Brushing teeth

“Mommy, Rowan is just sitting here sucking her thumb and twirling her hair.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Mommy, Rowan’s not brushing.”

“I am brushing, Baby!” Rowan answers indiginantly.

I have tried so many different things to get her to brush her teeth. We’ve made up songs, told her she had to get all the little food monsters in her teeth. You kill them with good brushing. She’s gotten in trouble. She’s been put on the timer to brush quickly. She’s been in races with her siblings to see who can brush the fastest and the best. We’ve talked about the reasons why we need to brush. I’ve explained how if she doesn’t brush she’ll be toothless. But none of it seems to work. I’m out of ideas. It drives me absolutely batty.

Then when she finally finishes brushing, there is so much toothpaste left on her toothbrush, it’s like she’s afraid to ruin the toothbrush by brushing her teeth with it.

She’s such a pretty girl inside and out, so why doesn’t she want teeth when she’s 20?