Tooth Fairy Makes First Appearance
Another reason I am tired today: our daughter Lauren lost her first tooth at school yesterday. And I do mean “lost” — it came out when she was eating, so she held onto it. A bit later, she was looking at it, and our son came over and hit it out of her hand, and she lost it. When I picked them up, I looked for it for about 20 minutes, with no luck.
So, Lauren dictated and signed the following note to the Tooth Fairy:
Dear Tooth Fairy,
I lost my tooth at school in the book area. Please, please believe us. We’re sorry we couldn’t leave the tooth for you. We’re sorry if you knew. We just wrote this in case you didn’t know.
Love, Lauren
The note appears to have worked. The Tooth Fairy, who was unable to pay a visit before Lauren’s parents’ bedtime (due to Lauren being too excited and staying awake), came sometime in the middle of the night. I have it on good authority that it was exactly 3 a.m. Which, together with the cat that enjoys jumping on my pillow, might explain why I’m so tired today.
Please congratulate your daughter for me. What I admire most is that instead of whining about losing her tooth, she came up with an excellent solution and politely wrote that note (I’m always askin my students and my own kids, “Do you want to complain or solve the problem?”). I’m sure the Tooth Fairy will keep that note safe to treasure forever.
Childhood should be a time of magic. Grownups need to sprinkle a little fairy dust in their eyes now and then so that it gets into their hearts.
goddessoftheclassroom (3f132c) — 6/23/2005 @ 6:46 amWell, this story begs the obvious question: if someone else happens to find the tooth, and puts it under his pillow, will the Tooth Fairy wind up having to pay twice for the same tooth?
Indeed, it’s fair to assume from your profession that your family is reasonably well off financially? What if your daughter’s tooth is found by a child from a much poorer family? Would not that family not need the largesse of the Tooth Fairy far more than did your daughter?
Here we see the evils of greedy capitalism! Either a poor family will go a little hungrier, because the Tooth Fairy will not make the payment for the tooth (realizing that it is second-hand), or the Tooth Fairy herself (I assume that the Tooth Fairy is female) will be forced to compensate twice for the same tooth. Surely, sir, you do not want such an example of greedy capitalism and exploitation of the working poor to be what you have set for your daughter!
I must humbly suggest, therefore, that your daughter be educated in the Way of All Good Liberal Things, and use her questionably-gotten gains to contribute to a soup kitchen to help feed some hungry family, or to a clothing program, to help buy shoes for a poor child, or, at the very least, purchase her father a subscription to Mother Jones or The Progressive, to enlighten her capitalist male parent about the evils of capitalism!
Dana R. Pico (8d0335) — 6/23/2005 @ 6:55 amNice way to handle the situation. Coincidently, my 8 year old lost her latest tooth two days ago, also at school, also while eating.
That night she caught Mrs. Tooth Fairy with her hand under the pillow. We were able to explain it away, but she is a definite sceptic these days.
Pigilito (d92092) — 6/23/2005 @ 7:46 amThe cure for skepticism is here….
http://www.toothfairy.org/origin
Andrew (2977e4) — 6/23/2005 @ 7:59 amHold on a second.
So, you are tired because the tooth fairy visited at 3 a.m. (which you seem to have knowledge of first hand). You also mention there was a cat jumping on your pillow, which places you in bed at the approximate time of the tooth fairy visitation.
This seems very suspicious to me.
Just what were you, the cat, and the tooth fairy up to at or around 3 a.m.?
Paul Deignan (c68df0) — 6/23/2005 @ 12:08 pmLet’s cut to the chase here.
How much is the the tooth fairy paying in these price-inflated days? Anything less than 5-bucks a tooth would be an insult!
(Ok…maybe not.)
Justin Levine (f341b1) — 6/23/2005 @ 12:56 pmI seem to remember some traumatic happenings surrounding the loss of your teeth as well – but never in the area of “lost” evidence. Good thing the “judge” is understanding and compasionate.
Brotherico (eaecd8) — 6/23/2005 @ 1:32 pmHow much is the the tooth fairy paying in these price-inflated days? Anything less than 5-bucks a tooth would be an insult!
Mrs. P. suggested to The Fairy that Lauren should get a purse that had five dollars in it. Apparently The Fairy agreed.
When Lauren told me about it this morning, I said it was probably such a good present because it was her first tooth. (In other words, don’t expect this every time!)
Patterico (887b03) — 6/23/2005 @ 2:50 pmI seem to remember some traumatic happenings surrounding the loss of your teeth as well – but never in the area of “lost” evidence. Good thing the “judge” is understanding and compasionate.
“Brotherico”: remind me.
Patterico (887b03) — 6/23/2005 @ 2:51 pmOh, like, remind me too, y’know?
Amberrico (ffb240) — 6/23/2005 @ 5:23 pmMy son lost a tooth 2 days in a row. The tired tooth fairy didn’t arrive the second night. Fortunatley, she quickly left a note by the back door that apologies were in order & she would be back to get the tooth the next night – which she did. She also sprinkled a liitle fairy dust (glitter) & left $3 with her apology.
Greta Perry (2e0f64) — 6/23/2005 @ 7:01 pm“(I assume that the Tooth Fairy is female)”
Hmmmnnnmphh!
A sexist socialist???
“Curiouser and curiouser!”
Cool Breeze
Cool Breeze (95411b) — 6/23/2005 @ 10:24 pmI told my niece that one time, I left a dollar under my pillow and the Tooth Fairy swapped it for a tooth. She thought that was pretty funny.
John Davies (6d338f) — 6/23/2005 @ 11:37 pm“(I assume that the Tooth Fairy is female)”
Hmmmnnnmphh!
A sexist socialist???
“Curiouser and curiouser!”
OK, Cool Breeze got me: it’s pretty difficult for me to play the socialist role!
Dana R. Pico (8d0335) — 6/24/2005 @ 5:33 amDD#2 began losing her teeth about the same time as Kirstie Alley starred in a movie about the Tooth Fairy. DD#2 therefore believed that the Tooth Fairy only left gold coins. She’d seen it on TV–it ~must~ be true.
Let’s just say that Sacajawea (sp?) saved more than Lewis & Clark… 🙂
BTW, Andrew, #4–great link! Wish I’d thought of that idea myself!
Denise (276cb2) — 6/24/2005 @ 12:01 pmOK – Momerico corrected my memory that it was our younger sister, Holly-rico that had the trauma with the teeth. It had to do with the side of the swimming pool not agreeing with a tooth – and later ramifications when it came time to pull. For some reason – I thought this was you! Old age playing the memory banks.
Brotherico (41d24a) — 6/27/2005 @ 2:44 pmI can understand why you’d confuse them. I had an incident with a pool and a tooth as well — but it was a permanent tooth. Sisterrico’s was a baby tooth.
Patterico (86544f) — 6/27/2005 @ 3:54 pm