Jan 4, 2011
A guest post from a Top3Dentists Mom on how she made brushing teeth fun…
As a mom, I’ve learned that I need to do things a certain way if I want my 3 year old to do what I want her to do. I’ve learned that if I want her to eat vegetables, I need to add cheese. If I want her to get dressed, I have to have her favorite pink dress ready. If I need her to take a bath, I get the special bubbles. If I want her to go to bed, I have to read her her favorite books beforehand. When you’re little, it just takes a little extra to make a mundane task more exciting. Some may call it bribery, I call it facilitation. I’ve learned the tips and tricks that have helped her stay healthy, and me stay sane!
I’ve incorporated this method into just about everything we do together. I’ve found that for her, even with her Rapunzel toothbrush and bright blue candy flavored toothpaste, she wasn’t excited about brushing her teeth. I needed more. I decided we’d try singing songs each time we brush our teeth. We started with the traditional ABC’s and tried to sing the whole thing with a mouthful of toothpaste and a toothbrush. We moved on to other songs like “Brush, Brush, Brush Your Teeth” (To the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”), and then started making up our own songs about teeth. The latest song is “Jingle Teeth” (To the tune of “Jingle Bells”). Now that Christmas is over, I really need a new song!
Another thing I added to this is brushing my teeth with her. If my husband is home, the three of us will brush our teeth together. It turns into a competition to see who can sing the loudest, who can brush the longest, and who can make the most foam. It gets a little messy, but is well worth the mess. My daughter and husband and I can spend quality time together, promote the importance of brushing and taking care of teeth, and avoid the temper tantrums! It’s also a pretty good feeling when you take your child to the dentist and the dentist tells you that you’ve been doing a good job! It’s a win-win for all involved.
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