Letting kids choose their toothpaste can help, but honestly, sometimes too much choice backfires...my son would agonize over flavors forever, then regret his pick the second we got home. Keeping choices simpler worked better for us.
"my son would agonize over flavors forever, then regret his pick the second we got home."
Haha, totally relate to this... sometimes too many options just lead to decision paralysis. Keeping it simple does seem to help—plus, fewer tubes wasted on flavors they end up hating. We started rotating two basic flavors, and it's been smoother sailing ever since. Glad you found something that works!
Interesting point about limiting flavors, and I can see how that might simplify things. But I'm wondering if maybe the issue isn't just the number of choices, but also how kids perceive making decisions? In my experience, giving kids a sense of control—even in small things like toothpaste flavors—can sometimes encourage them to take more ownership over their habits. My niece used to fuss constantly about brushing until we started letting her pick out her own toothbrush and toothpaste at the store (within reason, of course). Sure, she occasionally regretted her choice afterward, but it seemed to help her feel more responsible for her own routine. Maybe there's a balance between limiting options and still allowing some freedom of choice? Curious if others have tried something similar or had different experiences...
That's a good point about letting kids have some say in their choices. I've noticed something similar with my own kids, actually. My son used to dread brushing his teeth every night, and it was always a bit of a struggle. Then one day, we were at the store, and he spotted this toothbrush with his favorite cartoon character on it. Normally, I'm pretty cautious about spending extra money on branded stuff, but it wasn't too pricey, so I figured why not give it a try.
Honestly, I was skeptical at first—could something as simple as a cartoon toothbrush really make a difference? Surprisingly, it did. He was genuinely excited to use it that night and even reminded me when it was time to brush (which never happened before). It wasn't just the novelty factor either; he seemed proud of having made his own choice and took better care of the toothbrush because he felt ownership over it.
Of course, there were times when he picked out toothpaste flavors that turned out to be total duds—like bubblegum flavor that tasted nothing like bubblegum (according to him anyway). But even those little mistakes became learning experiences. He started paying more attention to labels and flavors after that. Now he's pretty careful about what he picks out, and it's become part of our routine to discuss options together at the store.
I think you're onto something about finding balance though. Too many choices can definitely overwhelm kids (and adults too, honestly), but giving them some limited freedom within reason seems to help build responsibility. Maybe narrowing down the options beforehand—like picking two or three acceptable toothpastes—and then letting them choose from those could be a good compromise? It's worked pretty well for us so far...
"Too many choices can definitely overwhelm kids (and adults too, honestly)"
Totally agree with this... even adults get decision fatigue sometimes. My grandkids got really into brushing when we started using a timer app that plays music. Simple, but it keeps things fun and consistent.
