Hellobee Boards

Do we have the same kid? C actually does like "brushing" her teeth- as in I hold the brush for about three seconds and brush either top or bottom front teeth, then she grabs it and chews on it and refuses to let me help guide it around. I have a toothbrush there and will brush my teeth while she watches, and she enjoys sucking on hers, but I know her teeth aren't getting clean and I'm worried they will stain. Hopefully someone has a good idea?

Do you do it in front of a mirror? M likes to watch me brush her teeth, so she'll open her mouth in front of the mirror and laugh. It also helps if I place my hand under her jaw.

Some early tricks:
Daniel Tiger episode
Letting her watch herself teeth brushing in the mirror
Brushing together
Brush my teeth but not telling her to brush hers. She instantly wants to brush just like us.
We started fairly young and would give it into her at all times
I've heard an electric toothbrush sometimes works
How about letting him go to the store and pick a brush out?

We brush our teeth together. I tell her to go to her toilet (the toilet in our bathroom, she uses it like a table) and then I get both of our toothbrushes ready. I hand her hers and she pretty much just chews on it or sucks off the toothpaste while I brush, and once I'm done I rewet her brush and quickly brush her teeth.

It works well for us. We used to have to hold her down and she would thrash like we were trying to skin her.

LO 1 doesn't mind but brushing LO 2's teeth is a nightmare!

We force E to brush hers and i think she likes it now. Then she likes to put it in her mouth and suck the water off and put it under the faucet a few times. She literally runs to the bathroom when we tell her it's time. She likes to sit on the counter, too, which is a "new" place for her.

LO isn't the best about brushing his teeth, but here are a few things that have helped:

watching us brush his teeth (he really likes the electric toothbrush)
getting him an electric toothbrush (oddly it took him a little while to warm up, but now he likes it)

Generally my 2.5 year old requires the same treatment that @Espion said. We force it twice a day but it's terrible every time. Even the electric Thomas the Train toothbrush only worked for about 3 days and then it was back to the fight.

FWIW we had to "force" it in the early days of brushing and there was always whining...but these days we just have to say "open" and she'll happily let us brush.

@.twist.: Forcing him hasn't gotten us anywhere either! Except for maybe cleaner teeth! LOL...just keep at it. My mantra is that he can't be a 40 year old who refuses to brush his teeth, can he??

We have, at various times, tried one or more of the following:
-An elmo tooth-brushing music video
-standing on a stool so he can see himself in the mirror
-letting him brush my teeth
-singing a silly song I made up about brushing teeth
making up a silly song about brushing
-brushing my teeth and not making him
-making a big deal when I brush his teeth (cheering and such)
-lately, Thomas the train toothpaste, and telling him that Thomas really wants him to brush his teeth

Basically my method has been to throw shit against a wall and see what sticks, lol!