we had lots of issues with her taking things out on mommmy up until her daddy read her santas letter. She has been happy/healthy/and most of all nice to mommy since. So disreguard what negative things ppl say. YOUR THE PARENT FOR A REASON. everyone parents differently, do your best is all you can do. and if a little letter from tooth fairy or santa or easter bunny helps ya out then by god do it!!! sorry this wasn't supposed turn out to be so long.

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    1. Children will do anything they can to test us, and oh man are they good at it! I'm glad that you enjoyed the letter and that you shared it - thank you so much!

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  6. your welcome and yes they sure dooo!! do you have a page you blog on permanently if so can ya post the address i have you on fb that it?!

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    1. Well, you're on the actual blog, which is

      http://non-stopmom.blogspot.com/

      And my facebook page is

      http://www.facebook.com/nonstopmom

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  7. That is awesome!! My kids teeth "grow" money.. they put it in a jar of water and over time change starts growing from it.. ;) I wouldn't worry about the rude comments, but that is easier said than done! I know, I would be bugged.. I think you are doing a good job with your kids!

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  8. People asked the weirdest things.
    Keep doing what you are doing!

    M :)

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  9. Some people just need to get a life, I thought the letter was awesome! as for the MOTHER not the FATHER comment most dads dont help clean kids rooms plus most dads are the providers so I didnt even think twice about it. Then the bodies comment I figure maybe she slept with alot of dolls or stuff animals etc...... I think its sad you had to explain a letter that was so innocent and to the point.

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    1. Yeah, I thought some of the comments just came out of left field. But some people have nothing better to do than to try to drag someone down.

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  10. Well, I think you're pretty damn awesome.

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  11. I say great job Mom creative and to the point! I am also one of those creative moms who do things people think are evil. I gave my son a stocking full of coal for Christmas two years ago. He was being rude and obstinate, every day was a fight to get up to go to school and get homework done you would think it was only first grade and it should have been simple to gain a small amount of compliance he was even doing less in class due to his IEP. He would get punished things taken away I was ready to rip my hair out. Well then it progressively got worse in a short time he fought me on everything from picking up a piece of trash that he threw on the floor to throwing his toothbrush away so he couldn't brush his teeth (did he think I would not have a couple extra). When December came the behavior had not gotten any better the demands started I got tired of hearing I want I want I want so one day I told him what I wanted.....I want to wake up in the morning say hello to you have breakfast have you dressed with your teeth brushed and get to the bus without running there. I would also like to see you do well in school and come home and get this homework you tell me is so easy done. It would really open up a lot of time for friends and fun stuff. He said Santa wont bring you that. So I used that to my advantage and gave him coal wrapped individually in a stocking by the fourth one he was in tears so I pulled him away from the family and spoke with him about his behavior and how it effected all of us. Needless to say he apologized promised he would try harder and do the small tasks we asked of him. Santa brought us a new tasks board where we let him choose a few bonus things that would earn special events or items. We went back and gave him his real stocking with a note from Santa that said he was going on his gut feeling that next year he wont have to get his hands so dirty. The fight has ended he has more activities with his friends that I can keep track of his homework gets done and they took him off the IEP....I know this is something he will know was all me but I think the results are the proof in the pudding that sometimes you really do need to take a stand using whatever tools are available.

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    1. Sometimes you have to do something drastic in order to get their attention and make them realize that you're serious about your expectations. The girls' bedroom has been a constant battle - part of it is that there just isn't enough storage in there, and part of it is that they are, indeed, packrats. They are getting better about it, albeit slower than I would like...

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    2. Anonymous mom, I hear you. I applaud you for both being brave enough to follow through on a consequence that must have been hard to do as well as watch, and for being brave enough to post it in public. It's a lesson for us all in follow-through, creativity and tough parenting (says the social worker mama whose middle child does not look like he has a social worker for a mama.....:)

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    3. I loved your idea. Sometimes you really have to take a stand. I have no kids yet, but I did struggle for years with my brother because my mom could never say no to him, so it was my job to educate the boy. I had to say no and punish him a lot so he knew that I was serious.
      Now I study far away from home and according to my middle sister my younger brother is getting worse and since that he is about to turn 13 and enter that horrible stage of adolescence, I am the only one he respects and behaves nicier. Its only when I'm home that he does his chores and behaves.

