I had a similar issue with my daughter when she first started brushing. Mint toothpaste seemed to be a big hurdle for us too, and honestly, I worried a bit about it causing her to dislike brushing altogether. We switched to a fruity toothpaste as well, strawberry flavored if I'm remembering correctly, and it definitely made things smoother.
One thing I noticed though—letting her brush independently too early actually made me pretty anxious. Even though she liked feeling grown-up, I kept worrying she wasn't cleaning properly. So, we compromised: she brushed first, then I'd gently "check" afterward. It worked pretty well, and eventually, I felt more confident she was getting her teeth clean enough.
Also, totally agree about the character toothbrushes. My daughter chose one with a princess on it, and it genuinely made mornings easier. These little things do seem trivial, but they make a huge difference in reducing stress around dental care. Glad to hear others are finding similar solutions... makes me feel like maybe I'm worrying a bit too much sometimes.
We had a similar toothpaste situation too—mint was a no-go from day one. We ended up with watermelon flavor, and it was a lifesaver. On the toothbrush thing, though, I skipped the branded ones because they were pricier at our local store. Instead, I let my son decorate a plain brush with stickers himself. It saved a few bucks, and honestly, he seemed even more excited since he'd "made" it himself... funny how giving them a little creative control helps so much.
Watermelon toothpaste was a lifesaver here too—mint was treated like poison, lol. Love the sticker idea! We tried something similar, but my daughter kept peeling them off and sticking them everywhere else instead. Ended up getting a cheap toothbrush with a built-in timer. She thinks it's magic and actually brushes longer now... whatever works, right?
