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Dear Reader,
Today's column is written by Diane Martin, a stay at home mother of four children.
Four children! I'm amazed she found the time to enter the Write a Dear Reader Contest, but I'm so glad she did. Diane's column was chosen as one of the runner-up winners. Congratulations Diane! Thank you for entering and keep writing.--Suzanne Beecher
The Toilet Paper Fairy lives at my house. Or so my kids think.
The same goes for the Paper Towel Fairy and the Counter Cleaning Fairy. Most homes have the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, and the Easter Bunny, but my children fervently believe in these lesser-known fantasy creatures.
In case you're unfamiliar, the Toilet Paper Fairy's job is to replace the empty toilet paper roll on the spool, because, obviously, time was too short for the last child to endure that monumental task of removing the empty roll and replacing it with the new roll visibly positioned on the shelf within arm's reach. Or maybe this child was so focused on thoroughly washing his hands before leaving the bathroom that he simply forgot to replace it. One can hope.
My children also believe in the Paper Towel Fairy. Although they are acutely aware of the location of extra paper towels, I often find the empty roll still clamped in place under the kitchen cabinet. Feigning optimism, I hope it was left this way because the child used the last paper towel to clean his mess; then, after walking across the kitchen to throw it away, he noticed the full trash can which he decided to empty, thus causing him to forget about the empty paper towel roll. Yeah, one can hope. Paper Towel Fairy: Get to work!
My kitchen is also visited by the Counter Cleaning Fairy. As my children have grown in independence, they make their own breakfasts, school lunches, and snacks. But with this increased responsibility come additional messes. Regularly, my countertops display dried spots of sticky ice cream or Pop-Tart wrappers that don't get thrown away. And thanks to drink dyes, my white countertop is often stained in various shades of the rainbow. But maintaining my spirit of hopefulness, maybe the child didn't notice the mess he left, because he was so eager to get back to his homework or to be of assistance to a younger sibling in need. One can hope. Well, the Counter Cleaning Fairy was due for a visit anyway.
Once my children have grown and moved out, I hope that these fabled beings no longer need to visit. Or I might just find that my husband was the guilty "child" all along.
Diane Martin
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