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    4. Anonymous Mom using Santa---GOOD FOR YOU!!! You got his attention, told him how his behavior hurt others and then you had compassion. What you did was drastic and extremely loving. I bet he is a happier kid now too. If I met you I would hug you.

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  12. I love the letter! I know my kids would get a kick out of it and get heir room probably as clean as your Daughters' room. The Tooth Fairy had a hard time finding the teeth at our house too. I learned a little trick after our youngest became a teen. Hang the little pillow on the outside doorknob of the kid's room. That way the Tooth Fairy can easily find the lost tooth and leave the money (and maybe Mom might actually remember before she goes to bed sshhh). lol

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    1. Ha! Most of the time their door is off of the hinges and leaning up against the wall in the hallway - if it gets slammed in my face during a temper tantrum, they lose the door. ;) I'm evil.

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    2. Love the tooth fairy letter. Wish i would have thought of something like that years ago! Regarding the door, I did the same thing. You slam the door, you won't have it. That was many years ago. I can't say that it worked all the time, but it did help some. All I can say is God Bless you. I had enough trouble with 3 kids, I can't imagine having 5!

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  13. Yes you do rock and keep up the creative parenting skills and good sense of humor!
    Libby

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  14. I think this is a great idea! Giving your kids more incentive to clean their room. Ignore all the negative comments about how you're a "terrible mom" for doing this, I bet most those people saying that don't even have kids! "scar them for life" That's ridiculous, does that mean that you should give your kids everything they want right when they want it then? No, that person how said that to you was an idiot, and was probably brought up spoiled as hell. I'm sure you being a single mom don't have time to be constantly cleaning kids rooms as well as everything else you do, so it's a neat, creative way to kind of lighten your load a little! Thanks for the laugh!

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    1. Thank you so much for the kind words - I truly appreciate it!

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  15. It is such a wonderful blessing and relief to find your blog! Finally someone who sincerely loves her kids like myself but is very straight up about the chaos, stress, and not so rainbow and butterfly reality of being a mother. I get so tired of all the little FB posts on my home page that paint this dreamy picture of how being a mom is so wonderful and no one has the nerve to come out with messy hair screaming dear GOd I need a break from this insanity! Ok, well, atleast I thought I was the only one. I absolutely love reading your blog- Im 25 with two girls 3 and 9. (my 9 year old has an undiagnosed issue that makes life much harder than the average 2 kids- its like having a toddler and a special needs child)Ive been married for 3 years in March. We have a wonderful drama free relationship and great friendship but my husband is not real hands on with the kids. Its weird like being a married single mom. I do everything for him and the kids in exchange for access to his bankaccount. Ive tried several times but cant seem to explain it just right. Hes very much around, and him and I do stuff together all the time, but like he doesnt take the kids to the park or anything and last fall I felt like I had to twist his wrist to get him to go to the pumpkin patch with us. Anyways, ever since my first daughter turned about 3 I have kind of felt like maybe im just not mommy material. Like I love them SO MUCH and take good care of them and do things w/and for them- but I dont OFTEN feel that cheesy OMG its so wonderful to be a mom the greatest gift in the whole world nothing but fun, love and blessings! They are my world but sometimes I feel like it would be nice to just be me for once- lately im not sure I even know who "me" is anymore. Kind of sad. Anyways, im happy to find your writing so I know im not the only person who feels the way I do, and to remind me that we have to keep our eyes open for the hidden beauty in it all, because its easy to let the back to back frustrations and complications distract us from that! NOw that I have wasted away an hour of my mornign with you I have to go tweaker clean the house so I can get to my appointment, the pharmacy and the grocery store before my oldest gets out of school >>> they are having early release! Oh joy! Im preparing for the "theres nothing to do" bombard. I thought about it. Might complain to them "theres not enough time in a day--whaaa"....

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    1. Thank you so much for the kind words! Motherhood (or parenthood in general) can be one of the most exhausting and thankless jobs out there - but it's worth every second. Or so I've been told. There are always going to be rough days, but as long as we get through them, we'll be just fine!

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  16. I think its an awesome idea! If you don't mind I think I'm totally going to copy you the next time the tooth fairy needs to make a visit if their room is a mess! My oldest (8) has a terrible habit of having a messy room. Drives me nuts!

