L.J. asks from Gresham, OR on May 29, 2007
How Much for First Tooth Falling Out?
My five year old has a loose tooth and a couple of her friends in her Pre-K class have lost a tooth already and so she knows all about the Tooth Fairy. When I was a kid I used to get a quarter and now I'm hearing $1 or even $5 depending on which tooth it is. I understand that this is a big deal for kids, and certainly want to give her at least a buck, but I certainly don't want to hear later on that another friend got $5 and have to explain why she didn't get the same amount. Does anyone have any advice on what I should do here.
So What Happened?™
Thanks for all of the great advice everyone. We ended up giving her a dollar and a sticker from the Tooth Fairy. We also sprinkled some magical fairy dust around her pillow. This was big hit until she started making her bed and discovered that the fairy dust was hard to get off.
Featured Answers
Y.S. answers from Medford on June 01, 2007
Hi L.,
As some of the other mom's have done. We stock up on gold dollars and .50 cent pieces. You can either give 2 half dollars or one gold dollar. Believe it or not my kids friends are envious and want to know why they don't get gold for their teeth. It's a great way to keep the cost down especially when they loose a couple very close together. We also tell them the tooth fairy only gives money for healthy clean white teeth. She won't take yucky ones with cavities.
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A.P. answers from Bellingham on May 30, 2007
When I was a kid the tooth fairy always gave me a silver dollar when I lost a tooth. It was pretty special, and I would always save them. I think that is probably what I will with my daughter.
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J.S. answers from Spokane on May 30, 2007
When I was a kid, I always got a dollar, so that's what I do for my kids....I've heard $5 even $10 for a tooth, and sorry, I just think that is ridiculous!!! :-)
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L.B. answers from Portland on May 30, 2007
Well sometimes we do money, usually the change at the bottem of my purse, though dollars are easier to slide under the pillow. We also do books or a $ store type fun thing, neck lace, (haven't gotten to a boy type gift yet for a tooth he's only 2yo).
Also an idea that would be nice now, cus my kids wake at the drop of the hat at night (though I can't get them up in the morning for school, go firgure) Is to put the tooth in a glass of water in the bathroom and in the morning the tooth fairy takes the tooth and leaves change in the glass of water. (my nieghbor does that trick)
I recived books as a child under my pillow sometimes, and to this day I still remember one of those books, (It was a picture book dictionary)I think that was for 2 teeth I had lost :)
I have also done this, we had a mix of money from around the world and we gave our 4yo at the time, a stack of coins from different countries, she thought it was pretty cool, though she couldn't spend it on anything, more of a token.
Though I have to say w/ 4 children I have forgetten to put something under the pillow. And I used the excuse "Oh my that is so not fair I can't believe she forgot!, She (tooth fairy) must have been so busy last night , or well maybe the tooth came out too close to bed time and she didn't get it on her list in time./
Anyways have fun with it!!!
P.s. Just remember if you give alot of money $5 then they will expect that or more next time too. We made that mistake w/ our 1st daughter. But she learned there was no rhym or reason to the tooth fairy's giving/payment factor.
Also My dad saved all our teeth and when we grew up (college) he gave us allll our teeth back LOL.
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A.M. answers from Portland on May 30, 2007
My son has lost four teeth he received a dollar per tooth. A golden dollar. Then the tooth fairy has to much weight to carry anymore than a dollar per tooth, and a golden dollar is different.
My aunt used to give my cousins old coins to collect. I know there are golden dollar books out there to collect them. Then maybe you could buy her something for a dollar so she can keep her coin.
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L.F. answers from Portland on May 30, 2007
I just played tooth fairy last night and my 5 yo got a quarter. My original intention was $1 but I didn't plan ahead so I had no change. He was happy with the quarter and woke me up at the crack of dawn to show me.
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J.R. answers from Seattle on May 30, 2007
I only give my daugther one dollar per tooth if we take it out together or it falls out. If the dentist pulls it out she gets three dollars.
As a child I got fifty cent pieces or a two dollar bill. Except for once when I didn't get anything, because my mom forgot to put anything in my tooth pillow, and then told me that the tooth fairy got caught in a hurricane. Next night I had a five dollar bill.
Good luck on your choice. Remember it is the choice of each individual parents on what to give their child.
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T.M. answers from Portland on May 30, 2007
My 5 year old has two front teeth loose as well and I've heard some really high prices so far. For us I was thinking no more than $3 maximum. I think $5 is a bit high for a tooth. We always tell our 5 year old that what other people do in their house is their business and what we do in ours is ours and it's not ok to compare (even though we realize it's a natural tendency to do so). I/we do not want to keep up with The Jones' if you know what I mean. Additionally, if you teach your child to expect the stars and then they don't get it they'll be disappointed. They're teeth for cryin' out loud! Unless they're covered in gold I'm not paying top dollar, no matter how much I love my child. We can go get a good book for $5 thank you very much. Good luck, don't know if that helps you at all.
T.
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A.P. answers from Bellingham on May 30, 2007
When I was a kid the tooth fairy always gave me a silver dollar when I lost a tooth. It was pretty special, and I would always save them. I think that is probably what I will with my daughter.
1 mom found this helpful
E.R. answers from Medford on May 29, 2007
I gave my daughter $1.... I wouldn't go above that. =)
Oh and have her put it in a baggie, it is easier to find under the pillow. Then just put the money back in the baggie. =)
1 mom found this helpful
J.S. answers from Spokane on May 30, 2007
When I was a kid, I always got a dollar, so that's what I do for my kids....I've heard $5 even $10 for a tooth, and sorry, I just think that is ridiculous!!! :-)
1 mom found this helpful
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