To stop telling ds1 to clean his teeth?

[hiddenhome]

ds1 is 13 and I'm sick of reminding him to brush his teeth. He would never shower, comb his hair, brush his teeth, anything if I wasn't there to tell him to do it

I'm really sick of it, but I feel, in some way, responsible for his teeth. It's like they're my teeth because I grew them for him and he should take care of the damn things. He needs to value his teeth and keep them healthy to avoid fillings.

I just can't be bothered to constantly chase him about them. He needs to look after his own teeth now.

At 13, as he's still a child, I would say that yes his teeth and general health are still your responsibility and as such, you should carry on trying to instil good dental care into him. If he's still the same come 16 or 18, leave him to it!

I would make comments about how his breath stinks if he comes near you... that should do the trick.

I think YABU. He's 13...stop when he's about 16...

He's not a child at 13 though. He's a teenager. I was looking after my own hygiene from age 5 and didn't need anybody to keep telling me to brush my teeth. ds2 is 7 and he knows to brush his teeth twice a day.

ds1 is lazy and perhaps a couple of fillings might wake him up.

YABU for me too. I know it's a pain but please just keep on at him.

13 year old needs looking after? Sheesh.....this is ridiculous. I can't be doing with it at all. He's in the ATC, she's being taught how to handle firearms, yet he can't look after his own dental hygiene?

As the mum of a 12 yo DS you need to be kicking him up the arse reminding him.

My DS has a bath at night after sports and a quickie shower before school (clean undies and shirt) because I nag him but I still have to prompt the anti-perspirant, teeth and mouthwash.
If he does get lazy he'll be fed a disclosing tablet.

And he smells if he gets dehydrated.

You need to nag- they think of the Here and Now, not 5/10/15 years down the line.

er... don't then?

Keep on, and on, and on. No-one ever drummed it into me, it was never part of a bedtime routine and so it was never something I did twice a day, every day. Grim, I know. I now need 7 (yes, 7) fillings - my teeth are falling apart and the dentist has said if my gums don't improve by the end of this month, she can't do the work Pointless me having 18m with an agonising brace on as a teenager really.

Should I show him really nasty pictures of rotten teeth or painful dental work on Youtube?

Oh and re fillings.
My DS cracked a tooth (sports I presume) so I parid £45 for him to have a white filling.
Much stronger, less health scares and nicer in his otherwise perfect little teeth than an ugly grey amalgum.

Is he grateful? Is he buggery!

Paid not parid - grr

teens can't look after themselves

He's only just a teen though?

Google Shane Macgowan for him .

He's 13.5, so has been a teen for some 6 months

Grrr......I want kids who are responsible and self reliant, like what I am Can't be doing with this endless nagging 'n' stuff.

DS is 13 and I still tell him to brush his teeth in the evening. He seems to remember in the morning, but has to be told at night.

C'mon hidden you know it goes with the territory.

My mum was one of those who was "oh it's down to you" so of course I didn't so as a result I've got dental problems.

I wish she'd nagged me.

Look at it as teen revolting.
(And my 10 yo DD is complete opposite BTW- glued to the bathroom)

rotten teeth here

There are loads of ways to teach kids to be responsible and self reliant, including them finding out the consequences of them not being so by you not stepping it.

But as teeth are for life, I think they are not a good choice of something that your parents should leave you to find out the consequences of. Teach him responsibility over some other issue.

Have the same issue with my 14 yr old DS
Everyone says as soon as he discovers girls, he'll change!
But he does smell sometimes

I have a 19 year old lad, two 13 year old boys and a 13 year old girl. The boys do need a nudge and a kick up the backside to shower and clean their teeth. DS3 was the worst with his teeth till he got fed up of me calling him a minger (stopped as soon as he cleaned them!) They are slowly improving, although their bedroom is a biohazard. DD is clean in herself, but her bedroom is...well...not good. Luckily, DS1 is now clean, tidy and well turned out and his room is non smelly. Don't leave him to it with his teeth though, he doesn't realise the enormity of good oral hygiene yet.