Yeah, I get this completely. My kiddo went through a phase where brushing felt like a wrestling match every night. I finally just let go of perfection and focused on keeping it mostly regular—less stress for both of us. The dentist pep talks never stuck here either. Sometimes you just have to pick your battles, right?
Totally relate to the “pick your battles” approach. We used to try every trick—songs, timers, even letting my kid pick the toothbrush (which turned into a whole negotiation). Honestly, I stopped stressing about doing it perfectly every night. As long as we’re mostly consistent, I figure it’s better than turning bedtime into a meltdown zone. Plus, dental visits aren’t cheap, so anything that keeps us out of the chair is a win in my book.
Honestly, I stopped stressing about doing it perfectly every night.
I get the “pick your battles” thing, but I honestly wish my parents had been stricter with brushing when I was little. I ended up with a ton of fillings as a teen, and that was way more stressful (and expensive) than a few bedtime arguments. Consistency really does matter, even if it’s tough some nights.
I hear you on the consistency thing. My folks let me skip brushing way too often, and now I’ve got more crowns than a chessboard. Honestly, I’d take a little toddler meltdown over sitting through another root canal any day. It’s not fun when your teeth start staging a protest in your sixties...
Yeah, I totally get where you’re coming from. My parents were pretty lax about brushing too, and now I’ve got a mouth full of fillings to show for it. Trying to get my own kid into good habits feels like a battle half the time, but honestly, a few tears now beats the stress and bills later. Those dental chairs just get less comfortable every year...
