This is spot on. At our house, we did the whole sticker chart thing—got the fancy ones with glitter and everything. My son was into it for, I don’t know, maybe a week? The minute he realized there was no grand prize at the end except “good teeth,” he was out. I get it. I’d probably want a trophy too.
Then we tried one of those brushing apps because, apparently, if it’s on a screen, it’s more interesting (for about five minutes). The app had these little monsters you could “clean” by brushing, and every time you finished, confetti would rain down and there’d be this over-the-top celebration. Honestly, I was kind of jealous—I don’t get confetti for brushing my teeth. But after a few days, he just started skipping through the animations to get to the end, like he was speedrunning toothbrushing.
I think you’re right—it’s all about novelty. It doesn’t seem to matter if it’s a sticker or a cartoon dragon doing backflips; once the newness wears off, it’s back to square one. Maybe kids just have a built-in boredom timer for anything that’s supposed to be “good for them.” Or maybe my kid just inherited my attention span (which is… not great).
One thing that sort of helped was letting him pick out his own toothbrush—like, the wildest color or with his favorite character on it. That lasted longer than the app or chart, weirdly enough. Maybe because it felt more personal? Or maybe because he could show it off to his cousin and say, “Mine’s cooler.”
Anyway, I’m starting to think there’s no magic bullet here—just a constant rotation of tricks until something sticks for a little while. If anyone figures out how to make toothbrushing as exciting as YouTube videos or dessert, let me know...
I hear you on the novelty thing, but honestly, I’m not sure rotating tricks really works long-term. I used to think swapping toothbrushes or apps would keep my nephew interested, but he just gets more stubborn every time something new shows up. Sometimes I wonder if too many “fun” options just make it easier for him to tune out the whole thing. My orthodontist always said routine is more important than excitement, and after years of braces (ugh), I kind of get it now. Maybe boring consistency isn’t so bad, even if it’s not flashy.
“Maybe boring consistency isn’t so bad, even if it’s not flashy.”
Yeah, I totally get this. I used to try all the “fun” stuff with my little cousin—apps, colorful timers, even silly songs. It worked for like a week, then he just rolled his eyes at the next new thing. Honestly, sticking to a set routine (even if it’s a little dull) seems to work better in the long run. Once it’s just part of what you do, there’s less arguing. Not glamorous, but way less hassle.
“Honestly, sticking to a set routine (even if it’s a little dull) seems to work better in the long run.”
- Tried the apps with my nephew—he loved them for about three days, then forgot they existed.
- DIY charts? Same deal. Stars were cool until he realized they didn’t actually buy him more screen time.
- Once we just brushed at the same time every night, it became automatic... less whining, fewer bribes.
- Not gonna win any “Fun Uncle” awards, but hey, his teeth are clean and my sanity’s intact.
“Once we just brushed at the same time every night, it became automatic... less whining, fewer bribes.”
That’s honestly what worked for me as a kid, too. My parents tried all the sticker charts and reward systems, but after a while it just felt like more work for everyone. I remember my mom saying, “We brush teeth because it’s what we do, not because you get a gold star.” At the time I thought she was being boring, but now I get it. Routine just takes the drama out of it.
I’ve had my fair share of dental work—fillings, crowns, you name it—and I can say the habits you build early really do stick. Apps and charts might be fun for a minute, but if you’re not consistent, it all falls apart. Curious if anyone’s found a way to actually make the apps last longer than a week? Or is it just human nature to get bored and move on?
