Any tricks moms got up their sleeves?

[Anonymous]

It’s been impossible to trim Ariella’s nails (toenails) and brush her teeth lately. She just doesn’t let me do it. I can’t do it while she’s sleeping (trimming nails) b/c I tried a few times and she woke up cranky. Any tricks anyone uses?? I try to be very fast but even that doesn’t work sometimes.

[Anonymous]

Nails are not an issue for us, so no help there, but had a lot of success with that little finger toothbrush, not the real one. I gave Dylan a real one (still using finger one with Carter) when he was about 2 and let him do it after I did it with the finger one (he wanted more control). For some reason he didn’t resist the finger one and would just chew on the real one after I was done.

[Anonymous]

We don’t have much luck either with toothbrushing but Seth did like the electric Elmo toothbrush I got him (even if he does it for a few seconds it does a good job) but Ariella may be a little young for that still. I also let him brush my teeth (with my toothbrush) if he lets me brush his or tell him we have to brush until I finish singing the alphabet song (but never get through it!). I have about decided we are just going to have some $$$ dentist bills one day!

For the nail clipping, DH used to trim Seth’s when he fell asleep in his lap but he is now pretty good about sitting still for us to do it. We also use the little baby nail scissors instead of the clippers and they seem to work better.

[Anonymous]

With the toe nails, we do it in front of the TV with distraction. With the toothbrushing, it’s been really hard, but we started with the 1-2-3 away technique. Now we have a brushing song and we sing it everytime we brush. Hailey isn’t always eager, but generally lets us do a fast job.

[Anonymous]

Our fingernail/toenail technique is Daddy distracts in whatever way necessary while Mommy gets the nails done. We usually have to do it in two phases with a break in between. I usually do left hand/foot, then we’ll regroup again later for right hand/foot (or visa versa).

With Elizabeth, she was completely enthralled with Baby Einstein videos so I could do her nails while she was watching that.

For teethbrushing for an older child, I read the tip that if you can get them to say/sing “EEEEE” you can get the outsides of the teeth pretty good. Then you have them say/sing “AHHHHHHHHH” and you can get the tops and insides. It does work for us with Elizabeth. Of course, you might go deaf in the process, but you get the teeth clean.

For Andrew, he wants to hold the toothbrush (or the two toothbrushes if I try giving him one and I use a different one) and fights with me over it. He wants to bite on it. I always tell him “Mommy brushes first, then Andrew.” Most of the time I end up holding him tight in a horizontal (almost nursing) position and brush against his will telling him that he can do it after I’m done. Then I praise him, let him up and let him have the toothbrush, and then try to keep him from walking around with the toothbrush. When I am ready to be done with it all, I tell him to give me the toothbrush and I’ll give him a drink. Since he loves being allowed to drink from an open cup, he hands over the toothbrush quite easily.

[Anonymous]

Nails are a huge issue for us. Sarah loves to take the clippers and pretend to cut mommy’s nails…but heaven forbid she let me cut hers. She fought me so hard yesterday that when I did finally get her ring finger clipped…I cut it too short and had to put a bandaid on her finger b/c it was bleeding so bad. I felt so bad!!! I wish she didn’t fight me so hard. I’m not as good about teeth brushing as I used to be. Usually she doesn’t mind though and is eager and willing to brush. Good luck and I hope you find some good techniques!

[Anonymous]

not much advice on the toothbrushing, but as far as the nails, we’ve found a way to cut them in while she sleeps without waking her- we got these small scissors with an led light built in (sell them at the baby store), so you can keep the lights off. I can get both hands done in about a minute.

yana

[Anonymous]

All of our kids were bad with the toothbrushing until they were older. With DS3 I let him brush my teeth (and face and neck and ears) while I brushed his teeth. If he closed his mouth, then I closed my mouth. I made it a huge game and put globs of toothpaste on my teeth so that he had fun. It didn’t take too long and he is now used to brushing. He also likes to brush in the bathtub. (I know this sounds gross but whatever works is my motto!!)

[Anonymous]

TnBEich wrote: All of our kids were bad with the toothbrushing until they were older. With DS3 I let him brush my teeth (and face and neck and ears) while I brushed his teeth. If he closed his mouth, then I closed my mouth. I made it a huge game and put globs of toothpaste on my teeth so that he had fun. It didn’t take too long and he is now used to brushing. He also likes to brush in the bathtub. (I know this sounds gross but whatever works is my motto!!)

LOL

I love it. I usually tell Kaden that I have to do it first and have him say EEE and AAAAAA and he isnt bad about letting me in there, then I put more paste on the toothbrush for him to brush his own teeth with when I am done. I recently got him a SpongeBob spinning toothbrush which he loves. Maybe a fun toothbrush would help?

As for the nails…good luck. I have a wretched time with both of my kids. DH is in charge of DS1’s nails and I do the baby.

[Anonymous]

I trim the toenails when he is in the highchair! He can’t reach them and can only pull away so far. I usually have to fight him on the finger nails though..

as for the brushing… how many teeth does she have? I still just use a soft cloth or gauze for Ben’s teeth. He thinks it’s hilarious for me to rub around in there. I let him bite on it too, figuring he’s helping get them clean. But he only has 2 teeth fully in and 3 nubs at this point.

[Author]

Posts