“How much does the tooth fairy give these days?”
It’s a comment that pops up every couple months on some of the mommy groups I belong to. Comments can range anywhere from $1 to $20 a tooth. If your kiddo hasn’t lost teeth yet (especially if it’s your eldest), I highly recommend deciding NOW your plan for the tooth fairy.
While a crisp $5 is fine, you might want to keep a secret stash of your tooth fairy gifts so you’d don’t get caught in the night with nothing but a $20 in the house – or even no cash at all. And if you want to know the math – kids lose 20 teeth over the course of early childhood, so whatever you choose – multiply! Here are 5 non-traditional ideas for the tooth fairy.
Dollar Coins
The novelty of a “gold coin” is likely new and exciting. Head to the bank and get a $20 roll of dollar coins and store it somewhere hidden from little eyes and hands. Leave a note and a dollar coin from the tooth fairy.
Foreign Money
A close friend of mine did this. She had a collection of random foreign money from her travels and would have the tooth fairy leave foreign currency. It was so unique and exotic – her children looked forward to the money left from the tooth fairy’s world travels.
Dollar Store Trinkets
If you have a child that will either not have interest, nor not be dazzled by money – head to the dollar store and get 20 trinkets. Ideas can include: small cars, coloring books, stickers, and small stuffed animals.
Tooth Fairy Gold
Your child will be dazzled by specialized tooth fairy gold! Amazon sells a set of Tooth Fairy Gold Coins that you can purchase now and keep hidden away. It helps reduce the stress of finding cash and brings whimsy to the money concept.
Candy
Another non-money treat can be to leave a piece of candy from the tooth fairy. Make it more magical by wrapping it in colorful paper, adding a pinch of glitter, or accompany it with a note. If you’re concerned it sends a message contradictory to proper teeth care, include a toothbrush as well!
Messaging about how everyone has different fairies
My son came home in kindergarten announcing that his best friend lost a tooth and the tooth fairy gave $20. Imagine my panic – my son had two loose teeth! Twenty teeth at $20 a piece … that’s $400 a child! This was not going to be an option for our family. From the start, I acknowledged that this was very exciting for his friend. I also explained that there were many tooth fairies and the tooth fairy choses a special treat for her child. In addition, we prepared for the tooth fairy by getting a Tooth Fairy Kit that came with a book, pillow to leave the tooth and booklet to track teeth. This brought a level of excitement to the process and also reduced fears about the pain of losing a tooth.
The tooth fairy is a cherished tradition in many American households. Whether you decide to practice this tradition or not, my biggest piece of advice is to realize it needs to be sustainable over the course of years and to “do the math” that you need 20. Let us know your non-traditional ideas for the tooth fairy!
