Totally agree about brushing together—kids love copying grown-ups. Another thing I've seen work surprisingly well is letting them pick their own toothbrush or toothpaste flavor. My niece went from tantrums to excited brushing overnight just because she got strawberry toothpaste...go figure.
Picking flavors definitely helps, but it wasn't a magic fix for my son. He spent ages debating between bubblegum and watermelon toothpaste, finally chose watermelon... and still resisted brushing. Eventually, a sticker chart did the trick—kids are unpredictable!
Flavor choices can definitely help, but as you've noticed, they're rarely a complete solution. I've found that combining flavor options with something interactive—like a brushing timer app or a toothbrush that lights up—can sometimes boost enthusiasm. Kids often respond well to visual or interactive cues. Has anyone else tried pairing brushing routines with interactive tools or apps? Curious if that's been effective for others or just another temporary fix...
We tried one of those brushing apps with my daughter last year—honestly, it worked pretty well at first. She loved the little characters and earning badges, but after a couple months, the novelty wore off. Still, I wouldn't call it a total bust. It helped establish a routine, and even though she doesn't use the app anymore, she's kept up the habit. So yeah, interactive stuff can be temporary, but sometimes that's enough to get the ball rolling...
Did you find the badges and rewards lost their appeal quickly, too? We had a similar experience—the app was great at first, but after a while my son just wasn't into the digital prizes anymore. What actually stuck for us was letting him pick out his own toothbrushes at the store. Sounds simple, but having a toothbrush with his favorite superhero or cartoon character seemed to keep him interested longer than the app did...
