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Cultural differences: Tooth Fairy or Little Mouse
There is much more to growing up bilingual than learning two languages, the cultural influences from both cultures are just as important. In July we had a curious incident that shows the slight differences between cultures. My son has already changed a few of his baby teeth and since we live in Italy we decided to go with the Italian version of the Tooth Fairy, which is not a fairy but a little mouse. So last year when he lost his first tooth we had a visit from the little mouse who took the tooth away and left a rather good amount of coins and a note in its place – when he lost the second tooth a few days later however the amount was significantly less! That in itself caused a certain amount of questions, but the real questions started when in July during a visit to the UK another tooth left my son’s mouth in Tooth Fairy land! The grandparents made a real issue out of it – it was their first grandson’s tooth they got to say Goodbye to – so Tooth Fairy it was and rather generous too!
The Q&As
Son: mum, how is the little mouse going to smell my tooth all this way? (as the story goes the little mouse smells a milk tooth and comes to collect it)
Me: no dear, it won’t ! We are in England now so the Tooth Fairy will come to collect your tooth tonight
Son: oh, is she stronger than the little mouse? (I knew where this was going)
Me: she is very strong, she is magic
Son: what does the Tooth Fairy bring? (straight to the point)
Me: I am not sure, we’ll find out maybe a nice message
Son: so is the little mouse coming too?
Me: no it won’t make it all the way from Italy
Son: but why don’t they have little mice in England?
Me: because here the Tooth Fairy collects all baby teeth and she’s too fast so the little mouse would always get there late
Son: oh! (Doubt growing on his face)
So cute! Great example of how important it is to pay attention to the small cultural differences that will really strike our children growing up with more than one language or culture. I like how you didn’t criticize or praise one practice over the other in front of your son, by the way. Keeping it neutral lets him figure out which one he prefers (for now, at least!).
We\’ve got to Father Christmas figues, who come on different days (Christmas 25th and New Year). I figure this will get expensive. Well done for your sense in having the mouse and the tooth fairy have their own territory.
I have this same issue with my children. My older son just lost his teeth and I was worried that the French mouse and American Tooth Fairy would make him not believe in either one. But, somehow it has worked out and he seems okay with either version. Ah, trusting childhood innocence!
Interesting that both France and Italy have a mouse, it must be a European thing. What about Spain?
I’m still a a couple of years away from having to deal with this, but it’ll definitely be interesting once it happens…
I don’t know if it’s a European thing or not, but in Latin America we also have “el ratoncito” or the little mouse. I didn’t grow up with the Tooth Fairy, so I don’t have a particular link to it, but we live in the States and I can’t ignore that and the fact that my daughter will compare notes with her American friends. So, again, it shall be an interesting event once it happens…