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A visit from the tooth fairy always creates a buzz among children. “What tooth did you lose? What did the Tooth Fairy bring you?” Because the Tooth Fairy seems to have a different style for surprising children in different families, things can get tricky when parents have to explain.
“Kids talk and my kid is disturbed that the tooth fairy only left her a dollar and left her friend $10!” said Juneau mom, Kelda Denton. That’s why some like to know how the Tooth Fairy operates in other homes.
The Going Rate
Gold dollar-coins or other small amounts of money appear to be the most popular gifts from the tooth fairy, according to many internet forums discussing the topic. This seems to be fairly standard among Juneau moms as well. But how much money is the Tooth Fairy bringing other children?
According to a poll on Squidoo.com, 25% of homes receive $1.oo from the Tooth Fairy, while 31% receive between $1.oo and $5.oo. However, the money comes in all kinds of ways. Many children receive a single gold dollar-coin for each tooth. Sometimes, children receive $1.00 in a variety of change. It’s also common for the tooth fairy to bring more for the first tooth (usually $5.00, according to online forums) and less for each tooth lost after that ($1.00). ”The first tooth got one of each: a dollar coin, a quarter, a dime, nickel & penny,” explained Juneau mom Charity Smith. Sometimes the Tooth Fairy brings coins from other countries, giving parents and children an opportunity to research and learn about where the coins came from.
If the tooth fairy brings more money some parents encourage their children to save. “Our tooth fairy spoils our kids- she leaves $5.00… but it all goes in a savings account for her next trip to Disneyland… So I figure- excite her now and let her get the $5 or dish it out in Disneyland all at once!” said Sarah Clauder, a Juneau mom.
Don’t feel bad if the Tooth Fairy brings something different every time, because that’s common too. Sometimes she may bring money, and/or a small gift. For example, Denton says the Tooth Fairy leaves a gold coin and a new tooth brush for the first top tooth lost and the first bottom tooth lost.
Commemorating Tooth Loss
Families these days have come up with a lot of creative ways of presenting lost teeth to the Tooth Fairy. “The kids have an extra small Altoids tin that they decorated, and place under the pillow with the tooth in it. Then the next morning, they have to search for the tin of money, because our tooth fairy is sneaky!” said Smith.
There are countless ideas for tooth pouches, envelopes and containers on the Internet. An easy option is to print this free Tooth Fairy Envelope from http://www.quality-kid-crafts.com. Some websites offer a variety of fancy ideas for making tooth pouches and there are even some fun kits you can buy to help you collect and organize the baby teeth, as seen on www.crazedparent.org.
Interacting with the Tooth Fairy
There are many ways the Tooth Fairy can communicate with your children. Some kids write notes. Smith says when her kids write to the Tooth Fairy she writes them back on a tiny card. Sometimes the Tooth Fairy will write letters to kids, like the ones you can download and personalize for free at www.toothfairycity.com.
The Tooth Fairy, of course, is a good expert to consult with if your kids need a little encouraging when it comes to good dental hygiene. “Every kid is excited to get their first visit from the Tooth Fairy. This is a great reason to take the opportunity to let the Tooth fairy help promote good brushing as well. This magical little note reminding your child to keep brushing because she is excited to collect nice shiny teeth will give your child something to work on. If your child starts to lose interest in brushing simply send a nice little note reminding them that the Tooth Fairy is counting on their shiny teeth,” writes T. Holfeder for http://www.toothfairycity.com.
Traditions Rule
Many families like to continue the traditions the Tooth Fairy had with their families while they were growing up. Other families like to start new ones. Kids may wonder why the Tooth Fairy doesn’t do the same thing for everyone, but perhaps it’s because the Tooth Fairy has a different relationship with each family she visits. People like it that way.
Discuss
Does the Tooth Fairy visit your home? If so, what are some of your families Tooth Fairy traditions?
