Today’s post was written by my friend and blogging buddy, Ginger Calem. I knew we were meant to be friends when I read her post about the grubby-undie-syndrome on Survivor. You can check out her blog here, and find her on Twitter here.
Today she’s touching on a subject that’s bit me in the keister more than once. I’m sure many of you can relate:
Child loses tooth. Tooth-Fairy magically arrives in the dead of night depositing cash prize. Child finds prize and assumes that, for the rest of forever, when teeth fall out, the Tooth-Fairy will return, prompt and swift, bearing enough cash to one day pay for college.
Sadly, however, this is not always the case…
Take it away, Ginger!
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The Tooth-Fairy is human too.
Ok, maybe the Tooth Fairy is not exactly human but seriously, they are put on this high pedestal and they can make mistakes sometimes. It’s inconceivable that they can be on time to leave their loot in exchange for every tooth that falls out each day. I mean, sometimes there’s a blizzard raging over Europe and making it to Texas might be a stretch. Do you want her to be flying in those conditions? It’s all about safety people!
I know of a home, and of course it would not be my own, (ahem), where the Tooth Fairy may have been a tad unreliable. It’s an oddity that this has only happened with this home’s middle child. (Why is it always the forgotten middle child?) But see, those parents recognized that there were nasty, dangerous weather conditions where it might have been possible that poor little Fairy had to tuck in for the night to wait out the storm.
There may have been occasions that some parents (again I won’t name names!) might have suggested to a random middle child that perhaps his room might have been too messy for the Tooth Fairy to risk life and wing to find that rogue molar. Again—safety first!
I offer these observances to all parents out there so you’ll be prepared for those rare occasions where you might have to explain why the Tooth-Fairy, in all her cute glitter-winged glory, might need a little forgiveness. I’m sure that should she be late, she will arrive!
Has the Tooth Fairy ever been tardy in your house? Please share so that I will not all the other families will not feel alone.
Myndi Shafer 
Yep, next to Santa, the tooth fairy has the toughest job. Sometime you have to cut her a bit of slack. Fun post, folks, keep ’em coming.
The tooth fairy was never late growing up, but I do remember the year I received a pack of gum instead of cash. Money was tight that year and I didn’t know, but all I could think was “how am I going to save enough for college at this rate?” Seriously, I was disappointed, but I did learn the tooth fairy is human and often tries as hard as possible, so I should be grateful.
Sometimes a child needs sleep so badly, the tooth fairy can’t risk waking him/her and must return another time. (This excuse works on first-borns and youngest children, too.)
Well, having grown up in a house where fairies were banned (along with Santa, the Easter Bunny, etc.) I never expeienced even a remote encounter with the tooth fairy. But, as an adult I do know that if there were indeed a tooth fairy, this gal is owed big time when all four wisdom teeth needed to be driilled out of my jaw bones. I would have settled for a few of those small bottles of Tequila in lieu of cash, but by that time I was free from hyper religious parental influence and living alone, so alas, the tooth fairy did not visit once again.
Thanks for the fun post! Although I am not a parent, I can understand the sinking feeling you must experience when you realize that perhaps you may have forgotten to pay a little middle of the night visit.
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
Great post!! My daughter will likely start getting loose teeth soon (age 5.5). I’m thinking I should go get a special “Tooth Fairy Money” envelope and stash it with all I’ll need for the kids’ teeth now but, alas……the best laid plans….etc…etc…
Oooh, it’s so fun to guest blog. How exciting! Thanks for hosting me, Myndi.
Pru, don’t even get me started on the pressure Santa’s under. OY!
Iris, too funny about the gum and worrying about paying for college. Are you a first born? 😉
Pat, I hope the tooth fairy isn’t delayed again in our home but you bring up a great excuse , er … I mean a very valid reason she might be late. Thanks!
Patricia, you know, if the kids left those little airplane sized bottled of tequila, or say Bailey’s, I bet that tooth fairy would show up to their house first every time! Will suggest this tidbit. Sorry about your wisdom teeth ordeal. OUCH!
