I am a 'persuasive parent' I practice all
10 habits in order to convince my children to do things my way...Now before you go thinking I am brainwashing them from free thinking free will children into automatons... realize you are prolly doing it to your kids too. If you don't you should about some things.1. Repetition
brush your teeth, brush this way, check out this example of clean teeth, and now the yucky teeth, Listen to this story about brushing teeth. Trust me we all do that! (though not all parents about teeth)
2. Reasons why
Because if you don't you will get cavities, or your teeth will need pulled, or you will just plain have bad bread/yucky teeth, and because I don't want to pay for any of that to be fixed! If you havn't told your kid why yet, you should.
3. Consistency
Monday - "brush your teeth"
Tuesday - "brush your teeth"
Wednesday -"brush your teeth"
......you get the idea
4. Social Proof
The dentist and all parents think tooth brushing is important! (a few testimonials from those not ingrained in this habit in youth and how they are paying the price are well warranted)
5. Comparisons
See the non brushing mouth..see the yucky cavities..see the dentist bill
See the frequently brushed mouth, see the nice teeth..see the no cavity bill is lower...
6. agitate and solve
oh my I haven't brushed my teeth, I would rather read/play/watch/cuddle/sleep but I know a yucky feeling mouth has yucky germs that eat away at my teeth, I will go brush MY teeth. (and of course you will too)
7. prognosticate
If you do not brush your teeth regularly you will have a yucky mouth.
8. go tribal
Time to brush teeth for everyone! (and I do mean everyone a whole stack of tooth brushes a full bathroom and one big brushing party goes on)
9. address objections
I know it seems like a waste but it is important. I know you don't like the tooth paste much, next time you can pick. I know yellow isn't your favorite color of brush, next time we trade them in we will look for pink!
10. story telling
Once upon a time there was a little girl (rabit, bear, fish, whatever) who rarely ever brushed her teeth, now she is all grown up and had to go to the dentist to get a root canal...she had to pass up on going out to several fun events (renfest, football game, movie, whatever) because she didn't have the money left over after the root canal.
Now we don't have to do that every night, but those are ten of the tricks we use to convince our kids to pick up a lifelong habit of tooth brushing.
If only I could formulate finances into all those rules......a save money mantra instead of a brush teeth. Part of the trouble is teeth need taken care of twice a day (minimum) money doesn't.