“So, what’s the Tooth Fairy giving your friends these days?” I casually slip into the conversation.
“I think it’s around $100,” my 6-year-old says. Whoa. I’m not sure our loose change jar can handle that one.
My son and I have been through many milestones together
What is the going rate for a tooth?
After talking with some other moms, it seems the payout varies. There are Tooth Fairies leaving silver dollars and some leaving $5 bills due to inflation. Then there are the Tooth Fairy backup plans that I never thought to back up, because what happens if we lose physical evidence?
Turns out that my kid lost his first tooth while eating a slice of pizza. Both of us figured there was only one way to find his tooth again and neither of us had the courage to look for it. Quickly adapting, he decided to write a note and explain the situation. While he was putting blue marker to construction paper, I secretly checked the Tooth Fairy’s wallet. She only had a $20 bill. Oops.
This fateful evening my husband was out of town, so unless my dog was going to quietly slip to the ATM, my son would have to take a check. After phoning my husband, it turned out he had some cash stashed in his desk, complete with a $5 bill. We were saved!
Each of these precious phases moves my son further into adulthood
That’s why I’m locking these memories away in my heart. Time moved slowly during some of the difficult stages, but looking back, I’m not sure how we got here so fast. Losing his first tooth feels like he’s leaving that baby boy behind for good, and my heart is stretching further than it can bear. It’s paying the price for all that deep love — $5 at a time.