I always told my kids that the tooth fairy was late again, too many teeth to pick up that night, they would just have to be patient a few more minutes…oh and of course you must leave your room, she cannot enter if you are in it…
🙂
Hilarous, yet it it home! The tooth fairy has come to our house sometimes 2 days late. Usually she will leave a note explaining her delay- bank short of gold coins, fog delaying lift- off etc.
– Great post!
Once, the tooth fairy got sick and didn’t make it. She did, however, leave a note the next night apologizing. 🙂
Love the tequila idea. I know that would be very effective!
I love reading everyone’s replies. So fun to be in this together and I can forward some of your tips to the Calem family’s Tooth Fairy. I know she’ll appreciate them, especially that tequila one! 😉
The tooth fairy has been known to be late once or twice at our address as well. It has happened to the older child and he was terribly aware of it. Of course the room hazard is always a good excuse. Cali doesn’t really have a bad weather excuse.
Hi Ginger,
I can see that parents are under a lot of pressure these days. Yikes!
Fortunately for us, our two sons are grown men. Whew!
I cracked up on the bad weather excuse. Good one Ginger! Too funny.
The toothfairy and easterbunny have been late. On Easter, our daughter was quite young, 2 or 3, someone had to distract in half the house, while the other hid the Easter stuff in the other half.
She knows the truth. She said to me when she heard rumours “Mom you have to tell me the truth” and I couldn’t lie to that face. Maybe the toothfairy will get redemption with my son.
Haha! Thanks for the laughs and for the memories. My kids are all grown, but how well I remember the tardy toothfairy assigned to our house. She was so bad that I had to tell my youngest to write a note and leave it on the table so she’d be sure to see it. Later I write a tooth fairy scene into my first novel which I started 15 years ago (a learning tool that’s stuck in a drawer now but I’ll pull out and revise someday cuz it’s got a huge piece of my heart in it).
Since we’re on the topic of tooth fairies, I need to say that it’s rough explaining to your kids why so and so gets five freakin bucks from the tooth fairy and they only get 50 cents or a buck for a molar! Let me just say, thanks a lot, all you parents who go overboard with the tooth fairy loot! Sheesh!
Yes! And LOL! The Tooth Fairy must regularly leave little notes at our house in her tiny handwriting, along with the requisite 50 cents, to explain why she was a day or two days or two…uh…WEEKS late (rough time–had a lot of deliveries in S. America). Said little notes are then pasted on Second Daughter’s bulletin board in a prominent location. When asked why she puts the notes up where she can see them, Second Daughter says, “Oh, to remind the TF not to be late next time…”
And I’m with you Lynn on tooth value inflation. The protests in my house when a cousin-not-to-be-named got FIVE DOLLARS for two teeth the DENTIST had to pull out were loud and long. And here I was happy with a dime back in the day. 🙂
What a fun post! Growing up, the Tooth Fairy was like the Easter Bunny, they didn’t exist where my mother came from, so they didn’t exist for me. But I remember hearing stories from friends in grade school and thinking it was kind of creepy. Someone comes into your house and steals your teeth? What does she do with them? Man, I hope she cleans them. But then the movie Tooth Fairy came out and it changed my mind completely. I don’t care what he takes, or how bad his tights are: The Rock can come to my house in the middle of the night any time he wants!
Oh my gosh you guys, I’m cracking up at your replies!
Lynn, the tooth fairy bring $2 in this house and there’s a story behind that. My oldest (now almost 16!) lost his first tooth on Christmas Eve when he was 5. The tooth fairy had to scramble for cash with all the hectic activity of the night. Imagine trying to get your job done and not get caught on the Rudolf’s turbulence! Apparently she scrounged up a buck and my dad threw in a buck for good measure, so it’s forever been 2 bucks a tooth in the Calem household.
Emma — True-Dat! Woo!! 🙂
Yes! I totally agree with what Lynn is saying. Some of the kids around here get $20!!! TWENTY DOLLARS! Hello. I only got fifty cents or a quarter when I was a kid. What the heck? Our tooth fairy goes middle of the road. But it’s hard living in an area where people aren’t on the same wave length when it comes to teaching the value of a dollar to their little ones.
Write now I’m caring for four ADD/ADHD boy by 7pm I’m so tired I could cry. I forgot the tooth fairy for three days one time! Finally I just did it while he was at school it was the only way I could remember!