Money Moral Dilemma: Is the Tooth Fairy being stingy?

135

Comments

  • Augustus_the_Strong
    Augustus_the_Strong Posts: 321 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Why not tell the child the tooth fairy doesn't exist, but offer to buy the used tooth for 50p. If she doesn't like that, she's welcome to try & flog it to the richer mum or her tooth fairy.
  • Primrose
    Primrose Posts: 10,620 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary I've been Money Tipped!
    When I was a child it was a silver sixpence in a matchbox but that was a VERY LONG TIME ago ! Not sure what the current equivalent is.


    My dad embedded my first lost baby tooth in a joint in a concrete pergola pillar he built in the back garden. The house has long since been sold so I wonder if it's still there. Maybe some amateur archaeologist will come across it one day and wonder what kind of creature it came from !! Looking back it was rather a nice way of permanently celebrating a stepping stone in my childhood. I'd completely forgotten about it until this thread cropped up.
  • stmartinsdiver
    stmartinsdiver Posts: 127 Forumite
    A £1 coin always delights our grandchildren and being trainee money savers they pop it into their piggy bank without any thoughts of spending it. Happy kids and happy parents.
  • happyinflorida
    happyinflorida Posts: 807 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    When I was a child I got a sixpence, a little silver coin pre-decimalisation.

    When my children had a tooth come out, I left £1 under their pillow.

    So with inflation I think £5 is probably about right, prices have risen and kids are meant to be able to buy something with the money they get, or save it towards something special, so I think you should leave the same as everyone else, if that is the going rate.

    You might want to ask around first, to other mums/dads to see how much they leave.

    Tooth fairies DO exist
  • onomatopoeia99
    onomatopoeia99 Posts: 6,960 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Kim_kim wrote: »
    I’m 51, the tooth fairy was visiting me 45 years ago & leaving 50p then.
    Surely it’s gone up with inflation.
    You were from a rich family then ;) , I got 10p around the same time.
    Proud member of the wokerati, though I don't eat tofu.Home is where my books are.Solar PV 5.2kWp system, SE facing, >1% shading, installed March 2019.Mortgage free July 2023
  • JayD
    JayD Posts: 698 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    MovingForwards wrote: »
    Tell them there is a trainee tooth fairy and they are not allowed to put more than 50p under the pillow.

    If you say there is no tooth fairy are you going to admit there is no santa?

    You prepared to deal with the fall out from the parents of the kid who pays £5 when your kid tells them there is no tooth fairy?

    Kids are not kids for long, let them enjoy the magic for a while.


    This sounds like excellent advice - although I question that the tale that others are getting £5 per tooth is really true, or if those children are exaggerating ...


    You could build on this and ask your daughter to leave an encouraging note for the budding apprentice fairies when next she leaves them a tooth - and maybe they could respond ;)



    I don't think it is kind to break the tooth fairy myth for your daughter - it could upset her, if she believes you. Also, if she passes that info on it could upset other children and their parents too.



    Hopefully, the tooth fairy will only have to deliver for a short period in your daughter's life. Let her enjoy it and wiggle away :)
  • Jamboreee
    Jamboreee Posts: 6 Forumite
    My tooth fairy only brought a 3d coin! However, working in a school I find that most children get £2 for their first tooth (all teeth should be the same- but there you go) and £1 for each subsequent tooth. Sometimes she even leaves a tiny little card saying 'thank you' !
  • ConnieTact
    ConnieTact Posts: 2 Newbie
    The tooth fairy that used to come to my three sons sometimes used to forget to put anything under the pillow! (she was very busy indeed!) 🧚!♂️🦷
    When this used to happen I would explain that in fact rather than it being disappointing- they would get more than double the next nite! I seem to remember the amounts being 20p and 50p but will have to check with my grown up sons!
    I’m not sure what they are leaving for their children....a good conversation to be had.
    Although maybe not as, if the families differ, I may create an issue with the grandchildren!
  • Kenny1957
    Kenny1957 Posts: 1 Newbie
    Give them a 50pence,but make sure it is one of the special ones,like Paddington bear or something simlier .job done
  • ACE1
    ACE1 Posts: 5 Forumite
    Aside from the cost of compensation for a head full of teeth, what do you do with all the collected body parts?
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