How would you respond to this letter your child wrote?

[LynnS6]

This is the letter our dd wrote to the tooth fairy today. She's really afraid she's going to wake up and see the tooth fairy.

I'm not all that big on the tooth fairy and haven't really played it up. The last time she asked what the tooth fairy looked like I said "She looks exactly like me". Dd looked at me and said "Momma!" in a very disgusted tone. She has a very lively imagination and a very willing suspension of disbelief. I don't think she wants to be told the truth.

"Dear The Tooth Fairy

I am relly afrad of you. What do you look like? Do you make sure that T (he is my brother you've visited him a lot because he has lost 9 teeth) [that] we are sleeping. Ware do you get your money?

Love,
M

P.S. Here is my tooth"

(I've punctuated the letter for clarity, but the rest is hers.)

[2xand2y]

Dear M,
I love being a tooth fairy so much. I use special invisible powers so I will never frighten the children I get teeth from. The money comes from a special fund that has been donated by people who care about taking good care of your teeth. I hope you remember to brush and floss everyday so that all your teeth are cavity free.

Love,
the tooth fairy

[GuildJenn]

Dear M,

Tooth fairies can tell when kids are sleeping, but if the kids wake up we magically look like their parents, so they are not scared. But I have to tell you I think I look very beautiful! I get my money from the same place socks go when they go missing in the washing machine and dryer. I have a lot of socks too, but none of them match.

Yours,

T. Fairy

[2xand2y]

I like Jenn's better!

[laohaire]

The tooth fairy was my favorite as a kid, and it was BECAUSE she had my mom's touch. The tooth fairy was so much more intimate than Santa Claus, who did all his stuff in the other room/downstairs/whatever.

My mother would sprinkle an entire vial of glitter over my pillow, bed and floor to my bedroom door. Each time, we'd leave it there a week before vacuuming it up. Honestly, I did not really suspect it was my mother until my epiphany in 3rd grade, but nonetheless she always FELT like my mother to me.

I have no special feelings for Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, but the Tooth Fairy was magic to me.

Just some thoughts to chew over.

[meemee]

my dd has anxiety. to imagine someone else could look like mommy would freak my dd out. nothing would scare her more than trying to figure out if i am me or someone else acting like me.

i would indirectly talk to your dd and find out what exactly she thinks tooth fairy looks like. and then find out what her favourite character would look like.

if it was my dd i would say something like monsters inc. that in the beginning you might be scared. no matter what i look like. but stop and talk to me and find out who i am and see if i am scary.

not sure if that is going to work with your dd. but it would with mine because at 5 she told me 'mama you know what's not true - seeing is believing.' maybe she would look like a character your dd is interested in. for instance that is the last person dd is afraid of. she cant wait to meet the tooth fairy. so if you know what she is unafraid of that is what tooth fairy looks like. or you could say feelings. say you dont know what she looks like but she is full of love and warmth and anyone who wakes up when she is there feels love.

where the money comes from? i love guildjenns idea.

[eepster]

I'd have the tooth fairy write her a letter in fairy language (sort of like runes) and ask your DD what she thinks it says. That way it will say exactly what your DD needs and is ready to hear.

Get nice stationary and an interesting pen