As a parent, it can be a fight every day to get your kids to brush their teeth. They may despise the task, hate the taste or simply don't want to do it. August 6 is National Fresh Breath Day. This day is designed to encourage and educate families to maintain good dental hygiene. But, helping children love this task can be hard. So instead of pulling your hair out day after day, here are five tricks to end the fight and help your children brush their teeth.
1. Make it a game
Give your children a good experience while brushing their teeth. You can turn this task into a variety of games. Put a timer in the bathroom and set it for at least two minutes. Or, play a song and see who can brush for the full duration of the song. You can even see who has the most brushing motions in a set amount of time. There are a variety of ways you can create a fun game for your children and give them a little more motivation to brush.
2. Let him choose
Let your child choose his own toothbrush and toothpaste. When a child gets to choose, he will be more excited to use it. However, make sure the toothbrush is appropriate for the age of your child.
3. Make it part of the routine
While your children are young, make brushing teeth part of the daily routine. Teach them that they can't go to bed, read stories or go even play until it is done. And as a parent, make sure you stick to the routine. When you become lax, your child doesn't take the importance of the task seriously. He thinks it is OK to skip a night every once in a while. Be firm and make sure you instill the habit into your child's life.
4. Do it together
Most children love to do everything their parents do. If your child has a hard time brushing her teeth on her own, have her brush while you brush. Let her watch you and have her follow your motions. You can even make it into a game similar to Follow the Leader. Your child will enjoy spending time with you and you can help her understand that brushing teeth is what the big kids do and it is important that it is done each day.
5. Use charts and rewards
Create a sticker chart and let each child place a sticker on the chart each time he brushes his teeth. Create an incentive program and once your child has reached a certain number of stickers on the chart, let him choose his reward. This will help motivate your children to brush their teeth and create some excitement when it is teeth brushing time.
Brushing your teeth can be an enjoyable time each day. There are several ways you can excite your children and motive them to brush their teeth. You just need to find something that works best for them.
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