How do you trim your feisty toddlers nails? Oh and clean their teeth?

[Heatherbell1978]

My 15 month old DS1 really doesn't like his nails being trimmed or teeth being cleaned...he also doesn't like his nappy getting changed or getting dressed but I manage to get through them eventually as I can do both while he's moving...

His nails seem to always need trimming and it's just impossible to do much more than 1 or 2 and even then I'm just trimming a bit of the end. The teeth....we try and do them in the bath, have 3 toothbrushes so he can play with the others while I'm brushing but he clamps his mouth shut the minute I get anywhere near him and eventually gets really upset. He is constantly teething but I'm not convinced that's why as he's always been a bit stubborn about it.

Any tips for making my toddler look presentable when he really doesn't want to?! Just another delightful phase?

A good headlock worked for me. I'm not kidding either, I didn't pussyfoot with tooth brushing.

I cut nails when my daughters asleep. Get them napping with no socks on and do the feet as well! For a while I could get them done while Peppa was on but right now she's taken against the clippers. My thinking is a few weeks of not having them done (that she's aware of, because I'll do them in her sleep), and I'll be able to try again.

Bribery?
Or, dh in particular (who has always done teeth-cleaning time) seems to have this good thing going on whereby he gets dd to do a big roar, or sing a note, or something, while he does her teeth. Seems to work well.
Also, this may be obvious, but have you tried some of the different flavoured toothpastes available? Dd loves "Berry Bubble" and "Pirate Fruits".
Good luck -it's a minefield.

We're having some success with a teeth cleaning song on YouTube. However, we also do teeth in the bath so I'm slightly nervous about the wisdom of holding a phone over the bath in one hand whilst trying to brush the teeth of a wriggly toddler in the other..,,

Nails are done with the telly on. It's the only time DS sits still.

He's actually fine with teeth but if he weren't I would probably do those in front of the tv/tablet/phone too.

Being 'silly mummy' always worked for me. Pretending the toothbrush was covered in custard or ketchup, or pretending to brush their nose/ear/knee etc. I'd act.genuinely puzzled about what I was supposed to do, until eventually they'd show me.

Nails when asleep.

If they really won't let you brush their teeth you pin them down and nip in when they scream.

Teeth rushing is non negotiable. Not letting you do it is a phase that passes more quickly if you just get on with it ime.

I bite DD's nails when I can catch her hand for long enough. If I tried cutting them when she was sleeping it would wake her up and she would scream bloody murder.

Teeth I sit her on my knee. I brush my own teeth for a bit then she invariably steals my toothbrush. While she's pissing about with it I brush hers. Sometimes she chews on my brush, happy days, it opens her mouth wider, sometimes she brushes my teeth for me, so helpful