Sticker charts worked for us for a while, but honestly, I got tired of buying little rewards all the time. My kid started expecting a prize every week, which got old fast, especially on a tight bud...
I hear you on the sticker charts—they can start to feel like just another chore. Making flossing a routine is definitely more sustainable. In my experience, kids respond well when it’s just a normal part of getting ready for bed, no big deal or bribes needed. Sometimes I’ll let them pick the floss flavor or do a countdown, but mostly it’s about consistency. Skipping a night here and there isn’t the end of the world, either.
I get a little stressed about skipping nights, honestly. My son had a cavity last year and ever since then I worry we’re not doing enough. Do you ever worry that just making it “routine” isn’t enough? Sometimes I feel like if I don’t remind him (or even do it for him), he just won’t bother. Is that just me being overprotective, or is this normal for younger kids? Picking the floss flavor helps, but he still complains half the time...
I get what you mean—my daughter’s the same way. If I don’t remind her, flossing just doesn’t happen. I read somewhere that most kids need help with flossing until like age 8 or 9, so maybe it’s normal? We use those little floss picks and let her pick the color, which helps a bit. Still a struggle some nights...
Yeah, it’s definitely normal for kids that age to need reminders. My son’s 7 and if I don’t actually hand him the floss pick, he’ll just skip it. We tried making it part of his bedtime routine, right after story time, and that helped a bit. Some nights he fights it, but honestly, I think consistency is the only thing that really works... even if it’s a pain for us. Those colorful flossers are a lifesaver though—he likes the dinosaur ones.
Those dinosaur flossers would’ve made my life easier back in the day, I swear. My grandkids are the same—if it’s not fun or colorful, it’s not happening. I used to bribe them with a sticker chart, but honestly, sometimes you just have to chase them around with the floss. At least they’ll thank us when they’re older... or so I keep telling myself.
