Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/from-a-parents-perspective-healthy-teeth/5012665/
- Situation -Our dentist insists that I brush my daughter's teeth, but it has become increasingly impossible as she gets older. She is now four, and last night I actually squeezed her jaw to force her to open her mouth. I felt ashamed of myself. I know that I have to protect her teeth with proper brushing, but I hate these daily battles. It seems we fight over just about everything.
- Solution -
As you squeeze your daughter's jaw, chase her down the hall, or whatever else it takes to get that toothbrush inside her mouth, ask yourself: "Just what bad thing am I trying to prevent here?" Tooth decay? I know teeth are vital - I use mine all the time - but I truly believe I would enjoy chewing a whole lot less if I had to spend a lot of my energy clamping or jutting my jaws to prove that I was in control. Alternately, I might decide to do things as minimally as possible, in a version of passive power. The battles you describe are about power, not teeth. When children grow up being forced into compliance, they begin to believe that they must prove to the ...