Even with the tooth fairy’s largesse, parents need TLC

by Dr. Heather Bozant Witcher

By Dr. Heather Bozant Witcher
Clarion Herald

As we enter the season of thankfulness, we must remember to practice gratitude for those communities that surround and uplift us.

Many of us know that families are not only blood-related or biological; often, they are the people we choose to surround ourselves with.

As a parent, I know firsthand that it takes more than just the individuals within my household to raise my kids.

A few weeks ago, my college department held a social hour at a local restaurant with a large outdoor space. My husband was running late; I was wrangling the children after a full day in kindergarten and daycare.

Anyone with toddler experience knows that the time expended getting out of school, picking up in the carline and returning home is true madness. It is bouncing off-the-walls chaos, especially as my boys “reunite” with each other after being apart for a mere seven hours.

So, as I struggled to maintain some sense of calm and presence of mind at the restaurant while attempting to order carbs and water for the hooligans, out of the corner of my eye, I realized that my twins were running toward the door.

They had seen one of my colleagues – “Dr. Kent,” as the children call him – and were running to greet him. Without missing a beat, he caught them and began asking them about their day before sending them off for a game of chase in the outdoor area.

These are the communities we build for ourselves and our children. It truly does take a village. And for us, who do not have family within an easily drivable distance, these villages have become lifesavers.

But it’s not only apparent in these “in-a-pinch” situations; it’s apparent in the ways that we can rely on those people and trust that no matter what, they’ve got our backs.

As parents, we often seek out these kinds of people: maybe it’s through church groups or functions, through playground chatter as we watch our kids on the jungle gyms or through school-related events. These communities are the ones we go to when we need advice, support or just need to vent.

My oldest boys are 5, and I know that whether I like it or not, the tooth fairy is going to be an important part of these next few months. While no one currently has loose teeth, I’ve been hearing about so-and-so and another friend who have lost teeth.

One of my sons asked me if maybe he could run into something very hard to knock a tooth loose (I had a quick explanation for why that would not be a good idea).

So, I turned to my village: what’s the going rate for the tooth fairy these days? How do you handle the excitement and over-eagerness to lose the teeth?

The village helps us to know that we’re not alone. It helps us to repeat the mantra in those hard days that “this, too, shall pass” and it’s there to celebrate our wins.

As we begin practicing gratitude, let our first show of thanks be to those in our lives who are counted as part of our village.

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