Love the “broccoli forest”—I’ve done the same with my nephew, but his is always “carrot mountain.” Honestly, if there’s laughter at the sink, you’re halfway there. I’ve noticed the sillier I get, the more he actually brushes. Technique comes with time... and a lot of toothpaste on the counter.
Carrot mountain, broccoli forest... I’m starting to think we need a whole veggie landscape for toothbrushing. My niece has “toothpaste volcanoes”—she basically erupts the tube all over the sink. But hey, if it gets her brushing, I’ll take it. Anyone else have to hide their own electric brush so the kids don’t steal it? I swear mine’s gone missing more times than my retainers.
I get the idea of making brushing fun, but honestly, I try to keep it simple. The more “volcanoes” and mess, the more cleaning for me… and it kinda turns into a game of who can waste more toothpaste. My kid just picks their own brush and toothpaste flavor, and that’s been enough. Haven’t had to hide my electric one—she thinks it’s too “buzzy,” so maybe I lucked out there.
I get wanting to avoid a mess, but I’ve seen firsthand with my grandkids—sometimes a little extra excitement actually helps them stick with brushing. Sure, it’s more cleanup, but honestly, I’d rather wipe up a few splatters than deal with cavities down the line. Maybe not volcanoes every night, but a silly song or timer now and then doesn’t hurt.
“sometimes a little extra excitement actually helps them stick with brushing. Sure, it’s more cleanup, but honestly, I’d rather wipe up a few splatters than deal with cavities down the line.”
I get where you’re coming from, but in my experience, too much excitement can sometimes backfire—especially for kids with braces or appliances. I’ve seen my younger cousins get so caught up in the “fun” part that they rush through and miss spots around brackets. For us, focusing on technique is just as important as making it enjoyable. Maybe there’s a middle ground—like using a reward chart or letting them pick their own toothpaste flavor? The mess is one thing, but making sure they’re actually cleaning well matters even more when orthodontics are involved.