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  17. Love the letter, love the effort your girls were willing and able to put in after the letter. And love that you were able to make time for it as well. I would hope the father comment comes from a perspective that dads should help out too, instead of mom doing absolutely everything for everyone. In your case, though, that is they way it has to go. :( I am a believer in responsible kids, and sometimes they don't get their wishes and wants. Life is tough. (btw, found your site through the facebook share of the letter) Keep it up, mom!

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    1. Thanks for coming by - I really appreciate it, and I'm glad that you liked the letter. I didn't really expect it to create such a stir!

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  18. i love the letter, might even use it myself in the future when my kids are a little older and start to lose there milk teeth lol, as for the negative comments there probably just jealous that they didnt think of it, also love the little message your daughter got on the bottle lol, maybe someone else was trying to tell her something(keep her room tidy) and not just you, keep up the good work xx

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  19. For those that have said this is unfair and mean and wrong for attaching conditions... what world do you live in? Unless a child is in a family born into extended amounts of money, one of the most important lessons you can teach is that nothing in life is given for free, and hard work and morals and ethic are what pay off to get a person something and somewhere. And to the people who assume this would be similar to Santa not giving gifts for wrong behavior, and not fair, why does Santa have a naughty and nice list as a "condition" for children receiving presents in the first place? Same concept. This in my opinion would not scar a child at all, it would teach them an important lesson on how today's society functions...

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    1. Exactly. Not to mention that - she's 11. She knows the deal on the tooth fairy. It was a fun (and maybe twisted) way to get her to help clean up the mess!

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  20. Saw this come up on Facebook and I HAD to chase down the original author.

    AWESOME. Evil Genius Parenting. I love it. In fact, this scored you Evil Genius Parent Award #19 for this week. Don't stress about what others think, especially when they don't know the facts. You have something special that works for your family. Keep that.

    http://evilgeniusmum.wordpress.com/2013/01/28/evil-genius-parent-award-19/

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    1. Thanks! I'm glad that you were able to find me with the amount of pages that have posted the letter as if it was their own. I don't worry too much about what others think - but there's always that initial sting when someone says something hateful!

      I appreciate the award too - I will check that out as soon as I get a chance!

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  21. I'm single, no kids. But even I can spot a parenting win when I see one. Good on you!
    It is never too early to teach children that actions and decisions have consequences. Seems to me that those lessons are best taught from the beginning, when the mistakes are small and not life-changing, and not when they usually get taught -- much later (teenage years and beyond) when the consequences are far greater.
    As far as the negative comments go... there will always be those who are quick to judge when they don't know all the facts. I noticed the "bodies" comment, and after a little chuckle about how odd it sounded, I didn't think twice about it -- figured it probably meant stuffed animals or something like that.
    As they say in completely bogus Latin, "Illegitimi non carborundum".

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    1. Thank you so much, Don! I really appreciate it! The negative stuff doesn't get to me too much - and you're right, it's usually the people who don't have the whole story. I appreciate your comment!

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  22. I think you are an absolute genius and have hit the nail on the head it was a brilliant idea and if it works for a while then good stuff mammys are underated by morons and i would ignore the negative comments their just sorry they didn't think of it
    Good luck with the ongoing clean-up and give yourself a huge pat on the back :-)

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    1. Thank you so much, Jean! I really appreciate the kind words.

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  23. Truly inspired. It made me laugh and think about clearing off the dining room table....

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  24. Great story! I would have done the same! Ignorance is something we can't beat but we should try to understand! People don't know our whole life story but I also hope they never feel the weight of a judgment like theirs!

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  25. Brilliant job, Non-Stop Mom. Thanks for the laugh!

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  26. Dear NSM you rock that letter was Brilliant and i think ill show that to my buddy and he and his wife will more then likly use it :) good job and ignore the haters!

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  27. Too many people are too quick to judge and criticize. Keep doing what you are doing. Love the story, love the letter. Thanks for making my Monday!

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  28. I'm a single mother of 4..Rock on!!! You're my single-mother-soul-mate!!

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  29. I am stealing this idea. lol that is awesome.

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  30. That's such a cute way of handling things! I really hope I can remember this when/if I have children. ^_^ (p.s: I really hate it when people online turn into fun-sucking fun-suckers)

    <3 L

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  31. Love the letter. Single moms have to do what they need to to get kids to help out more. And it also taught them responsibility.

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  32. Excellent!!! That's all I could think of it. Kudos to you.

