Punxsutawney Phil may be the groundhog that lets us know, on Groundhog Day, whether we can expect an early spring or just more winter, but apparently the Tooth Fairy is the one to watch when it comes to the country’s economics.
Analysts take a look at how much the Tooth Fairy is giving out per tooth these days, and how it relates to the state of the economy. In other words, the more generous the Tooth Fairy is, the better the economy.
In our house, compared to some, the Tooth Fairy is walking around in the same dress she had five years ago and in bad need of a haircut. Still, she recently increased her payment per tooth from $1 to $2, to keep up with the economy.
“How come Lilly got $50 for her tooth?” my daughter, who recently lost four teeth within a few weeks of each other. “Does she have nicer teeth?” That is when I had to break it to my daughter. While $2 is the standard amount, the tooth fairy sometimes get subsidies from a child’s parents.
Delta’s Dental’s Tooth Fairy Poll revealed that the average amount being left under a child’s pillow last year was $2.42 in 2012, up from $2.10 in 2010. Is it simply that little Lilly is bringing the average up, or do families have more disposable income?
According to Delta, the Tooth Fairy’s generosity follows the S&P 500, a stock market index that indicates the state of the economy.
Analysts say that the better off a family is doing, the more generous the fairy becomes. Makes sense. Unless of course you have more than one child, and the older children want to know why their younger brothers and sisters are getting more than they did.