Jersey #3, lost another tooth this weekend. Our son. Our 4-year-old son. He is now missing 3 teeth. All are missing from the top front of his smile. This is SO not normal.
Normal would be a kindergarten/1st grade child losing a tooth. A 5 or 6 year old losing a first tooth. A bottom tooth. Bottom teeth first, along the same pattern that they grow in to begin with.
Normal would be a baby tooth being pushed out by the permanent tooth attempting to grow into its place. The baby tooth becomes loose, wiggles, and falls out. That is the way it is suppose to go.
Instead of normal, we get the experience of a 4-year-old boy wrecking on his bicycle last summer, and knocking his top front teeth loose. They could have firmed back up on their own. Should have. Would have. Could have.....IF he had left them alone. Instead, we have a son who just cannot stand the sensation of loose teeth in his mouth. His tongue wiggled them constantly. We would catch him wiggling them with his fingers while watching TV. Reminding him to leave his teeth alone has only delayed the inevitable. Over the course of the last 5 months, he has wiggled 3 of the original 4 loose teeth right out of his mouth.
Normal children would be self-conscious about their smile. The public comments, "Oh My! What happened to your teeth?" would be embarrassing. They would be concerned that their teeth did not look similar to their friends and peers.
Instead of the normal response, Jersey #3 is thrilled! He smiles for everyone and shows off his progress in wiggling out his teeth. He is proud of his bicycle story. He is proud of his smile. With only 1 top tooth in center remaining, he says that now he looks like Larry the Cucumber from Veggie Tales.
Normal would be a kindergarten/1st grade child losing a tooth. A 5 or 6 year old losing a first tooth. A bottom tooth. Bottom teeth first, along the same pattern that they grow in to begin with.
Normal would be a baby tooth being pushed out by the permanent tooth attempting to grow into its place. The baby tooth becomes loose, wiggles, and falls out. That is the way it is suppose to go.
Instead of normal, we get the experience of a 4-year-old boy wrecking on his bicycle last summer, and knocking his top front teeth loose. They could have firmed back up on their own. Should have. Would have. Could have.....IF he had left them alone. Instead, we have a son who just cannot stand the sensation of loose teeth in his mouth. His tongue wiggled them constantly. We would catch him wiggling them with his fingers while watching TV. Reminding him to leave his teeth alone has only delayed the inevitable. Over the course of the last 5 months, he has wiggled 3 of the original 4 loose teeth right out of his mouth.
Normal children would be self-conscious about their smile. The public comments, "Oh My! What happened to your teeth?" would be embarrassing. They would be concerned that their teeth did not look similar to their friends and peers.
Instead of the normal response, Jersey #3 is thrilled! He smiles for everyone and shows off his progress in wiggling out his teeth. He is proud of his bicycle story. He is proud of his smile. With only 1 top tooth in center remaining, he says that now he looks like Larry the Cucumber from Veggie Tales.
He ran immediately to dress up in the Larry Costume to show us.
There is a part of me that feels bad that my child will have this toothless smile for at least a couple years (because the permanent teeth on top do not grow in until around age 7). It is a little shocking to see so many missing teeth on such a young child, so he will continue to draw attention and comments. It is just not normal.
And then I look at that silly, toothless smile and it makes me smile. I see his eyes light up as he beams with pride, and I giggle. This is the child who humbles me. Just when I think I know what I am doing as a Mom, he throws me for a loop. He makes me question every priority I have. He brings me to my knees.....
There is a part of me that feels bad that my child will have this toothless smile for at least a couple years (because the permanent teeth on top do not grow in until around age 7). It is a little shocking to see so many missing teeth on such a young child, so he will continue to draw attention and comments. It is just not normal.
And then I look at that silly, toothless smile and it makes me smile. I see his eyes light up as he beams with pride, and I giggle. This is the child who humbles me. Just when I think I know what I am doing as a Mom, he throws me for a loop. He makes me question every priority I have. He brings me to my knees.....
Dear God, please give me the strength to raise this boy. Please give me the grace to not judge him as flawed. Please give me just a piece of his joy, so that I may see Larry the Cucumber in all the holes in my life!
I am blessed to be this child's Mom. God made him special...and He loves him very much!
Here's praying he gets his "adult" teeth early! But, he was very proud of his loose tooth on Sunday, so at least he is happy!
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