5 Ways to Handle a Forgetful Tooth Fairy

I was in the middle of blissful slumber when I felt a living, creepy crawly, movement on my arm. I was instantly awake. My eyes flew open to nothing but darkness. I touched my arm and felt nothing. Must have been a dream. Except, what was that? I heard a barely discernible sound of someone breathing close to my ear. I bolted up in bed and said out loud, “Who’s there?!” 

“Me.”

It was a child. I found myself caught between relief and annoyance. I only had one child who had the eerie ability to stand in the dark, quietly staring at me for minutes.

“Adria. What’s wrong?” I exhaustedly asked while sinking back into my pillow.

“The Tooth Fairy didn’t come,” she informed me.

Crap. That’s right. Her tooth. Last night (much to the relief of the entire family) Adria hadfinally won the 11-day battle against the tooth with roots of steel. She’d walked into my bedroom at 8:14pm. Right as I’d sunk down - giddily childless, into my loveseat with my precious bowl of moose tracks ice cream and Netflix queued up.

Unfortunately, no older child had been around for me to pawn off Tooth Fairy duties to, and soon thereafter, I entered into my exhausted, sugar induced coma. Far away from any thoughts of Tooth Fairies!

I tuned back into Adria telling me she’d found the tooth still under her pillow. I didn’t know what time it was. But it was dark. This worked in my favor.

“It’s the middle of the night Adria. The Tooth Fairy has a lot of kids to get to and just hasn’t gotten here yet. And if you’re awake when it’s your turn, she’ll skip you.”

Pretty sure I saw the panic in her eyes pierce through the darkness. Boom. She was gone. I made a mental note to slip into her room first thing after my alarm went off, before waking anyone up. 

This topic has come up enough times with my girlfriends, that I know the Tooth Fairy forgetting is a universal problem. The common themes throughout are the imaginative redemption stories I’ve heard and the need to have supplies on hand for the forgetful and non-forgetful Tooth Fairy alike.  

Which brings me here today–why are we not swapping all of our brilliant redemption stories and secret stash hacks?! In what other category of our life are we working to save the reputation of an imaginary being that is open to even the craziest imaginary rules? 

This is our time to shine. 

So, what options do you have when the Tooth Fairy forgets? Here is a list of the top five redemption stories I have heard about from fellow parents or personally implemented myself. 

1. Write a quick letter (disguise handwriting) addressed to the child, including details of a fairy dust shortage, apologies, and anticipated arrival date. Insert it into that day's mail.
2. Send an emergency text to your BFF asking her to call and pose as the Tooth Fairy asking to speak to your child. She shares a tale of woe and explains she’ll make it tonight. Important: change her contact name to Tooth Fairy.
3. While the child is occupied, sprinkle some glitter that looks like fairy dust through a room that the child hasn’t been in yet. Plant a little note at a random place where the trail ends, saying she got lost and was so tired of looking for the child’s room that she just left the money/gift here–and to please put a sign with their name on it on their door for next time.
4. Explain to your child that the tooth is likely not clean enough. The Tooth Fairy only brings gifts for the best teeth. Suggest they wash it and try again that night.
5. If someone in the house is conveniently sick, say, “Well, the Tooth Fairy doesn’t come when someone in the house is sick. If she got sick, think of all the children that would miss out! I bet she’ll come after everyone is healthy again.”

Get the oops letter from the Tooth Fairy!

How many times have you been up against the clock and don’t have cash? And how much does cash really support the full magic of a child’s imagination? The best thing I’ve ever done is have a secret stash of a variety of Tooth Fairy gifts that come with conveniently pre-written tiny letters. The delight of finding a gift from the Tooth Fairy has doubled as my children can’t wait to see what new, unique tiny gift from Fairyland they will receive each time. And I absolutely adore the letters, each offering a positive life lesson too! My forgetful Tooth Fairy tales have come alive even more with a personalized fairy named Lucy Tooth being behind all the shenanigans causing delays. Presto!! Magic without all the work, even when the Tooth Fairy forgets. You’re welcome.

Sincerely,

Your forgetful, yet still magical MOM (mother to many)