Totally get what you're saying about rewards losing their shine after a while. We had the same issue—my daughter started bargaining like a mini lawyer, lol. But one thing that helped us was letting her pick out her own flossers at the store. Sounds silly, but having unicorn-shaped flossers somehow made it less of a chore and more of a personal choice. Agree though, routine beats rewards long-term...just gotta find that sweet spot between fun and practical.
Totally relate to the bargaining thing—my son could probably negotiate his way out of bedtime if I let him, haha. I like your unicorn-flosser idea, but honestly, those themed flossers can get pricey over time. We tried something similar at first (superhero flossers were a hit for about two weeks), but my wallet wasn't loving it.
What ended up working better for us was turning flossing into a family thing. Sounds cheesy, I know, but hear me out... Every night after dinner, we all floss together in the bathroom. It started as just me trying to set an example, but now it's become this weird little family ritual. My son actually reminds ME sometimes if I'm running behind schedule. 😂
I think kids just naturally want to copy what they see adults doing—especially parents or older siblings. So making it a shared habit rather than a solo chore helped us a ton. Plus, it doesn't cost extra and avoids the whole reward burnout issue.
But yeah, totally agree with you on routine beating rewards long-term. Rewards are great short-term motivators, but eventually kids catch on and start negotiating harder (like your mini lawyer!). Building habits seems way more sustainable in the long run.
Still might grab some unicorn flossers occasionally as a special treat though... birthdays or holidays maybe? Gotta keep things fun sometimes!
Totally agree about the family flossing thing—kids really do pick up habits by watching us. My daughter was super resistant until she saw her older cousin flossing regularly. Suddenly, flossing became "cool"... peer influence can be surprisingly powerful, haha.
That's funny about the cousin thing... reminds me of when I was younger. My parents tried everything to get me flossing, from sticker charts to flavored floss (bubblegum, anyone?). Nothing stuck until my dentist casually mentioned cavities and fillings during a check-up—I was instantly terrified into compliance. Not exactly the gentlest method, haha, but it worked. Makes me wonder, though: has anyone found a way to motivate kids without bringing up scary dental stories?
"Nothing stuck until my dentist casually mentioned cavities and fillings during a check-up—I was instantly terrified into compliance."
Haha, I totally get that fear motivation... not ideal, but effective. I've found that turning flossing into a fun family routine helps a lot. We all floss together, put on some music, and make silly faces in the mirror—sounds goofy, but my kids actually look forward to it now. It becomes less about dental hygiene as a chore and more about bonding time. Might be worth a try if you're looking for something gentler than cavity horror stories...
