I remember the panic that set in the very first time my child lost her tooth because it happened so quickly and I wasn’t prepared.
My husband and I hadn’t discussed how we were going “to do” the whole Tooth Fairy thing and I couldn’t find any change for the life of me.
It all worked out in the end, but I obviously never forgot that “trauma”. And, to be honest, no one really prepares you for it. It’s not in any parenting guides that I read and moms don’t really sip coffee discussing all the neat things they do for those special occasions.
So when my daughter left the Tooth Fairy a letter explaining how she was going to sleep in her big sister’s bed, I loved the idea and decided to create a miniature Tooth Fairy letter for parents to print out and leave under their kid’s pillows.
It’s not a new idea, there are tons of options available online, including Tooth Fairy cards, Tooth Fairy Apology letters (brilliant!) and even cute certificates. I love them all.
But I am a sucker for all things tiny so I created a tiny Tooth Fairy letter with a matching envelope that you just fill in the child’s name, slip in some money, and slide it under your child’s pillow.
They’re going to love it! Even my teenaged daughters said they wish I had done it for them when they were young. (Sorry, kids, Mommy wasn’t that creative back then.)
If you are a parent facing the Tooth Fairy questions for the first time, let me help you out with some useful answers I’ve collected for you.
What is the going rate for the Tooth Fairy?
Delta Dental does an annual poll of the average amount parents the Tooth Fairy doles out for each tooth. Turns out, my kids have been short-changed. (Don’t tell them!)
You are free to go off this graph or you can use your best judgment. We always told our kids that they never knew how much the Tooth Fairy was going to leave. It could be a quarter or a couple of dollars.
Although, we always told them the Tooth Fairy likes to leave an extra-large gift for one special tooth. The kids always got excited the night before, wondering if that tooth was the special tooth. (It was usually $5 and often left it on nights when the tooth pulling was harder than usual.)
Some parents choose not to leave money but choose to leave candy or small gifts. We never seemed to have either lying around and money seemed easier to get our hands on, so we stuck with money. But you do you.
Does the Tooth Fairy leave a note?
As I mentioned earlier, my daughter left a note one night and of course, the Tooth Fairy isn’t rude, so she left a note in return. But that was the only time. Because the Tooth Fairy wasn’t creative in my kid’s younger days.
Had she been more creative, or just thoughtful, she probably would have. Because Santa always left a note. Not sure why the Tooth Fairy never caught on. It’s a complete mystery.
But if your kid’s would love to receive a note like my kid’s would have, then don’t forget to get your free printable version above, they really are SO cute!
What do you write in a Tooth Fairy note?
The letter I created is pretty short, sweet and to the point. But if you want to get creative, you can make it very personal and add all sorts of fun tidbits.
Or, if your child would like to get the ball rolling, why not have them write a note first, then you can have the above letter all ready to go after they fall asleep.
(I sometimes include affiliate links, which means I might make a small commission off any purchases you make, at no additional cost to you. You can read my full disclosure here or at the end of this post.)
Is the Tooth Fairy a girl?
Well, in our family, we have all girls so, of course, the Tooth Fairy is a girl. But a house full of boys might not be fond of the idea of a tutu-wearing fairy flying around in their room.
The sky’s the limit here, be creative, and come up with something fun. If you need some inspiration, watch Rise Of the Guardians
, I love their spin on holiday characters. (Santa with tattoos…love it!)
Why did the Tooth Fairy not come?
Oh goodness, nothing rips out a parent’s heart quite like seeing the disappointment on their child’s face when they come to the breakfast table still holding their tooth.
Talk about needing to be creative on the spot! I’m ashamed to say this has happened more than once in our home. *hanging head in shame*
When it happened the first time, I have to admit that I got defensive and thought of saying something about the Tooth Fairy not wanting to work in messy conditions or the fact that the Tooth Fairy is busy and couldn’t wait around all night for the chatty child to fall asleep.
But their dissappointment stayed my irritation (at myself) and instead of making the child feel like it was their fault the Tooth Fairy was a no-show, I blamed the magical being.
I don’t remember exactly the lie excuse I gave, something about addresses getting mixed up, it was storming too hard outside or maybe I just said the tooth Fairy was swamped.
But then I worked in some extra excitement and told them that I heard that when the tooth Fairy doesn’t make it the first night, she really makes up for it the second. That always seems to do the trick.
Then I set an alarm, call my husband to bring home extra cash, and pray I don’t fall asleep before my kiddo.
Does the Tooth Fairy Leave or Take the tooth?
This is entirely up to you. But I liked the flexibility of saying it’s up to the Tooth Fairy. And of course, if my child was extra partial to that tooth, the Tooth Fairy always left it.
Tips for Being the Tooth Fairy
Being the Tooth Fairy is not for the faint of heart, let me tell you. Sneaking into a child’s room whose radar is on high alert for the sound of beating wings makes stepping on a toy more dangerous than ever before.
And once you go in for the switch, it feels a lot like diffusing a bomb. At least that’s how I think I would feel if I were faced with the choice of blue wire or red wire.
I have learned a few things that have helped me get out of some pretty tough situations, though.
- Keep the tooth in a Ziploc bag. This makes for easier grabbing.
- OR, you can have a designated place for your tooth to await transfer that isn’t under your child’s head. This one
is a neat idea! - SET AN ALARM! I can’t tell you how many times this has saved my forgetful self!
- If you are caught making the switch in the morning, with money in your hand, say you found it on the edge of the bed and “Look! the Tooth Fairy even let you keep your tooth!” (Yes, this really works. Yes, I know I’m a sorry excuse for a magical being.)
- If you are caught making the switch at night, just confirm you are checking to make sure the tooth is still there. They’ll thank you and go back to bed.
- Use the older children as back-ups and collaborators. They love keeping the magic alive and helping out in a tight fix.
- Keep extra cash on hand. Do not use it for anything else. Because the moment you do, your kid will lose a tooth at school and you will be making a late-night run for cash or digging through all your junk drawers for loose change. Without fail. It’s Murphy’s law.
- Make it unique and fun for your kids. You can read The Night Before the Tooth Fairy or make some signs to hang on the bedroom door directing the Tooth Fairy to the right pillow. (This also serves as a great reminder for you. Hint. Hint.)
is a neat idea!
or make some signs to hang on the bedroom door directing the Tooth Fairy to the right pillow. (This also serves as a great reminder for you. Hint. Hint.)
Whatever you decide to do for your family, remember, this is all meant to be a fun, magical time for your kids, not a stressful, tear-filled experience for mom or dad. A little preparation (and creativity) can go a long way.
And remember, you don’t have to be the best Tooth Fairy that ever lived. Trust me, your kids will love you the Tooth Fairy just the way she is.
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, but if I am recommending an item in my post, it is only because I have used it myself or have done enough research on the product to feel it is a good fit for my readers.
About the author
Kimberly McGraw is the founder of Life Worth the Living, a blog focused on helping mothers live their best life. Her desire is to help moms find purpose in who they are as a person, not just as a mom. Life Worth the Living has been featured in Making Sense of Cents, Outwit Trade and Believe and Create.
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