Telling Children About the Tooth Fairy

When I was a child my parents told me all about the Tooth Fairy. At the time…I was led to believe that every time that I lost a tooth and put it underneath my pillow…the Tooth Fairy would visit. She would sometimes leave me a little piece of candy, a small toy or a few dollars. As a child I would try to stay up all night trying to catch her coming in which always led in failure.

When I was 8 or 9 years old my parents finally told me the truth. My love of the Tooth Fairy was gone. Totally gone! I was really sad to learn that it was mom and dad who were removing my tooth from underneath my pillow and leaving goodies behind. On the day that I was told the truth I was handed a little wooden treasure chest and inside were the teeth that I had lost. Mom was meticulous in documenting so I knew which day and tooth was lost and what I received in return for it.

Fast forward to now. I’m the parent to two children and opted to skip the entire Tooth Fairy thing. Instead, my kids place their lost teeth in a little chest and receive something in return for it. They know Mom and Dad are giving the reward, not a ficitional character. This worked out a lot better for our family and I’m glad that we opted to do it this way. 

How do you and your family handle the “Tooth Fairy” thing in your home and with your kids?