Tooth Fairy No Longer Leaves Spare Change--Say It Isn't So

I had a conversation recently with someone who had mentioned that their grandchild had there first experience with the Tooth Fairy. We both brought up stories of our experiences as kids. Both stories were pretty similar.

Mine was unfortunately by accident while playing on the bars at school. The accident didn't knock it out but did loosen it a bit and I ended up  going on a trip to the dentist who took it out the rest of the way.  That night I remember putting it under my pillow and the next morning I was happy to receive fifty cents. My friends story was similar but her tooth feel out on its own but she also received fifty cents.

Times they have definitely changed. Not long after this conversation, I read an article in our local paper

entitled, "The Price of Tooth Nearing $4, Tooth Fairy No Longer Leaves Spare Change". My first thought was I know the economy and inflation go hand in hand, but really? The first sentence in the article stated, "Days of finding a quarter under your pillow are long gone". Wow, do they really have to be?  According to the article kids today are averaging  $3.70 per lost tooth, up 23% from 2012. This was according to a survey by Visa, Inc. Ok my first thought was really, Visa the credit card company! Next you will tell me because change is becoming obsolete parents are giving Visa debt cards as payment.

Of course they also have an Tooth Fairy Calculator app that can give parents an idea by age group, income bracket and education level to determine what to give. Really, has it become that hard to decide? I really don't believe our parents spent that much time thinking about the situation. I am sure that they basically saw what small token they could provide. It wasn't necessary back in the day to break the bank and at the age you usually lose teeth I am sure the big topic of conversation of the day wasn't how much we got.

One good point in the article was that this is a good time to bring up if you do decide to rob Ft. Knox for the Tooth Fairy make it an opportunity to discuss smart money habits (save a little spend a little).

Demographics also comes into play with the Tooth Fairy according to the Visa study, Kids in the Northwest average $4.10 per tooth, West and South get $3.70, Midwest kids received $3.30. But, thank goodness there were a third of parents surveyed who said the Tooth Fairy left a dollar or less.

Really good parents also included a kids toothbrush and tooth paste with the money.

I guess what I took away and also shared with my daughter since it will be in her near future to deal with this is:  Don't try and keep up with the" Jones" and keep it fun. Don't let the times and inflation make a memorable experience into a big deal.

The other funny thing about this was that someone on my Facebook page posted a cartoon that said something to the effect of what would happen if an elderly person put there dentures underneath their pillow? I'm glad to say I am not in that category, so if someone wants to try this idea, let me know if the Tooth Fairy came and what she left YOU