So when Bella pulled out the $6.00 from under her pillow I expected a big smile and a whole bunch of "oooo's" and "ahhhhs" but instead she sat there wondering why the toothfairy left $4.00 less then the last time. "Mommy you've got to be kidding me! The toothfairy left me less money then last time!" These were her exact words no joke. I tried so hard not to laugh at hearing those words come out of a six year old's mouth but it was hard to contain my laughter. This being her fourth tooth she has lost so far she expected a bigger compensation then last time. Mind you I had no idea until that very day that the toothfairy had brought her $10.00 for her last tooth as her grandpa was the one who left the money under her pillow while she slept in exchange for the tooth. As soon as she woke up she put it right into her piggy bank just like I had taught her to do from the very first tooth so I had no idea it was that much. The two before that I had left a $5 bill.
I'm sure most parents can agree that growing up if we were lucky to get any tooth fairy money at all we'd get only a $1 or $2 or even less. In fact I don't ever remember getting more then $2 at all during the time I believed in the toothfairy. It just goes to show how far this society has gone in regards to the way we raise our children....me included. It seems these days children are much more advanced and alot more privledged then most of us were when we were young. Can you imagine how much $$ I'd have to pay out in a month if lets just say Bella lost four teeth in all at $10 a piece!!!
At that price I can get my nails or hair done its crazy!!!! lol If the prices keep going up then before long parents are going to have to start a toothfairy fund along with their college fund! Okay I thought that was funny when I was thinking about it in my head but now that I'm writing it doesn't seem so funny right? I'm sure some parents still stick with the $1 to $2 rule even today but lets' not deny that there are parents out there who leave more then they need to under those pillows. And to make it easy for all those parents out there who are afraid to admit it, I'll happily be the first one to admit that I'm guilty of spoiling my little girl.
A lot of it has to do with the guilt of her not having her dad around and part of it is just wanting my little girl to have more then I did growing up. By the time I was four I no longer believed in Santa Clause, The toothfairy or even the Easter Bunny. My dad took it upon himself against my mother's wishes to tell my brother, sister and I the truth from the start. I tell him all the time how he should have held out a bit longer because its' only once in every person's life that they can believe in the wonderfuly fantasy's of the world and it only happens during our childhood. But what's done is done and there's no possible way to go back in time and re-live those years and do it over so I'm grateful to have the chance to re-live it in a way with my little girl. What's weird is that with all the pretending and talking about Santa, the toothfairy and the Easter bunny being real in our household there are moments where I catch myself actually believing it all is real? I guess anything is possible right? lol
So anyway back to the toothfairy story. After explaining to Isabella that she needed to count her blessings and be grateful that the toothfairy left her that amount she continued on with her day seemingly satisfied but I knew a bit of disapointment still lingered. As a parent I can't help to feel a bit of disappointment in myself for letting myself get so caught up in the guilt of her father not being in her life and trying to make up for it in ways that shouldn't matter much. The love, attention, support and quality time spent with a child is far more important then showering them with gifts and materialistic things. I've always known this and tried to live by its' every word because of how grateful I am for all that I do have but somehow I still find myself getting caught up in my guilt and letting it take control.
It's a working progress but its' something I am definitley working on as a parent as I'm sure other parents out there are too. Because I can not imagine having to shell out so much money for a single tiny tooth for all my children. I'd have to probably get a second job!
So in conclusion, as we all live in one of the nations toughest economy's trying to survive against all the rising costs of gas, taxes, groceries, and housing that we can't forget that there's also the rising cost of tooth fairy money.:) Something for expectant parents to be to think about and prepare for. lol
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