Three Valuable Methods You Can Use To Get Your Kids To Brush Their Teeth
ShareA child who learns proper habits related to dental care at an early age will be able to continue these habits in the years and decades ahead. As a parent, one of your responsibilities is to ensure that, even at a young age, your children understand the value in brushing their teeth and make it a part of their daily routine at least twice per day. Invariably, some children will gravitate toward regular dental care, while others will show little interest in it. You can often find success in converting a member of the latter group through the use of these three tactics.
Increase The Fun Factor
While adults know that brushing their teeth is beneficial, kids might not immediately see the benefits. You can improve the situation by making the activity more fun. Don't try to change the actual tooth-brushing time; it's important that the child is able to concentrate on the task at hand. You can, however, sing a toothbrush song on your way to the bathroom or upon completing the task. There are number of resources on the Internet that feature songs about brushing your teeth that are easy for children to learn and sing with you.
Provide An Incentive
Bribing your children to ensure that they brush their teeth isn't ideal, as bribing can lead to behavioral issues down the road. You can, however, provide a fun incentive that will encourage your kids to get brushing. Put together a chart that features empty boxes for the days of the week, list your children's names beside the boxes and place the chart on the fridge where your kids can see it. Each time they successfully brush their teeth twice per day, place a checkmark or a sticker in the designated box. Each child will be encouraged to "fill" his or her given week with checks or stickers, which can help the child have an incentive to brush.
Join Them
Children will inherently see the importance of any activity upon watching their parent do it, so it's valuable to make a point of brushing your teeth in front of your children. If you commonly perform this activity in private in your own bathroom, consider relocating your toothbrush to the children's bathroom and spend time brushing together. You can also reinforce the importance of this task after meals—instead of jumping right into a post-meal activity, head to the bathroom together and brush your teeth first.