Last summer, my five-year-old daughter, Lily, had quite the mishap on her bike. I had just added pedals to her balance bike, and though she was getting the hang of it, her confidence got the best of her during a ride to the store with her mom. The result? Both of her front teeth were knocked out. Naturally, this was a distressing moment for her and for us as parents.
If you want to hear a five-year-old lament about misfortune and demand popsicles, just wait for them to crash their bike and lose their front teeth. My partner and I felt genuinely sorry for Lily, especially with her adorable new whistle sound at the end of each sentence, so we decided to invoke the magic of the Tooth Fairy.
Lily placed her two lost teeth under her pillow, and the following morning, she discovered a new toy and a note from the Tooth Fairy praising her bravery. In previous instances, we had always left a dollar under her pillow, but given the circumstances, we decided to go above and beyond this time.
To be honest, the single dollar we typically leave is already more than I ever received as a child. Back in my day, a quarter sufficed. But times have changed, and it seems many parents are outdoing each other to create an unforgettable Tooth Fairy experience, regardless of the situation.
I’ve seen some outrageous social media posts about parents going all out for the Tooth Fairy. An informal survey revealed that most parents give a sliding scale of rewards, starting with one to two dollars for the first tooth but some are shelling out as much as $50 for that initial tooth. Seriously? If you do the math, a child can lose up to 20 teeth during childhood. At $50 a tooth, that’s a staggering total of a thousand dollars! For many families, that amount could cover a mortgage payment.
I also wonder about the children who discuss these amounts at school. It brings to mind a viral post I came across from a social worker, who highlighted how extravagant gifts from Santa can make kids from less affluent families feel inadequate. I suspect the same issue arises with the Tooth Fairy’s gifts.
As if the trend couldn’t get any more peculiar, some parents are saving their children’s teeth and crafting them into tooth monster dolls. To each their own, but if my parents had given me a doll filled with my own teeth, I would have been utterly horrified. One individual even shared that their mother collected their teeth to make a necklace, which still gives them chills to this day. Yet, they still seem to treasure that necklace, so perhaps there’s sentimental value in it.
Some parents have taken to painting the money gold or scattering glitter in the child’s room. Others even constructed a miniature door for the Tooth Fairy. While it sounds charming, I was quickly reminded that my daughter’s bedroom door doesn’t actually close properly, so I should prioritize that first.
Many parents shared their own humorous mishaps of accidentally slipping larger bills under pillows than intended, which I can relate to. Others skip the Tooth Fairy ritual entirely, opting for a casual exchange where the parent simply hands over cash for the lost tooth.
One endearing tradition I stumbled upon involves children writing heartfelt notes to the Tooth Fairy. Many of these notes come from a genuine place, and I find that sweet. After reading through numerous comments on the Tooth Fairy topic, it seems most parents tend to leave anywhere from a quarter to a dollar. Many admit to being inconsistent about the Tooth Fairy’s visits, often depending on what they can find in their pockets late at night.
As a parent who frequently encounters posts from others who make the Tooth Fairy experience extravagant, reading these comments made me feel more relatable. It’s clear that while some parents go overboard with the Tooth Fairy, the majority of us are simply doing our best. And that’s perfectly okay. At the end of the day, we may not stress ourselves out trying to keep up, and our children will still love us just the same.
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Summary
The blog discusses the increasingly extravagant gifts that parents give in the name of the Tooth Fairy, contrasting current practices with those of the past. While some parents go to great lengths, most are simply trying to navigate parenting without the added pressure of competition. The article highlights the importance of authenticity over extravagance in parenting.
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