"How much will the tooth fairy bring me?
You're tempted to say:
"In my day the going rate was 10 cents a tooth."
Dr. T's Rx:
The tooth fairy is an easygoing sprite who's willing to tailor her gifts to your wishes, so almost any pricing strategy will do. Dr. T offers a few guidelines:
- Forget 10 cents a tooth. A dime just doesn't go very far these days, even for a 5-year-old. The tooth fairy would be happy to give anywhere from 25 cents to $1. Remember, losing a mouthful of teeth is a long-term proposition. You could start with a quarter for those first itty-bitty bottom teeth and build up to $1 for the molars your kids will still be losing at age 11 or 12.
- Take advantage of the tooth fairy's flexibility. Instead of an ordinary coin, have her bring something special, such as a Kennedy half-dollar or a silver dollar. Then the tooth coins will stand out from the other money in the piggy bank, and your kids will be less inclined to spend them.
- The tooth fairy will be happy to bring stickers, erasers or other small tokens, if you think the whole tooth-for-money exchange is too mercenary.
Dr. Tightwad Explains...
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