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  33. This is fantastic! I wish I would have seen this yesterday after my daughter's tooth fell out. (THAT was a battle too)

    Her room looks like a cyclone hit; with her stuffed animal babies, toys, blankets, books, etc. I can step on some hidden gem under some clothes. I don't even ask that much, just clean it once a week...it has been two weeks now!

    I love creative parenting and will copy shamelessly from you as we have more teeth!

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  34. This was awesome. Thank you so much for sharing the letter AND the aftermath of it. LOL.

    And p.s. Not trying to hide identity. I had to respond anonymously because I don't have any of those accounts =/

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  35. Just wanted to let you know, I don't think you are awful. I thought it was a good idea.

    And I assumed the "bodies" in the bed were stuffed animals. ( ◠‿◠ )

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  36. I'm pregnant with my second child, my first being 16 and not needing the tooth pillow anymore.. but I am so stealing all of this for my soon to be messy little boy! I'm saving the letter to adjust for my own and I will be making a tooth pillow, what a creative idea!

    I also thought the 'extra bodies' was stuffed animals, who in their right mind would think different? some people.. sheesh!

    Thanks so much for your blog, I really enjoy your sense of humor!

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  37. You make a great mom.. love the way you handle things.. you are loving but firm.. good going. God bless your family.

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  38. I think this is a wonderful and creative way to teach your kids a valuable life lesson. It actually reminds me a lot of something my own mother would have done when I was a child. You are not at all a terrible mother; you kept your cool and even added a humorous aspect to what could have easily turned into a scream-fest for some parents. I hope I have this kind of patience when I have my own children. :)

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  39. Well played.. well played indeed..

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  40. The hell with the haters ... you are awesome. :) This so seems like something my mom would have done. And I would have been ticked at 11 ... and looking back now, at 32, found it funnier than all get out.

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  41. OMG! I hope it is safe for me to print one of these out for my 8 year old. That before picture is NOTHING compared to her room right now. I believe that the child's room is their safe haven and is the one room they can do what they want. (to a point) So it is never clean. Many people hate my thinking on this and tell me bad parenting, but who cares. She is my daughter not theirs. So I applaud you on this. All the haters are obviously people with perfect kids, perfect lives and no stress of anything. In other words, fake. So ignore them and you have earned another follower in me. Well done!

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  42. I wish i would have thought of this when my boys were little

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  43. I love this. I love letters from Tooth Fairies or Santa or whatever. Now I was a neat freak as a child, so I never got a letter about my messy room but I did get letters from Santa and the Tooth Fairy.

    My mom was and is a single mother (I'm 30 now) so at times, things were hard and for Christmas, she would get me to love clothes by leaving letters from Santa. One Christmas I got a letter from Mrs. Claus that said she had made, especially for me, clothes that she hoped I would like. My mom made me like getting clothes for Christmas! :lol: For my tooth one year, I got a Berenstain Bears book with a message on the inside from the Tooth Fairy and almost 20 years later, I still have the book!

    Okay, so I don't mean to come across as some priss, I was a bad child many times over :lol:

    I remember around 16, I was excited to get my driver's license. Of course, I did something bad and 1 day I came home from school to find a letter like this that said, "Dear Rebekah, because you did something bad (I think she said exactly what I did bad), I have cancelled your driver's test. If you are good for the next XXX months, you may make an appointment." She printed it off the computer, added some sad faces and silly pictures. After XXX months, I was as good as I could be and came home to find another printed off letter that said I had an appointment scheduled for September 2000 for my driver's test and she had put a bunch of car pictures on the letter. :lol:

    You know, parents have to find many ways to get their kids to do stuff, accept stuff and feel special. And I applaud you for writing this letter. As someone who got letters from mystical creatures and from my mom alike ;-) I remember them all, even at 30 :-D

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    1. That's awesome! :D I sometimes did get letters from my mom saying how proud she was of something I did :D I kept those too :)
      Your mom sounds great :) I was a well behaved kid too so I only received letters and little presents occasionally ahah and when I had really good grades she would buy me a book :D

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  44. I got here via the BuzzFeed comments. I love your letter and will definitely use it when I'm a mom! And I love the way you write. I can't believe how many people were getting worked up about the term "bodies"-- What did they think it meant?? On second thought, I don't want to know.

    Have a great day!

