Parents of the world, can we please discuss a serious issue that affects all our children? I’m talking about the Tooth Fairy, of course. We really need to talk, because this imaginary pixie just doesn't play fair. Sure, she bestows gifts upon each of our children for their lost enamel chompers but, for some reason, gives some kids a much better congratulatory token than others.What gives?
When I was a child, the Tooth Fairy gave me a quarter for each tooth. I may have gotten a dollar once, but I'm pretty sure it was always a quarter. I don’t think I was alone because as a mother I have heard other parents bemoan the cost of molar inflation. Last year my neighbor’s kid magically found a $20 bill under her pillow when she lost her first tooth. Twenty dollars! Thankfully Lily was a year away from losing her first tooth and didn't remember what the girl was given. However, my other neighbor’s daughter (Kathy, from the previous post) gets presents such as a puzzle, dolls and other toys.
“I get a dollar,” Lily said when Kathy bragged about her recent treasure. She looked at me as if to say, “Hey, what gives?”
In reality she gets a special dollar – the golden Sacagawea dollar – but a dollar nonetheless. “Wow,” I said to her. “The Tooth Fairy must just give children what they need.” She turned her back on me and walked away.
Shouldn’t there be a rule? Like, maybe, kids are not allowed to discuss what they get from the Tooth Fairy?
Lily lost her third tooth yesterday. The loss was premature; Aimee had yanked something out of Lily’s mouth and made the slightly wiggly tooth extra loose. Lily came to me yesterday afternoon and said, “Mommy, it’s out!” I congratulated her and told her to put the tooth in its box so the Tooth Fairy (that unfair wench) could find it. (Lily has a porcelain box in the shape of a tooth that she keeps on her nightstand. I got it for her because I always feared I wouldn’t be able to find the tiny incisor if it were under her pillow.)
This morning she brought out a Susan B. Anthony dollar (Our Tooth Fairy likes to mix it up). “She just gave me a dollar,” she said slightly defeated. Her voice had a hint of confusion. “I thought she would give me a toy.”
I reminded her she was saving for something special. "A dollar is a lot of money," I said. She started to smile. “Oh, yeah,” she said.
If you have a similar story to share, please post a comment. Or, if you have a way to deal with the unfair elf who delivers outlandishly expensive gifts to your friend's kids, also post a comment. Or e-mail me at areluctantmom@yahoo.com - I love hearing from you.
(For a fun site devoted to all things related to the Tooth Fairy, click here.)
2 comments:
The TF was a feminist when I was a girl, too! I always got a Susan B Anthony dollar as well, and was thrilled to get it-held on to them like grim death, too. It wasn't just any dollar, it was a special one! (I used my laaaaast one to pay admission to visit the Susan B Anthony house/museum when we moved to Rochester, NY.)
Back when I was a kid, there were others getting more "substantial" stuff from the tooth fairy. I remember asking about it and my parents looking bemused. From my hazy memory, I think they agreed with me that it was odd that the TF would leave different things to different kids and left it at that.
Given that Santa leaves different things, this wasn't too much of a stretch for me. My tooth fairy leavings were my introduction to feminism, and opened the door to a lot of inquiry and discussion. Especially with my dad.
We now have sacajawea dollars, presidential dollars and state quarters in addition to the good ol' SBA. I'll be turning my dad's great idea into a family tradition when the time comes. And we'll both know that the tooth fairy was saving the best for her.
Our kids have no use for money (their own), so the tooth fairy leaves them special chocolates (Dove). Helps rot the remaining teeth.
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