Tooth Fairy 101: When the fairy does not show.
Did you know that some parents are dipping $5 bills (and coins) in glitter, and hanging miniature doll house doors on the wall for the Tooth Fairy to enter through? There is fairy dust, tiny fairy footprints, even tiny letters you can create to keep your child believing.
Thanks to Pinterest, moms everywhere feel the need to up their Tooth Fairy game.
Generations ago, baby teeth were buried in gardens to prevent witches from stealing them and curses being placed on the children who lost the teeth. It was also believed that planting the teeth aided in the growth of the permanent teeth. By the 1920’s, families had transitioned to pillows instead of flower pots; they included gifts in exchange for the teeth.
Today, most families still utilize the under-the-pillow method, and most often, they opt for money as the gift for exchange. Whether the exchange is Pinterest-worthy or not, that is up to each family.
But wait... What if the Tooth Fairy flat out forgets to show up? What if your child wakes up in the morning devastated that her tooth is still there?
It can be quite hard to think on your toes in a moment like this, so we've created a list of amazing excuses as to why that little fairy missed your house. Don't worry, they'll keep your child believing.
When The Tooth Fairy Does Not Show
The younger the child, the easier it is to pull off these tiny white lies.
- She was running low on fairy dust and couldn’t make the flight.
- She heard you waking up and had to disappear fast.
- She got lost.
- She may have a cold – or the fairy pox.
- There was inclement weather leaving Baton Rouge and she had to stop for the night.
- She sent you a snap chat saying she was on vacation.
- You forgot that yesterday was the Tooth Fairy’s birthday! She must have had a surprise party.
- Too many children lost a tooth yesterday and she couldn’t carry them all.
- She’s trying new hours, and she’ll be by when you aren’t looking today!
- There was a fairy wedding last night and she got to throw fairy dust all over the bride and groom.
- She ran out of money and the fairy bank was closed for night.
- It was a full moon and fairies go swimming and celebrate all night every time there is a full moon.
- There could be a fairy strike because kids aren’t brushing their teeth well enough.
- Her best friend invited her over for a sleepover; she’ll be back to work tonight.
- Maybe the Tooth Fairy has been working really, really, really hard lately. Her schedule is overflowing and she is just off her game. Maybe she just forgot.
To Keep the Tooth or Toss it?
Do you stockpile your kids' baby teeth? Do you drop them in the kitchen trash? While most parents opt to trash the teeth, quite a few hold on them. (Why? Sentimental value? We aren't quite sure.)
If you are on the fence about keeping or tossing the teeth, you may be interested in this:
Some people are actually paying to store their children’s teeth.
Like the umbilical cord, there are precious stem cells inside of these teeth. While science has not figured out just what to do with these cells, it seems true that they may be precious commodity. Prices can range from $850 to $1,750 with annual storage fees averaging $120.
While this may seem extreme, maybe it's better than storing those teeth in your sock drawer for the next 20 years.
Vintage Giraffe
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