    Jamie

    hodgepodgegallery.blogspot.com


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  45. Haters are going to hate...let them. No one knows what you go through on a daily basis. I was raised in a strict military family, and a lot of the discipline tactics I employed while my offspring were young was a repeat of my own discipline as a child/teen. Being a parent if fraught with adventure (good and bad) Doing it as a single parent takes a special kind of person. I was a single parent, and raised my offspring with minimal help from the father. GOOD FOR YOU in being creative. I commend your effort in trying to teach your little ones to be responsible. Our world would not be in the shape that it is if more people cared the way you do. As for being lazy...who isn't? EVERYONE (parent or not) has lazy days...You should not have to justify yourself. Just remember, their approval is neither required nor desired ;) Thanks for a wonderful laugh and a great idea to use on my grand-daughter when she needs motivation for her own room. Single parenting is hard, so send me an email if you ever have questions...I would be happy to help answer them for you.
    Have a great day my dear :)
    Mama

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  46. This is a great idea. My daughter wanted to correspond with the tooth fairy when she was about 7 years old. So throughout the year (not just when she lost a tooth) she would write a note or a letter, telling her things about her life, and asking her questions. It took a lot of work on my part to keep up with the correspondence, especially since I had to write my responses with my non-dominant hand so they'd look believable, but still be READABLE!! I have kept all the letters from each of them and they're saved for her to read again when she's older.

    So cute! So innocent! So adorable that she would even think to ask the tooth fairy if she gets enough sleep...(since she's up all night)...if she knows Santa (someone else who flits around at night)...if she knows our dentist...and all sorts of things like that.
    I know some folks up the street who give very little $ to teeth that have cavities, versus the $$$ that they get for clean, pristine teeth. It keeps the kids brushing and flossing so why not? I didn't learn that trick until my kids were past the tooth-fairy age.
    Have a great life.

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  47. If ANYONE is stupid enough to make this negative in anyway, clearly they are the ones with the problem. The bodies confused me but as someone who's not an idiot figured it out that it's either siblings, friends or toys. No parent is going to write a letter like this to a teenager. You're brilliant and this is what creative epic parenting looks like. Heck, if my mum did things like this when I was younger maybe my room wouldn't have looked like a bomb went off all the time. Keep doing what you're doing, it takes a lot to be a single parent, especially to think up creative ways to teach your children.

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  48. Same situation in our house last Easter, and I did the same thing. The Easter Bunny left a note, the toys got picked up, and the Easter Bunny came back the next night. We did not have a problem this year. :-)

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  49. This letter was cute, fun and so creative. And I'm sure you got your point across, even with all the distractions! I'm not nearly as creative, but all us parents struggle daily with finding new, effective ways to parent. Kudos to you!

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  50. I made my way here through another website after you posted this link in the comments--which was prompted by the 'bodies' question, hah!

    I must say that parents, like you, are a great inspiration for coming up with fun, inventive ways to teach children various life lessons. Awesome job!

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  51. 5 kids and single parent, and you still have time to be creative like this? Kudos to you. You're setting good boundaries for your kids and teaching them to be good citizens too. Well done. With love from Nottingham, England. xxx

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  52. My little girl not only believes in fairies (they are responsible for her hair getting knotted at night) but I have her convinced that we have monsters that patrol our downstairs living room to keep us safe but they have one downfall... they can't stand toys or the color pink! (They will never go into her very pink bedroom!) Needless to say... all the toys get picked up at the end of the day and my living room remains my domain!

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  53. I would just like to say, "Ignorant people are ignorant!" I read the letter and understood every single part of it. Have two kids, both who seem to think "sleep overs" are the coolest thing ever. And they are convinced that the tooth fairy brings shiny coins instead of dollars because they are prettier (my daughter has it already figured out, but plays along for the cash).

    Keep being you! Never let the haters bring you down! ... and always remember, YOU are the Mom! Not society, not the haters, not the school and DEFINITELY not the internet! You got a new sub for your blog. Cant wait to share your cool stories!

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  54. The tooth fairy posted a letter inspired by yours today. Tooth fairy couldn't visit DD last night because her bedroom was a safety hazard! Such a clever idea, thank you! :)

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  55. When my daughter gets to that age, I am going to keep this mind, just in case her room is a mess. Wonderful idea.

