I feel you on this one—sometimes sanity has to come first. We went through a similar battle with my daughter, and honestly, a few weeks of less-than-perfect brushing didn't end the world. Eventually, we found a strawberry-flavored toothpaste she actually liked (go figure), and things got easier. You're doing great...these phases are tough, but they pass quicker than you'd think. Hang in there!
Haha, strawberry toothpaste was the magic trick for us too. I swear, whoever invented flavored toothpaste deserves an award or something. My kiddo was convinced regular mint toothpaste was basically poison—like full-on dramatic gagging every time. 🙄
Honestly though, I wouldn't stress too much about a few nights of less-than-stellar brushing. When my son went through his "NO BRUSHING EVER AGAIN" phase (which felt like years, but probably lasted two weeks tops), we just kinda picked our battles. Some nights we barely got the brush in his mouth, other times I had to resort to singing weird made-up songs about teeth monsters and toothbrush superheroes (don't ask). Eventually, he just got bored with fighting it and moved on to something else—probably refusing vegetables or bedtime stories or whatever came next.
One thing that helped us a bit was letting him pick out his own toothbrush at the store. I mean, it's ridiculous how excited toddlers get over a toothbrush shaped like a dinosaur or Paw Patrol character, but I'll take whatever wins I can get in parenting.
Anyway, you're definitely not alone here. Toddlers are basically tiny dictators whose whims change hourly—so hang in there and keep your sense of humor close by. Before you know it, you'll be nagging them about braces and flossing instead (yay...).
"Toddlers are basically tiny dictators whose whims change hourly"
Haha, this is spot-on. My daughter went through a similar phase—honestly, picking out her own sparkly unicorn toothbrush was the turning point. Hang in there, it really does get easier... eventually.
Haha, the unicorn toothbrush trick is a good one—seen it work plenty of times. Another thing that helps is letting them watch you brush your teeth and making it look fun (even if it's not exactly thrilling for you). Toddlers love copying adults, so modeling good habits can really help. Also, if they're resisting toothpaste, try switching flavors or brands—sometimes it's just a taste thing. Hang in there, you're doing great... and yes, it does get easier eventually.
The unicorn toothbrush trick sounds cute, but honestly, I'm still a bit nervous about the whole toothpaste thing. My little one just turned two, and I'm always worried about how much toothpaste is safe for her to swallow. I know they say use just a tiny smear, but she always manages to swallow most of it anyway... Is that really okay? I've tried a couple different flavors already, but she still seems unsure about the whole brushing thing. Maybe I'm just overthinking it (wouldn't be the first time, haha), but does anyone else worry about this stuff too? Or have any tips on how to make sure they're not swallowing too much toothpaste?
