Haha, your tiny dictator analogy is spot-on...reminds me of my niece. She once demanded to brush MY teeth first before letting anyone near hers. Maybe reverse psychology is the secret weapon we've all been missing? Worth a shot, anyway.
Haha, reverse psychology can definitely help sometimes, but have you tried giving them a bit more control? Like letting them pick their toothbrush or toothpaste flavor? I've noticed toddlers often cooperate better when they feel they're making the decisions. Also, brushing together as a family can normalize the routine—kids love mimicking adults. But yeah, sometimes you just gotta get creative...toddlers are masters at keeping us on our toes.
I get what you're saying about giving toddlers more control, but honestly, sometimes too many choices can backfire. I tried the whole "pick your toothbrush" thing with my daughter, and it turned into a 20-minute debate every night over princesses vs dinosaurs. 😂 Eventually, I just simplified things—two options max, or none at all—and it worked a bit better.
Also, brushing together sounds nice in theory, but in practice, my kiddo just ends up copying my bad habits (like rushing through brushing). Maybe it's just me, but I've found that turning brushing into a mini-game or challenge works better. Like, "Can you brush until this song ends?" or "Let's see who can make the most bubbles." It doesn't always work perfectly, but hey, parenting is basically trial and error anyway, right?
Haha, totally get you on the toothbrush debate—been there myself with the endless "princess vs. superhero" saga. 😅 Sounds like you've found a pretty solid middle ground though. Mini-games are actually a great idea; kids love challenges, and it distracts them from the "chore" aspect. If you're worried about copying bad habits, maybe try brushing together occasionally just for fun, then switch back to games for actual brushing? Like you said, parenting's all trial and error anyway...
"Mini-games are actually a great idea; kids love challenges, and it distracts them from the 'chore' aspect."
Haha, totally agree with this! Have you tried the "monster hunt" game yet? My youngest used to hate brushing until we pretended there were tiny "sugar monsters" hiding in her teeth. She'd giggle like crazy trying to catch them all. Worked like a charm for a while...until she started asking if monsters lived in other places too. 😅
But seriously, you're right about the copying habits thing. Kids pick up EVERYTHING, good or bad. Maybe instead of worrying too much about perfect technique every single time, just focus on making brushing something positive and fun first? Once they're comfortable, you can gradually sneak in better habits without them even noticing.
Have you noticed any difference with flavored toothpaste? My nephew refused minty flavors completely but loved strawberry—made a huge difference for him. Might be worth experimenting a bit if you haven't already.