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  56. he he he I remember my childhood times, my Mama gave me a letter also it said that came from Santa Claus, If I will never clean my room then there will be no gift for me in Christmas, so I clean my room almost everyday until I've received my gift. Whenever I remember that moment it makes me smile always that gift is from my Mama. East Harlem dentists

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  57. Wow - just read the infamous letter and some of the responses...scaaaaryyy!! This was funny and light-humored. I am stunned by some of the hateful, judgmental responses. Makes me think twice or three times about starting a blog about the joy and challenges of being a single mom. Thanks for sharing your humor. Ignore the haters.

    Christine

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  58. I saw your letter floating around facebook and thought, too bad the dentist just told me that my 11 year old only has 5 baby teeth left! I didn't think I'd get to use it. But, he just came in this afternoon with a tooth in his hand :D I told him that I had seen a letter on facebook that a mom had shared, so he should be prepared or he might just want to get a head start. I don't think he believes me, but I am going to be typing up the letter tonight! You totally rock!

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  59. The following are some brushing techniques and tips to ensure a healthy smile for yourself and everyone in your family.
    http://puredentalwhite.com/

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  60. Non-Stop Mom, this is wonderfully creative parenting. I applaud you. :) ...and don't worry about those who think otherwise and have left negative comments, people tend to offer some of their "best" parenting advice before they ever become parents.

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  61. Mom, You are awesome. Very well done, I only wish my youngest didn't already know who the tooth fairy is. As a fellow only parent of kids (4 for me) I must say "Kudos" to you. You are keeping them involved at home and away while providing them with great parenting. Keep up your great work.

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  62. Hello,
    I wished I'd thought of that [The Tooth Fairy] letter when my [now adult] son was at that age. His room always looked like a bomb site, and was for ever at him to help tidy it up. Well he grown up and is tidy now. So something worked.
    Your children are going to be great adults with a Mum like you
    Your letter brought me a chuckle
    Keep parenting on :)

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  63. let me start by saying i'm not very old (20) also ignore my grammar
    I find this awesome it teaches effort equals reward which is a much better way to learn then effort equals not getting yelled at trust me when i say the second option equals a pissed off teenager with lack of motivation (after 3 years on my own i went thru 6 jobs in 6 months before i finally realized the point of sticking your nose to the grind stone and putting in effort was really a benefit for me and and not just a way to stay out of trouble (which i really didnt care about anymore) im happy to say that after i learned on my own the reason behind effort was reward that i live on my own have 2 vehicles that work great and havent missed a bill in 2 years)

    in short i wish my parents would have done stuff like this i believe even my stupid stubborn self wouldve had some life lessons i might still lack

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  64. I don't care what anyone says, you're an awesome mom!

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  65. You go girl! Having been raised as the oldest of five (5) by a single mom with absolutely NO monetary support or even in the picture! I applaud you. I do not know if they sell Jones drinks here in Texas, but that was hilarious. I will always remember you and lift you and yours up in prayer:)

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  66. I knew right away what you meant by "bodies", 4 daughters lol

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    1. For my own kid, she would stay up until 3 in the morning sneaking electronics. She lost a tooth one day and wouldn't go to bed. She woke up and was sad there was no visit from the tooth fairy. I told her the tooth fairy doesn't come after 10pm. She was in bed with a quickness that night :)

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  67. I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.


    http://tribecanydentistoffice.com/

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  68. YOU totally rock my world!! I love the whole post and the whole idea behind it. I wouldn't waste my time on all those trolls who have nothing better to do than knock other people's innovative creativity. I say whatever method anyone use to get our kids clean their rooms and/or around the house and in no way hurting them physically, I am all for it. I'm pretty sure the negative comments are more out of jealousy than anything. Like I said, I like this post and this idea that I am going to borrow it and use it on my kids. Thank you for posting/sharing this.

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  69. As for me, i found the letter pretty amazingly thought out, was really fun to read :D Gives me ideas if I ever have kids one day.

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  70. I'm one of the people who liked this post on facebook. I showed it to my Chandler Dentist, he said that you are a very, very, very smart mother and that you are a good example of smart parenting. Keep it up! You're doing a good job being a Mom!

