What's the Tooth Fairy Paying These Days?

It's a fair question for parents of small children: How much is the Tooth Fairy paying these days?

Unlike Christmas, Hanukkah, birthdays and other special times when we spend 'til it hurts on gifts for the little ones, the Tooth Fairy can be more of a day-to-day barometer of how we're doing, what we believe, and what we really consider to be valuable.

For the youngest children the Tooth Fairy is a palliative, a way to ease the physical pain of losing a tooth loss that in itself can also be a traumatic experience.

The Tooth Fairy is also a symbol and a metaphor, a signpost along the road to adolescence for parents and children, and a way to hold on to some small part of childhood that too quickly disappears in the rush to grow up.

So pull up a couch, grab a juicebox, and feel free to jump into the discussion by using the Comment box at the bottom of this article. We want to hear from you!