The Tooth Fairy is behind again. At the rate my children are losing their teeth, one can hardly blame her.
Unlike Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny who can plan in advance for one special night, the Tooth Fairy has her schedule sprung upon her by temperamental teeth. And unlike Santa and his magical elves, the Tooth Fairy works alone.
Every now and then, when a tooth lies unclaimed for a day or two, my children issue a not-so-gentle reminder: “Mom, is the Tooth Fairy dead?”
I’ve heard that some children get big bucks for their teeth – like five dollar bills or more. No wonder people complain that raising children is expensive.
One friend admitted that her son received five dollars for his tooth because that was all she had on her at the time. Oh, the importance of a well-stocked change-jar! Without elves creeping in to replenish it, the Tooth Fairy needs to make sure she has dimes, quarters, or loonies available at all times. Pennies reproduce on their own.
The Tooth Fairy in our home knows that little ones who don’t yet understand the value of money would rather have ten sparkly pennies or five shiny dimes to jingle in her purse or pocket rather than a boring five-dollar bill.
Plain and simple, old teeth just aren’t worth much – except for, maybe, those teeny-tiny cute ones, poking through swollen baby gums, white and sharp, appearing amidst tears and cheers.
If lost baby teeth are worthless, why are the contents of the Ziploc bag in my jewelry box growing? Why is it so hard to throw away those disgusting little things?
I guess no amount the Tooth Fairy settles on will be correct since no one can put an accurate price on what those baby teeth represent: invaluable memories of precious childhoods, passing entirely too quickly.
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