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  71. I just saw your post in an article, as well as many complaints. Pfffft. I saw absolutely nothing wrong with it. I have two girls that share a room, so I knew exactly what you meant by 'bodies in your bed'. Lol! I'm actually going to try this. I'm having a hard time getting my girls to keep their room clean. Even worse, most of the clothes on their floor are clean, and I'm pretty sure I've washed clean clothes multiple times. :( (My girls are 6 and 8 years old)

    Further up in the comments here, I read about one lady using Santa to teach her child a lesson. I applaud her! These are great learning opportunities! Though I can imagine how hard it must have been to go through with it. I'm not as great with discipline.. I break too easily. I think I need help toughening up a bit.

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  73. I just ran across this and all I can say is you go girl! You rock!! I raised 2 kids of my own, 3 steps and that's not easy. Got them all grown, met and fell in love with a man with 6 boys! Praise God they were pretty good boys. My point is all kids need different things. But they need love and disapline most of all. Thank goodNess mine are grown but then there are the grands. Keep up the good work. My husband and I have proved over n over disapline does not equal less love! ❤ We have grandchildren who treat us with respect because we insist on it and treat them the same. And we love them to death! They know it. Love those babies n the grown ups! ��

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  74. I've seen your letter quite a few times on my facebook news feed now and every time I see it it makes me smile. It's inspired me to do similar things with my own gremlins - uh, I mean children. Our elf on a shelf left a note for my two youngest when they had been particularly naughty, and it worked! You keep rockin' you're awesome!

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  75. Hi
    I just wanted say that I LOVED your letter. It was innocent and cute. I don't see why you had to explain yourself to people that don't even know you and will probably never see you. But you did and it was awesome. People should mind their own business. If they don't like something and don't have anything nice to say just keep it moving. That was a good move to get your kids to clean ��

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  76. OMG...I just ran across your Tooth Fairy letter and I can Totally empathize....only I was a single mom with a son. His room was so bad I just closed the door and didn't go in. Funny how he's a neat freak now! If people thought you were a bad mom because of the TF letter than they would probably think the same of me. I did a bad thing once and knowing my son said he didn't like liver (he'd never tried it) I told him it was a pork chop. (Ok, he was like 6 at the time and didn't pay much attention!) He took one bite..ran into the bathroom and got rid of it and said "mom..don't make those pork chops anymore"!

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  77. OMG...I just ran across your Tooth Fairy letter and I can Totally empathize....only I was a single mom with a son. His room was so bad I just closed the door and didn't go in. Funny how he's a neat freak now! If people thought you were a bad mom because of the TF letter than they would probably think the same of me. I did a bad thing once and knowing my son said he didn't like liver (he'd never tried it) I told him it was a pork chop. (Ok, he was like 6 at the time and didn't pay much attention!) He took one bite..ran into the bathroom and got rid of it and said "mom..don't make those pork chops anymore"!

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  78. The Easter Bunny, Santa, and Tooth Fairy leave note to my kids all the time about their messyness, hygiene, and treatments of each other. The boogyman has had many faces for centuries.

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  79. The Easter Bunny, Santa, and Tooth Fairy leave note to my kids all the time about their messyness, hygiene, and treatments of each other. The boogyman has had many faces for centuries.

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  80. I think you are awesome and that was a great letter and idea. Kudos to you no matter what any hater says. I'm a single mom to and we do what we have to. God bless you.

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  82. Great letter, and I enjoyed reading the full story too!
    When I was reading about you cleaning Emily's room and the artwork box, I happened to be helping clean my own Daughter's room & just thought I'd share a hack that I used for all of her art. We had a few boxes of art etc but it never saw the light of day, so I took photos of each piece of art and loaded them into my laptop as a changing background! (We threw away most of the art after that because it was no longer needed).
    My Son now wants me to do the same with all his....yay! Boxes that were sitting forever & getting dusty now gone!! :)
    Thanks so much for sharing your TF story, it's a great inspiration to other Parents like myself :)

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  83. I have just come across your tooth fairy letter (ahhh the longevity of social media!!) & can i please say that i think it was creative and bloody brilliant. If my kids werent past that age i would use it myself. Unfortunately the haters will hate but don't listen and don't let them get you down. Wishing you all the very best. Cheers

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  84. I have just come across your tooth fairy letter (ahhh the longevity of social media!!) & can i please say that i think it was creative and bloody brilliant. If my kids werent past that age i would use it myself. Unfortunately the haters will hate but don't listen and don't let them get you down. Wishing you all the very best. Cheers

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  85. I just saw this letter again today! 2017! Oh my word does it ever stop? Lol <3 PG

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