Rite of passage

My son and I discovered this week that his bottom front tooth is loose.

He's a little bit anxious about the prospect of losing his first tooth. Is it going to hurt? How will his new tooth arrive? What happens if it falls out when he's in ___ (insert just about any place here)?

He's also very excited. His loose tooth puts him in the competition with fellow preschoolers who have lost or are losing their teeth. And there's the wondering about what the tooth fairy will bring.

I have started doing some research on the matter. From some other moms I learned that the tooth fairy still leaves coins -- anything from quarters to gold dollars. And she's gotten messier than when I was a kid, sometimes leaving behind a trail of fairy dust.

I also learned that, according to Parents magazine, for many children, loosing a tooth is a bigger milestone than learning to read, write or ride a bike. I can believe that. At least once a week I hear a report from my son about another friend who has lost a tooth.

As with most of my son's milestones, I'm not ready for this rite of passage. "I'm not going to be your little boy anymore," my son said. "Now, I'll be your big boy."