Funny, I tried sticker charts with my twins and they just ended up fighting over who got the shinier one. What finally clicked was letting them “invent” their own brushing song—total nonsense lyrics, but now they actually remind me when it’s time. Guess unpredictability really does the trick sometimes.
What finally clicked was letting them “invent” their own brushing song—total nonsense lyrics, but now they actually remind me when it’s time. Guess unpredictability really does the trick sometimes.
That’s hilarious—I can totally picture the chaos over shinier stickers. I’ve seen sticker charts work for some, but honestly, my kids just got bored after a week. The song thing is genius. We tried something similar with “toothbrush dances”—basically letting them pick a silly move each night while brushing. Kept them engaged and distracted from the “chore” aspect.
I’ve noticed routines get stale fast at this age. Mixing it up seems to help—one month it’s songs, next it’s pretending we’re brushing dinosaur teeth or racing the timer. Sometimes I wonder if all these tricks are more for my sanity than theirs, but hey, if it gets teeth brushed without meltdowns... I’ll take it.
It’s funny how what works is never what the parenting books suggest. Unpredictability seems underrated in the advice columns.
It’s wild how quickly kids sniff out a routine and get bored, right? Sticker charts were a total flop at our house too—my daughter actually started negotiating for “bonus” stickers just for showing up at the sink. The toothbrush dance thing is brilliant though. I’ve found anything that lets them take the lead works better than me nagging.
Honestly, I used to stress about following all those “expert” recommendations, but half the time, it’s just trial and error. We did a phase where we pretended we were zookeepers brushing animal teeth—she’d pick a different animal every night and we’d make up stories as we went. That kept her interested for a surprising stretch.
I’m curious—has anyone tried letting their kid pick out their own toothpaste flavor? We had a minor breakthrough switching from mint to bubblegum. I always wonder if mixing up the toothpaste or even the brush itself (like letting them decorate it with stickers) helps keep things fresh or if it’s just another short-lived novelty.
Mixing up toothpaste flavors is fun for about a week in my house, then it’s back to “do I have to?” mode. My kid was obsessed with grape for exactly three days, then declared it “too purple.” Decorating toothbrushes with stickers ended with half the stickers in the sink drain. For us, honestly, the only thing that’s stuck is brushing together—if I make a big deal out of my own brushing, suddenly it’s cool. Go figure.
For us, honestly, the only thing that’s stuck is brushing together—if I make a big deal out of my own brushing, suddenly it’s cool. Go figure.
That’s basically the only thing that works for us too, but I worry if I’m making it too much of a performance? Like, what happens when I’m not there—will she just stop? Tried timers and songs but she gets distracted halfway through. Does anyone else get nervous about cavities even when you’re doing “all the right things”? Sometimes I feel like we’re just barely keeping up.
