[startover22]

Sounds great! You guys are going to have fun.
The invitations sound so great! And CHEESE FINGERS? ;)
Take lots of pics, she will want to remember it and so will you!

(I never thought I would say this before the party, but even with all the adult parties I have gone too, my daughters took the cake in some GOOD CLEAN FUN!) It was awsome and I wish I could do it all over again exactly the same.

[NowWhat]

Cheese fingers - you take mozarella string cheese, cut them in half, make little spots for the knuckles and then put a piece of green pepper for the fingernail. Using cream cheese to keep it in place.

You can do this with sugar cookies and almond slivers, but there will be so much junk at the party - I thought this might be healthier!

[NowWhat]

I have been searching for an Ursula cake. The only thing I can find is cake toppers. Which if you need them by the weekend... may be to late. Unless you have a fabulous store near by.

If you found the toppers that you want - you could always go with a non-edibile solution for the cave. If you went to a pet store and got one that is for a fish tank?
I don't know, I am just grasping at straws!

[NowWhat]

Boy did I screw up! My daughter lost a tooth at a friends house on Saturday - the mom told her the tooth fairy probably doesn't know where she was at, so to put it under her pillow when she got home.

Last night, I did as I normally do when she looses a tooth. I typed up a letter from the tooth fairy, decorated it with glitter glue and pasted it to a piece of construction paper. I then put it in her room along with her money. I even sprinkle fairy dust around.

Well, this morning, she got on the computer and found the letter I typed. I forgot to exit out of it last night. She asked me point blank if I had typed it.

I lied. I feel terrible. I just said that it was cool that the tooth fairy used our computer. When she looked at her letter, she said - "she probably used my glue and construction paper too!". My kid is not dumb, she knows!

She is 8 (almost) - when did your kids find out "the truth". And should I have told her? I feel terrible for lying, but I just wasn't ready to tell her.

[liz28]

My daughter is 7 and will be 8 on Halloween. I told her the truth about everything last year. Now when she lose a teeth she saids " don't forget to my money under the pillow while I am sleeping". Last year before Christmas vacation I was pissed out at her teacher for telling the class there is no Santa. I went up to the school the next morning to ask her why she did such a thing and inform the principal on what she did. There was other parents there too.

I think you should have told her the truth because she can handle it. It is better coming from you then anyone else.

[NowWhat]

You know, we have preached "honesty being the best policy" and logically, I know that. But... she asked my husband first and he warned me before I came downstairs. He said that her head droped down, she almost started to cry. Just shear disappointment.

So, when I came down - she asked me to "look at this" I just said - "cool, the tooth fairy used our computer". She then asked me "Mommy, did you do this, I just need to know."

I know what I should have said - but I didn't. I guess I am not ready to give up that magic. It's almost like a passage of growing up. And I am not ready!

Again, I feel terrible. I truly do. I remember very vividly when I found out about Santa. I said awful things to my mother. I was so upset about "all the lies" and here, I have done the same thing.

If there was an award for terrible mother of the day - I would get it!

[Emland]

What do you mean - found out about Santa?!

His spirit lives strong in our house.

[liz28]

What do you mean - found out about Santa??!!

His spirit lives strong in our house.

I said my daughter teacher told her along with the class that there is no Santa.

Nowwhat you shouldn't beat up yourself because this don't make you a bad person nor parent. You still have a chance to tell her the truth if you want. Stop beating yourself up we all tell little white lies to other kids. Especially when it come to things like the tooth fairy.

[NowWhat]

If someone (other than a kid) told my daughter there is no Santa - I would be livid! She gets so excited every year. She even makes him a present - because he is so busy making all the presents for others, he may not get one himself. I guess I am not ready to give that innocence up. First the tooth fairy, then what's next! :(

What did you say to your daughter? How did you explain it to her and how did she take the news?
I am sure mine is going to ask again and I want to be ready!

[startover22]

I believe in imagination. Santa still lives here!
My oldest kids, they know the truth, but still ask questions... so there is something in them that makes them want to believe. Imagination runs wild when we think about fantasies and imaginary stuff... let it ride. NowWhat, you did the spur of the moment thing... it will be OK.;) Next chance you get, (I wouldn't make a point of it) let her know the truth, it will work out fine! :)

(I almost forgot about this thread)

[liz28]

I think the teacher was scared because I think all the parents took off that day to confront her.

Her father did all the explaining and you know it was a lot of why's. Then after that she question everything we told her in the past. We had to explain why we lied about the tooth fairy mostly and said our sorrys to her. In the end she wasn't mad nor disappointed but we told her not to tell her friends what we told her and she promised she wouldn't.

[Emland]

The tradition in our house is that Santa is not a person - not the man in the suit and no one comes in the house, etc. We've nurtured the idea that Santa is a spirit that dwells inside people that makes them want to do things for others and the red suit and beard is just a traditional way of representing him.

I believe in Santa and always will!

[startover22]

When my kids ask, I say yes he is real. He started way back in the day when there was a man doing good for many people in his town... as soon as he couldn't reach everyone, us as parents took over;) My younger kids still believe and so do I. I believe in giving (not a "spoiled" way, but I believe in giving in a generous and heartfelt way)

[startover22]

Any advice on how to handle a man and almost a man in the house. They are driving me nuts, constantly bickering, arguing to make points, trying to prove each other wrong...
My son is 14 testing his limits and his dad is well... his dad. Hardheaded and a my way or the highway type a guy.

[NowWhat]

I once heard that arguing with a teenager is like beating your head against the wall.

And your son is probably at that age where he thinks his parents suddenly don't know anything. That in itself can drive you nuts.

Does your husband know that you are going nuts? I would start by talking to him.

[startover22]

Ohhh, he knows... and I have told him that it is no use arguing... I say if you feel like he needs to be punished then do it, but if not , you just leave good enough alone. This is probably a no win situation anyway... thanks NowWhat;)

[NowWhat]

You probably feel more like a referee.

Even though I don't have a teenage boy, I do remember growing up in a house with 2 of them and my Dad. Sometimes you could smell the testostrone. One of my brothers is exactly like my Dad. And he thought he was a "Man" long before he really was. They got into arguments, just for the argument sake. They both needed to be right and some where along the way stopped listening to each other.
Good thing is, is that now they are more like best friends. My Dad was the best man at my brother's wedding, etc. They were even business partners before Dad retired.
The point... it will get better.

Your son is probably trying to exert his independence and your husband is still trying to parent. Which is fine to a point, he may just need to adjust his parenting style?

I am grasping - can you tell? :)

[startover22]

Yes... I can... don't you worry though.
My son is nothing like his father, he just wants to show his dad that he is actually wrong... and feel as if he was right. His dad can be pretty wrong sometimes, but never admit it in front of my son. So yup... a referee... a losing referee cause I can't take any sides to help;)

[Emland]

You haven't lived until you have a special needs teenager look at you and sigh like you are completely clueless.

[startover22]

True Em... I should just shush;)