Tooth Fairy Politics

Before I tell this story, I need to explain that the boys have been visited by the tooth fairy only once, because when their teeth fall out, we almost never find them.  They don't get the concept of teeth-for-cash and even if they did, until recently they didn't get the concept of cash-can-buy-stuff.  So our tooth fairy experiences have revolved around Aliza.

Aliza's lost two teeth in the past couple of weeks.

With the first one, I sort of looked at her cock-eyed, because I couldn't believe she's still got teeth to lose.  She is only ten, so it's not unheard of that a couple of baby teeth have been hanging on.  It's just that when she stands in front of me showing me the tiny tooth, she is nearly tall enough to look me in the eye.

Ten.  She's only ten.  Just reminding myself....

She was enthusiastic about the tooth fairy finally having another reason to visit our house.

I'm not sure whether she still believes in the tooth fairy, or if she's keeping up the ruse in order to still get cash.  I'm leaning toward the latter.

Anyway, Mark and I have always clashed on the subject of tooth fairy (and Santa Claus and the Easter bunny, for that matter) rates of generosity.  Mark's a bit more conservative than I am.

Last time, I had no cash in my purse.  Mark had a few ones.  So he left her two of them.  I felt like it was pretty cheap.  I mean, what can you get for $1 or two, these days?  (Although the Dollar Store sure seems to come up with a lot of stuff.)

The second tooth came out last night.  She proudly displayed the nearly microscopic little thing, and announced her intention to await the tooth fairy again.

This morning (because we are up way earlier than she is), we discussed how much to leave her.  This time I only had a $5 dollar bill.  Mark had only a $1.  One dollar.  He thought we should leave that out for her.

I worked my brain a little, and said I could leave her my $5, and tell her that it must be some sort of two-teeth-in-one-month bonus or something.  There would have to be some explanation for why the second tooth was worth so much more than the first, other than the lack of exact change in the house.

"Or the tooth fairy could ask for change," suggested Mark.  I'm not sure he was joking.

I laughed anyway.  And the tooth fairy gave Aliza the two-tooth bonus of $5.  Who knows, this may be the last time she visits us, she might as well end with a bang.