Tooth fairy: what to do when the child loses the first tooth
The tooth fairy or the little mouse are two characters that we have heard of several times in the course of our childhood: they came to visit us in our sleep when we lost a baby tooth, and if we were lucky, he left us a penny. But where does the tooth fairy come from? And when is it appropriate to present it to children? To find out, keep reading, while watching the video what are the rules of hygiene for the little ones.
The legends related to the loss of milk teeth
Since the dawn of time, children have been told myths and legends to celebrate that rite of passage which is the loss of the first milk tooth. Just as there are different traditions in the world, even the tales related to this moment are different, and one of the the best known is certainly that of the tooth fairy.This is an exciting moment, which children await with trepidation because they feel they have become "grown-ups", and it is right to give importance to this event, living it without forcing and possibly associating it with play.
The depiction of the tooth fairy varies from country to country, but it is usually a tiny fairy with wings and a magic wand in her hand; a very quiet and gentle winged creature.
It seems to be a "modern invention, but the truth is that the tooth fairy is much older than we think! We are talking about centuries and centuries of stories, changed over time, but all inherent in the loss of a baby's milk teeth. child.
In the past it was customary to throw the now lost teeth into the fire, from the roof of a house, and in some distant traditions it was even foreseen the burial of the same. Although it may seem like a macabre rite, it was actually a rite of good luck! After the Middle Ages, a figure resembling a mouse developed, which with its agility managed to enter the children's home completely unnoticed, with the intention of taking away the small fallen teeth.
The tooth fairy in the world
This iconic creature is inspired by both the fairy godmother and the tooth mouse. Its first image in a modern key dates back to 1927, when it was portrayed by Esther Watkins Arnold. In those years the fairy was still not very famous, but soon gained popularity thanks to the Disney characters.
The guardian fairy of a million tiny teeth is now celebrated all over the world, but in a different way. The original fable seems to be American, but the myth originates in ancient Anglo-Saxon Europe. Here the fairy was known by the name of tooth fairy and traditionally children had to bury their fallen milk teeth, and only at the moment of the loss of the 6th tooth, they were given pennies.
Very similar to the fairy is the Spanish tradition of Rantocito Pérez, the baby tooth mouse. He was born in Spain at the end of the 19th century and still today gives all children a gift for every fallen tooth. The tooth to be exchanged for money or gifts must be hidden under the pillow, in a hole in the wall, in the floor under a tile, but also under the leg of a table!
In Turkey, the child's parents bury their children's baby teeth in a place they think will lead to their success while in South Africa the tooth is put into a slipper, where the mouse will take it to exchange for a coin.
And again, in many eastern countries, the teeth are thrown on the roofs. In short, country you go, custom you find!
The story of the tooth fairy
The legend of the tooth fairy has its roots in the popular Western folk tradition and according to historical times it undergoes various types of transformations. The mouse belief has survived, but in recent times it is increasingly common to hear about a real tooth fairy. It is certainly a calm and silent creature, and it shouldn't be scary!
The loss of teeth is a very important step for the growth of the child, because following the first lost tooth he will feel more emancipated and adult.
The tradition of the tooth fairy accompanies all children from an early age, but becomes more concrete around the age of 5 or 6, a common period for the fall of the first milk teeth.
In his story it is told that a child loses a tooth and in the evening when he goes to sleep he puts it safely under his pillow. The next morning when he wakes up he finds a coin in place of the tooth.
The children are told that the tooth fairy put the gift under the pillow, but in reality it is the parents who sneak into the children's room at night to steal their fallen tooth.
This legend is extremely well known, so much so that it has been handed down from generation to generation to the present day, as a bedtime story told by mum and dad.
The story can undergo variations depending on the parents' fantasy, the important thing is to get the message across that the tooth fairy or the mouse are good figures, since some children may already be frightened by the falling of their teeth.
Ideas for introducing the tooth fairy to children
Here are some imaginative suggestions that you can use when your child's first teeth fall out!
1. A nice idea, which will make your children want to brush their teeth, is to make the door of the fairy. Create a small door for cleaning the teeth; this door will then be used by the fairy when the teeth fall to come. to recover them.
2. Write a letter from the tooth fairy. Leaving a letter under the pillow together with the parents' gift helps to make the child feel that there has been an exchange, that is, that his precious tooth was taken for a good cause and that his little gift has arrived for a reason. This action also helps him get closer to fantastic worlds, like the one the tooth fairy comes from. What to write in the letter? Give a friend to your child, address her directly to him and thank him for his tooth, explaining why for the fairy. it is so important!
3. Leave fairy footprints around the house. Use a little glitter to simulate fairy dust, perhaps right on the child's pillow or on the windowsill, to mark the passage of the magical creature ... Similarly you can recreate small footprints on the floor.
4. Opt for a tooth basket. If your baby is a very light sleeper, you can have him put his "baby" tooth in a special container instead of under the pillow.
5. Make a pillow to hang outside the bedroom. If you love DIY you can make it with some felt, scissors and glue!
