The Tooth Fairy Dilemma

I don't really know how most families handle the Tooth Fairy issue...it is, as most family issues are, a private, personal matter I suppose. Daniel seemed to fully embrace the idea (A fact that probably horrifies him today!) that a small winged creature flew in through a window and exchanged shiny coins for a tooth. One day, a day that still lives in infamy, he came home from school and let me know that he now knew Mom and Dad were Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny, the Leprechaun that visited on March 17th and the Tooth Fairy. We lost them all in one fell swoop. A dark day for Mommy to say the least. Darned older kids...hmpf.

Gracie fully embraces these visitors and loves each one dearly. She adores the ideas of fairies, a fact that is reinforced by some of the DVDs she loves to watch. Have you seen "Fairy Tale, A True Story"? So precious...or "Kristin's Fairy House"? Sweet.

Grace's fairy, "Tammy", has left a few notes, bits of pixie dust (She seems to be a tad messy) and leaves 8 shiny, new quarters for each tooth. Now, and here is where it gets tricky, we have a dilemma over the money issue. Daniel received 4 quarters. I always got one quarter...oh so many years ago. Uh huh..back in the dark ages. I figured, inflation being a factor, that 4 were just fine for Dan. It was Dan who decided that "Tammy" should leave his little sister 8. I guess inflation is a much bigger problem these days. But I digress....

It came to my attention early on that some of Grace's friends felt they were being, how should I say this, um...*neglected* by their fairies. They reported that their teeth were not quite fetching such vast amounts of money. Oh my...I had stepped into the cesspool that IS the Tooth Fairy dilemma with both of my flaky, flat feet.

Then, this week, I hear about a family that blogged (relayed to me by a dear friend) about their child's first foray into teeth loss. It seems that THEIR fairy is quite the generous pixie.

Their child received one very un-shiny 20 dollar bill. Uh huh. I said $20. For one tooth.

Obviously I have neglected to keep up with the times...or those proverbial Jones. I guess that we Ohioans are a sad lot as I looked up (Yes, you CAN find such information on the web) what the average fairy in Ohio leaves for a tooth. It would seem that most Ohio families are happy

when their fairy bestows 2-4 quarters (Or the equivalent amount in dimes and nickles) on each child. Of course maybe we are all hayseeds and a bit unsophisticated at heart. Okay, maybe that is just me but I digress again....

I do know that there is no way in Grace's lifetime that she will ever get $20 from the tooth fairy. Especially since she has, on 2 occasions, lost 2 teeth at once. She is to have her last 5 primary teeth removed by a pediatric oral surgeon next month. The darned things seem unwilling to leave their present home base and need to go to make way for her upcoming orthodontic work.

Now, at $20 a pop, well, you can do the math. (Me, maybe not...I am mathphobic after all. I might need to use all my fingers and toes for this one).

She always saves her financial dental windfalls and gives part of each haul to charity. Still, and I am taking the long winded way to reach this question, I want to know if I am just out of touch with the ways of the modern world.

(Uh huh, I KNOW I am on most subjects but, for now, we will stick to this one)Around our neck of the woods, the fairy seems a tad generous...but, in comparison to other parts of the US, old "Tammy" looks like a skinflint! Just what I need, a cheap, tightwad fairy hanging around. Dang.

I hope you are all having a sweet Wednesday.

Hugs,

Susie Q