"The Tooth Fairy Didn't Take My Fingernail"
We started writing down memorable things the kids said, starting when they were very young. The journal captured more of their personality, humor, fears, and wisdom than photos ever could. As adults, we had forgotten how the world looks with the fresh perspective of youth, but the kids reminded us.
If you want to try this with your family, keep your ears open and get the words down on paper within five minutes. With practice, you get better at listening to the wisdom of your children and saving it for posterity.
You have to buy me new sandals
The Hungry Christian I am too Jewish
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The Size of People
People are little of cars
So they could fit inside.
Sarah, 5 years
I love Mama, and Matthew, and you,
No Substitutions Allowed The Tooth Fairy
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Who's The Boss?
I ate all the crunchy part.
I didn't eat everything you said,
But Mom said I could have some ice cream.
She's the most in charge of me.
Sarah, 5 years
I don't want to go upstairs alone
The Animal Protection League We'll never, ever kill a pig
And Now a Word From... You see,
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First Time Out At Night
Sun is dark!
Matthew 2 1/2 years
Are You Sleeping?
Matthew's wide asleep
'Cause I did this to him,
Hard,
And he didn't wake up.
Sarah, 5 1/2 years
| The Test of Value Kittens should cost money
I love kittens best in the whole,
wide world...
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I'll Let You Know
I'll play with you after dinner...
Maybe,
But if I don't come,
I won't come.
OK?
Sarah, 6 years
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Hey Dad!
I drank the whole cup of water
Before you could say,
"Expafragile..."
That part.
Before you could say that.
Sarah, 6 years
Late Autumn
Those trees are all bare.
They took all their makeup off.
Sarah, 6 years
Innocence Lost
The only thing
That's real on TV
Is sports.
Sarah, 6 1/2 years
| Remember Halloween, Mom? I was Robin,
Appearances Are Deceiving I wasn't crying;
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All In A Day's Work
What you do at work, Dad?
I make telephones.
When you get done
With all those telephones,
You come back. OK?
Matthew, 3 1/2 years
It doesn't hurt...
When I get Four,
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The Brownie Handbook A handbook means
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A Free Choice
Matthew,
Do you want the Colgate,
Or the kind you don't like?
Sarah, 7 years
This is called a Tooth Fairy
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Faith
Give it to my Daddy.
He can do it.
He can do anything!
Matthew, 4 years
Children's Day
There should be
A Children's Day
Like there's a Mother's Day
And a Father's Day.
Sarah, 7 years
Matthew's Fall
My floor is the slipperiest!
It's fun...
Sometimes...
Not for Matthew.
Sarah, 7 years
Four-Poster Bed
Hey, your bed is
Upside down.
Matthew, 4 years
Door In The Ground
Does that go to the basement,
Or to the Devil?
Matthew, 4 years
Parents' Punishment
I'm not going to talk to anyone
Until I'm all grown up!
Sarah, 7 years
Homemade Pasta
Yankee Doodle made macaroni
That looks like a feather.
He didn't make it right,
But we do.
Matthew, 4 years
Who Will I Be?
When I grow up to a daddy,
I'm still Matthew.
Matthew, 4 years
Body Language
When I run,
My body goes,
"Slosh, slosh"
'Cause I drank soda.
Matthew, 4 1/2 years
Cock-A-Doodle-Do
A rooster doesn't lay eggs;
They just make noise.
Matthew, 4 1/2 years
Instructions to Mom
When I say
Everything I want,
You say, "Yes."
Matthew, 4 1/2 years
Right Hand Plays the Piano
Now, listen, left hand...
Now you try...
Try again...
That's perfect!
Sarah, 7 years
Your Turn To Wash The Dishes
Now I know what it's
Like to be a
Big kid...
It's boring!
Sarah, 7 years
I Know!
Dad: This is plastic wood.
Matt: I know.
Dad: Matthew, you didn't know that!
Matt: But I always say, "I know."
Dad: But you don't always know.
Matt: I know.
Matthew, 4 1/2 years
Tomorrow
Matt: Are we going to take down the
Christmas tree the next day?
Mom: Matthew, there's no such thing as "the next
day." What is it called?
Matt: Tomorrow?
Mom: That's right.
Matt: Are we going to take down the Christmas tree
tomorrow?
Mom: No, the next day.
Matthew, 4 1/2 years
A Young Galileo
Matt: The moon's following us.
Dad: It just looks that way.
Matt: I know; we go around the moon.
Matthew, 4 1/2 years
Busses
I have a bus
Just like that one,
'Cept mine's a toy one,
And that's a live one.
Matthew, 5 years
Now I Understand
Dad: Those aren't mosquitoes, they're gnats.
Matt: Like my name, right?
