I did have to learn not to jam them in between my teeth.
I get where you’re coming from, but I gotta admit, I’m not totally sold on picks—at least for my kid. I tried them after reading posts like yours, but they snapped or bent way too easily for little hands. String floss is tricky, yeah, but we turned it into a goofy bedtime routine and now it’s just part of the drill. Maybe it’s different for adults, but teaching the string early feels worth it in the long run.
we turned it into a goofy bedtime routine and now it’s just part of the drill.
That’s actually really smart. We tried picks with my daughter, too, but she just ended up snapping them or poking her gums. String floss was a pain at first, but once we made it a silly game (she “flosses” her stuffed animals after), she got into it. I do like picks for myself—less mess—but for kids, I see your point.
- Totally relate to the picks snapping issue—my kid did the same and got frustrated fast.
- Making it a game with her toys sounds like a win. Kids love copying what they see.
- I still use picks for myself too, just easier when I’m half-asleep.
- Not sure how people get little kids to sit still for string floss without some kind of distraction... patience level: zero over here.
Picks snapping is the worst—my youngest would get so mad, she'd just toss them and refuse to try again. I started letting her “floss” her stuffed animals first, which weirdly helped? Distraction is key. String floss with kids... yeah, not happening here either.
Picks snapping is the worst—my youngest would get so mad, she'd just toss them and refuse to try again.
That reminds me of my grandkids—one of them used to stomp off if the pick broke. I get it, those things can be frustrating. For me, picks made flossing easier after arthritis set in, but they do snap sometimes. I just keep a few extras handy and try not to let it bother me. Funny how a little patience (or distraction, like you said) goes a long way with kids... and honestly, adults too.