A Fairy price
How much $ for a tooth?
I gulped when I looked down at my phone. My mother-in-law was calling me. No, she isn’t one of those mother-in-laws to fear, but she watches our little boy while we’re at work. Something may be wrong.
I answered the phone nervously, not sure what I was about to hear. And I wasn’t prepared for it either.
“Hello Daddy!”
“Jack?”
“Yes! Guess what?!”
“What?”
“I lost a tooth!”
Yes, that loose tooth who had been clinging so stubbornly to our little boy’s gums had finally given up and came out while he was at art summer camp. The camp is only two hours long, but apparently some of the older kids in there had convinced him to stop wiggling the tooth and just yank it out. Sure, it was the same advice his mother and I had given him, but we’re not as wise and seasoned as third graders apparently.
Awesome, his first tooth was gone. But then I asked myself, “How much does the Tooth Fairy give for a first tooth?”
I called my wife to ask her and wasn’t surprised to learn that she had already been asking everyone on Facebook how much she (is the Tooth Fairy a she? I’m confused because of the amazing performances on screen of The Rock and Larry The Cable Guy) leaves.
We weren’t sure and to complicate matters, our little guy had just gotten his allowance taken away for the week for not cleaning up his toys. He’s a stubborn guy. He takes after his mom I think.
So, should the Tooth Fairy still leave money for Jack after he had his allowance taken away from him? Hmmmm … I did not envy that Fairy’s decision.
Somewhere, along the way the Tooth Fairy decided on a price. Ironically, it was the same amount as he would have gotten for his allowance - $5, with a promise of a $1 per tooth from here on out. Ironically again, that was the consensus among those who posted on my wife’s Facebook page. The Tooth Fairy must be socially active too. Who knew?
So what do you all think out there? Did the, ahem, Tooth Fairy make the right decision or is she as much of pushover as our son’s parents?
About the author
Jeff Calaway is the Information and Publications Specialist at Cook Children’s and a contributing writer to this Web site. Jeff is a husband and father. He loves running and Bruce Springsteen, although not necessarily in that order.
