We were having a leisurely breakfast, chatting about Pokémon and other things. Out of nowhere, my little daughter asked me, "Why does the tooth fairy pay us for our teeth?" "Why does she buy them?" I replied that she doesn't; it's just a small reward so children don't feel so afraid of facing the changes that come with losing teeth. I asked her back, "Would you be excited about losing teeth if the tooth fairy didn't bring you anything?" She said no. She was very clever and asked me, "But why does she give money?" I told her it's because she doesn't have Santa's sack and can just bring him a toy. It's easier to give money and have each child buy what they like. Then she ended with the following questions: "Where does the tooth fairy get money from? Does the tooth fairy print money?" She asked very dismayed, almost as if the tooth fairy had disappointed her and was now an enemy. I was holding back the urge to laugh. I found myself at a dead end. What was I supposed to answer? In my mind, I was laughing, and I wanted to laugh even more and say, "The tooth fairy sells our data and memories," because I remembered the movie "Rise of the Guardians," where the tooth fairy explains that our data and memories are in our teeth, and she's in charge of taking care of them. I didn't give her that answer. I just told her I didn't know; it's a mystery. We've talked about basic economic concepts on several occasions, and the Tuttle Twins series has been a great support, and one of their favorite episodes has been the inflation monster. This morning I laughed too much at my daughter's antics.
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36 sats \ 3 replies \ @grayruby 27 May
No the tooth fairy taxes parents to get her money and then redistributes it. She is like the government.
Haha
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60 sats \ 1 reply \ @optimism 23h
But taxes often fall short so yeah... borrows the difference from evil bankers that charge interest. Then borrow more to pay the interest. When you grow up we haven't paid off anything and this will be our legacy.
She's like the government.
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61 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 22h
This reminded me of a question my daughter asked me. She was confused by the fact that the tooth fairy (me) had left her $3 the first time and $1 the second time. I had to tell her that the tooth fairy has to divide the money equally among all the children who leave a tooth under their pillow that night. That is, if there are many children to whom she has to distribute money that night, that means each one will get less, but if on the other hand there are only a few children, then she will give them more money. She seemed satisfied with the answer.
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50 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 27 May
HAHAHAHA that answer is very good
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31 sats \ 1 reply \ @SimpleStacker 27 May
Haha, looks like you have a future bitcoiner on your hands
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10 sats \ 0 replies \ @bief57 OP 27 May
Hahaha, I can't stop laughing every time I remember her disappointed face when she came to the conclusion that the tooth fairy probably prints money to give to children. She says, "I'm a Bitcoiner."
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @02f1165829 16h
This is what I would say to your daughter: "The Tooth Fairy doesn't print money like a bank does. Let's just say it's like a magical gift that appears to celebrate how brave you are when you lose a tooth. It's more fantasy than real money!"
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @02f1165829 16h freebie
Your daughter's curiosity is absolutely admirable, and her reasoning, so logical for a child's mind, is what makes these moments unforgettable.
My opinion for your friend:
Congratulations on that budding little philosopher and economist you have at home! Those questions demonstrate a brilliant mind and a critical spirit rarely seen at that age. It's incredible how children can unravel the "magic" with their implacable logic. Connecting the topic to the inflation monster and the Tuttle Twins is a testament to the excellent foundation you're giving her. Keep fostering that curiosity, because she sparks great minds!
21 sats \ 2 replies \ @guerratotal 27 May
This is absolutely adorable and hilarious at the same time! Kids are natural philosophers. Honestly, your daughter just stumbled upon one of the biggest questions in modern economics—where does money come from? 😅
I think you handled it perfectly. Maybe next time you could say:
“Well… some say the tooth fairy has a magical money printer… just like the government. But unlike the government, at least the tooth fairy only prints a tiny bit… and gives it to kids who’ve lost something valuable to them.”
It’s wild how kids can ask questions that cut straight to the heart of how the world works.
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @bief57 OP 27 May
It's amazing how many questions kids come up with, to the point of leaving us speechless. The funniest thing is how they find every flaw in the incongruous answers. I'll try that answer and see what he says, haha.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @guerratotal 27 May
Totally! Kids are tiny philosophers with zero mercy. No loophole goes unnoticed. Good luck — the next question’s probably worse!😆
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @cryotosensei 23h
Excellent questions on her part. And kudos to you for documenting it. I’m sure this will bring back a treasure trove of memories when the two of you read this again years down the road!
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