Turn nighttime fights into nighttime fun (usually)
Pajamas, potty, brush teeth, bed, story, and songs. That's our nighttime routine (now that my little is potty trained anyway). It seems simple, but it is rarely so.
Although I let them brush their own teeth as soon as they can, it is important for mommy or daddy to get a turn to make sure their teeth are well-cleaned. This is true for a long while--until the age of 5 or so depending on the child.
I have never been sure why each of my three kids has always hated having their teeth brushed. Perhaps it hurts them sometimes (say it isn't so!) or maybe they're still sensitive to the bristles or the taste of the training toothpaste.
All I can say for sure is that they each have fought me over tooth-brushing. There is nothing like a bedtime battle right before settling in to mess up a regular bedtime.
I've tried reasoning with them. "But if you don't brush your teeth, you'll get cavities!"
I've tried cajoling them. "Just open up. Like this. Ahhh!"
The only thing that works regularly? A game. After all--there's nothing little folks like more than having fun.
Singing
One of my children's favorite things is when I sing to them while I brush their teeth. I actually make up a silly song about tooth-brushing. "Brusha, brusha, Brusha. Brusha, brusha, brush you teeth." I just brush in one area until it's time to repeat that refrain and then move to another and repeat.
Counting
One of my friends was successful in getting her son to let her brush his teeth just by counting his teeth as she brushed each one. The dentist likes this little trick, too.
Taking Turns
"I'll brush your teeth first and then you can brush mine!" Just be prepared for a very vigorous tooth-brushing treatment.
Chasing the Bad Guys
This was most successful with my kids. Just take a villain-du-jour, and pretend he's small enough to run around their mouth. It's always a quick villain who seems to run just behind the next tooth.
Lots of fun imagination can go on with this one. "How did he get in there? What did you have for dinner? Oh! There he goes! He's so fast."
For my daughters, the villain could be the evil step-mother from Cinderella, Jafar from Aladdin, or even monsters. My son responds better to zombies--thanks to his big sisters for telling him about them.
May your bedtime routines go without a hitch!
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