Inspire Your Children

Every morning, every evening, it is the same thing over and over. "Z, go brush your teeth. And do a good job." Oh, I know what the hygienist says because she says the same thing to me every time we go there. "Mom, you have to help him brush until he develops good habits. You should be helping him every time. First, he can brush and then you get a turn." Whatever. Who really does that, anyway? So, on the irregular somewhat occasions that I actually brush after him, I notice that he has done an ABSOLUTELY SHITTY job of brushing his teeth. I usually brush after him when I walk by the bathroom and he is just standing there either a) sucking on the toothbrush, b) smearing toothpaste on the counter, or c) rinsing the toothbrush obsessively.

Well, finally I had reached my limit. The kid is now SEVEN years old and since before he turned FOUR I have been brushing his teeth with him and hounding him about the proper technique and blah, blah, blah. He's old enough to be brushing his teeth well on his own and to give a shit about it.

I decided to take action. He needed to know what the consequences would be if he continued NOT brushing well and flossing. So I did what every concerned parent would do. I forced him to look at the Google images for "meth mouth". He peeked through covered eyes and begged me to not make him look. I mean, I get it, kid. That shit is scary-looking! 

He brushed and flossed this morning...for a LONG TIME.

Curtsy.