August 22 is National Tooth Fairy Day- Talk about your memories of the tooth fairy

Creating magical/memorable experiences for my children was always something I so loved to do and when one of them lost a tooth, it was “show time”. When my daughter lost her first tooth, I sprinkled “fairy dust” down the hallway, across her room and onto her pillow, tucked money under her pillow and left a special note from the tooth fairy for her to find. I took a small piece of paper and in my tiniest, “pixie” handwriting, I would create a note to my daughter, Jenny, from “Thumbelina the Tooth Fairy” about the importance of good oral hygiene and always added encouraging sentiments about what a good girl she was, how proud her parents were of her, how much she was loved and promises of another visit next time she lost a tooth.

My daughter was astonished to find that note – imagine “Thumbelina” actually flying into her room and taking the time to leave that sweet note! She would then tuck the note away for safe keeping in her special little jewelry box. Every time Jenny lost a tooth, “Thumbelina” would leave a trail of fairy dust and a note and that was something Jenny came to look forward to. Jenny is 19 now, and she still has “Thumbelina’s” notes tucked away in her jewelry box, has fond memories of “Thumbelina” and an appreciation of her “momma’s” efforts and imagination.

My son, Nick, was always about the money when he would lose a tooth, and the promises of a visit from the tooth fairy was a motivator to get him to go to sleep on time. I remember one night I accidentally fell asleep and forgot to leave the money under his pillow. When he awoke the next morning he was distraught to find the tooth fairy had not visited and he had no money. Scrambling for the imagination, I sent him into the kitchen to get something and while he was in there, I threw money under his bed.  When he returned, so disheartened, thinking the tooth fairy had forgotten him, I nonchalantly mentioned that he did roll around in bed a lot when he slept…perhaps the money moved away from the pillow…perhaps, just maybe, the money fell off his bed. So, of course, he ran back into his room to search and, lo and behold, the tooth fairy had not forgotten him after-all! Nick’s is now 16 and fondly remembers his visits from the tooth fairy.