Dad: No, watch my mouth... Gnats.
Matt: Oh yeah, like you swing and catch butterflies with.
Right?
Matthew, 5 years
| Why Can't We Cut Down the Tree? But the kite is new,
The Third World France doesn't have
Daddy, you're like a jungle gym.
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| Applesauce Every kid has to
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The red part
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What's in a Name?
Mountains are called "mountains"
Because they're so big!
Sarah, 8 years
Wet Tissue on the Ceiling
I didn't do it,
And Sarah was doing it too.
Matthew, 5 1/2 years
Actions Speak Louder
I don't
Lose my
Temper!...
EVER!!!
Matthew, 5 1/2 years
A Drink at Bedtime
You don't have to put your hand out
When I stop and breathe.
Everybody's gotta stop and breathe...
When we drink.
Matthew, 5 1/2 years
How to Get Clean Hair
You pull out a hair,
And a clean hair
Grows into place.
(But you don't pull out all the hairs.)
Matthew, 5 1/2 years
Mister Clean
Make the house
As bright as my eyes.
Always look at my eyes
So you 'member.
Matthew, 5 1/2 years
Time
How come that it always goes
Day and night, day and night,
Day and night, day and night?
I don't want it to always go
Day and night, day and night,
Forever!
Will I be a grampa?
Matthew, 5 1/2 years
As Tall As Mom?
Will I be taller than you
When I grow up?
Boy,
I've got a lot of growing to do.
So far I'm just a kid!
Sarah, 8 years
A Brief History of the World
Once there was
A Tyrannosaurus Rex,
And he died.
The end.
Sarah, 8 years
Mom's Good Cookin'
I'm gonna have seconds.
Three times!
Matthew, 6 years
| The Tricorn Hat Guess what kind of hat this is.
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What's she called—
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Hot Summer Road
When it looks like
Water on the road it's
Really just a
Massage.
Sarah, 9 years
Password®
Matt: Will you play that game with me, Mom?
Mom: No Matthew, you have to know how to read.
Matt: You don't know how to read??!!
Matthew, 6 years
The Washed Footstool
I liked it before
When it was sticky.
Sarah, 9 years
Keeping Track of Dad
I almost lost you.
When I looked at the car
I could see the steering wheel
But not your head.
Stay right here.
I'll be right back.
Matthew, 6 1/2 years
Bath Time
I don't need a bath.
I just took one
Two days ago.
Matthew, 6 1/2 years
The Harlem Globetrotter
When I grow up
I'm going to be black
And a basketball player.
Matthew, 6 1/2 years
| The Best Time of Year I like winter Winter is Christmas and snow,
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Spelling Bee
It's none of your
B - I - ...
Business!
Sarah, 10 years
Close Your Eyes and Play Ball
Matt: I'm praying that I hit the ball.
Sarah: I'm praying that he doesn't hit the ball.
Matthew, 7 years
Sarah, 10 years
People That Count
There are fourteen people here,
Not counting adults though.
Matthew, 7 years
Fish Story
If I catch a whale
I would throw
The fishing rod in.
Wouldn't you?
(Even if it was my favorite one!)
Matthew, 7 years
The Best Of Both Worlds
Turn my night light on.
I'm still a little kid.
But I'm big.
I'm sort of medium.
Matthew, 7 years
Svelte Dog
Bo doesn't have any fat
His fat is all muscle.
Sarah, 10 years
Winter Musical
I'm glad we don't
Hibernate in the winter
Because then going to Mom's show
Would just be a dream.
Matthew, 7 years
Blessed Are The Peacemakers
We broke up the fight
By making friends.
Matthew, 7 years
'Round Midnight
You sure can feel
The darkness under your eyes
When you're hardly awake.
Matthew, 8 years
Kids' Stuff
I want to see
"Bambi" again
Even if it is
Only rated "G."
Sarah, 11 years
The Gourmet
I like everything
With cheese in it,
Except the things I don't like
With cheese in it.
Matthew, 8 years
Rhubarb
I can't remember what it's called.
Then I look at it,
And I remember what it's called.
Matthew, 9 years
The Conservationist
When you woke me up,
I was in the middle
Of drawing a picture,
But I can start over.
The good thing is
You don't waste any paper.
Matthew, 10 years
Myth Lesson
Vampires don't like garlic,
That's a fiction fact.
Sarah, 13 years
Mom's Zucchini Soup
It has to taste bad
To be good for you.
Sarah, 13 years
Sarah's Sprayed Hair
It's bulletproof !
Matthew, 10 years
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Cheap Motels I don't want to stay
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Who's Responsible ?
Just because things need to be done
doesn't mean you need to do them
Matthew, 32 years
The End
The End