Confessions of a Modern Tooth Fairy

Losing a tooth can be as scary to a child as the imaginary monster in their closet. Some children embrace losing teeth, but others balk at the idea because that means they are growing up. Most parents buy into the idea of a tooth fairy, just the same as they pretend to be Santa or the Easter Bunny. The money found under the pillow the next morning eases the growing pains of losing teeth.

How much should the Tooth Fairy leave? That is a hot topic discussed among children at school. According to several sites that discuss this topic, the going rate is about $1 per tooth. One Presidential or Sacagawea dollar is perfect since they aren't used much in the general public anyway. Setting the bar any higher than a dollar could put a strain on households with tight budgets and several children. Giving $20 per tooth can be expensive, especially since Tooth Fairy may not remember that if one front tooth has just fallen out, the other one is usually not far behind. While some tooth fairies may leave a bit more, it is good to stay in the average so your child doesn't wonder why her friend got more money from the Tooth Fairy than they did, or worse, trying to work teeth loose that aren't ready to come out just for the money.

Much like Christmas stockings, the Tooth Fairy has the option to leave little extras under the pillow besides money. It is very easy for Tooth Fairy to leave a note about the tooth, how shiny and clean it was, etc. and then leave a toothbrush and floss to encourage good brushing and flossing habits. A "Tooth Fairy" font is available for download on the Internet for free. However, since Tooth Fairy prefers good teeth, she shouldn't leave candy as a treat. A nice extra to leave under the pillow are Chuck E. Cheese coins, but only do this if you are willing to take your child there in the near future.