Are there really fairies in our world?

Although she has yet to lose any baby teeth, Alyssa has become quite interested in the Tooth Fairy. I can see how her mind is trying to figure it all out and while she's excited at the thought of the Tooth Fairy coming and bringing her treats or money, my tough girl tends to become a fainting lily at the sight of blood so she is a bit anxious about the actual thought of losing a tooth. (I'm not sure where her her idea of the tooth fairy bringing treats came from.)

At the dentist's office the other day she was busily studying an "Arthur" book where he loses a tooth and get's a dollar under his pillow. Since I couldn't really see the book, I'm not sure exactly what it explained, but as we were driving home I could see that she was seriously puzzingly something out in her head.

Alyssa: Mommy, are fairies real? Are there really fairies in our world?
Me (wanting her to believe in fairies at least for a little bit longer): Yes, there are fairies.
Alyssa: But I've never seen one.
Me: There are lots of things you've never seen, but that doesn't mean that they don't exist.
Alyssa: Well, I was thinking about how I could see the Tooth Fairy when she comes to my room. I really want to see a fairy.
Me: Oh, well, what did you come up with?
Alyssa: Well, if I make my room really, really messy, then she'll come in and trip on something and make a lot of noise and I'll wake up.
Me (thinking the last thing I need is for her to have a REASON to mess up her room): Hmmm, I don't think that is such a good idea. She might fall and hurt herself and forget to leave something for you under your pillow. Can you think of another idea?

:::::silence:::::

Alyssa: Hey! I know, I'll get lots of pots and pans....
Me: No, I don't think that's a good idea. Maybe we could use some bells and hang them from your door....
Alyssa: Oh! Oh! That's a great idea!!!! I have those hooks on the back of my door! .... But I don't have any bells.
Me: Well, you have that one bracelet made of jingle bells...
Alyssa: OH YEAH!!!! Yeah!!!! Oh, that is a GREAT IDEA!! I know!! I know I'll hang my bell bracelet on my door and when she opens it, it will ring and wake me up! (Very proud of herself.)

The best part of all this? Later that night she told Michael of her plan to "catch the Tooth Fairy" and ran and got her bell bracelet and hung it on the door, but when she opened the door to show how the bells would ring to wake her up, they didn't chime at all. The look of confusion on her face was priceless. She tried it again with no luck, then just said "Hmmmmm" and I could see the wheels starting to turn again.

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If your child has lost a tooth, what did you do as far as the Tooth Fairy goes? How much money did the Tooth Fairy leave?