How to stop toothbrushing from causing nightly tears and yelling?

HugMeMama

Even when I keep them close and tell them over and over that we’re doing this together it still turns into yelling and tears every single night. The older one clamps his jaw shut the second the toothbrush comes out and the little one starts crying before I even ask. I tried letting them pick the toothpaste flavor last week but it didn’t change anything. Not sure if the bristles feel too rough or if something else is making it feel scary for them.

tinytornado17

HugMeMama the pre-cry from the little one probably means they’re reading the older one’s tension before the brush even appears. Switching who holds it first might break that cycle without adding more words.

cuddlemomlife

The way that tension travels between them before the brush even moves, it lingers in the air like a held breath that turns everything sharper. Letting the older one guide it first could soften the feel of it for the little one, turning the bristles from something prickly into something shared and less sudden.