Before you get angry and ask, 'Why won't you brush your teeth?', try these magic words to make your child smile
Hello. I am a father of two, currently struggling with my children's tooth brushing.
Do you ever find yourself yelling, 'Go brush your teeth already!' every night, only to fall into self-loathing afterward?
Actually, children can be surprisingly motivated by the words their parents use. Today, I would like to introduce three 'magic phrases' that I have practiced and found effective for making children smile and turning tooth brushing into a habit, along with specific examples.
Magic Phrase 1: Praise them by saying, 'It's all thanks to you!'
Children love being praised. In particular, praising not just the result but the process itself helps build their confidence.
'You've gotten so good at holding your toothbrush!': Praising the first step helps flip the child's motivation switch.
'You're brushing all the way to the back of your mouth! Amazing!': When you praise them for working hard to brush the difficult spots, children feel a sense of accomplishment.
'Your teeth are sparkling! Now the germs are running away!': Explain clearly what tooth brushing leads to.
Magic Phrase 2: Become their partner by saying, 'Daddy will do his best too!'
Children prefer doing things with someone else rather than trying alone. Especially when their favorite dad becomes their partner, their motivation increases significantly.
'Daddy is going to go first, so will you watch me?': By showing your child that you enjoy brushing your teeth, they will start to feel, 'I want to try it too.'
'Today, let's have a competition to see who can get their toothbrush in their mouth first, Daddy or you!': By turning it into a competition, you can start brushing teeth like a game.
'Let's cast a spell together with our toothbrushes!': Treat the toothbrush like a magic wand and invite them to start an adventure together as parent and child.
Magic Phrase 3: Give them choices by asking, 'Which one do you prefer?'
Children love to decide things for themselves. By respecting this feeling, resistance to tooth brushing decreases, and the feeling of being 'forced' disappears.
'Which toothbrush will you use today? The one with [Character A] or the one with [Character B]?': Prepare multiple types of toothbrushes and let the child choose.
'Shall we sing a tooth brushing song? Or shall we draw pictures?': Suggest a few fun activities to do while brushing and let the child choose.
'Shall we brush our teeth in the living room? Or in the washroom?': Even just giving them a choice of location makes the child feel they decided it themselves, allowing them to start brushing smoothly.
Summary: Words are the best toothbrush
Before you get angry at a child who dislikes brushing their teeth by asking, 'Why won't you do it?', please try the magic words introduced here. By respecting and praising your child, tooth brushing will change from 'time spent being scolded by parents' to 'time filled with parent-child smiles.'
Words are the best toothbrush. Please try putting this into practice starting today.