Listen to Lena

Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion

Aquafresh Advanced Futures Contest!

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*The following giveaway in open to Canadians only* 

I hope you all have been enjoying my It’s One of A Kind! features on Canadian artists – there’s PLENTY more to come!

If you you don’t mind, let’s deter for a second for some fabulous news…

I’m delighted to announce the Aquafresh Advanced Futures Contest – where you can share your wish on www.aquafresh.ca/contest for a chance to WIN a $10,000 RESP, courtesy of new Aquafresh Advanced!

We all have many wishes for our children, and I believe one of the major responsibilities of parenting is to teach our children to believe in the power of their own dreams. Before Ryder was born, I pictured an athlete. A school  treasurer. An actor who would star in a movie alongside Brad Pitt (thereby having to make the necessary introductions, of course). Then, once I laid eyes on my son, I only wanted one thing: for him to be a healthy, happy individual.

A few years have passed and I once again have various aspirations for both him and his little brother: A kind heart. A respect for people and the environment. The courage to stand up for what you believe in. The humility to admit when you are wrong. And most of all, the stamina to hold onto your dreams.

And if they want to become actors and work with Brad Pitt, I guess I could deal with that too.

What are your wishes for your child? Visit the Aquafresh Advanced Futures Contest before November 30th, and you can help make dreams a reality with a $10,000 RESP!

Aquafresh Advanced, an enamel strengthening formula, contains active fluoride which penetrates deep into tooth enamel to strengthen teeth from the inside out – for strong, healthy-looking teeth for a lifetime.

Get your kids brushing with these helpful tips:

– Make it a habit. Children should get into a healthy routine of brushing after breakfast and before bed. They should brush for at least two minutes so that the fluoride has time to work.

– Limit the amount of toothpaste. Children under 6 years of age don’t need more than a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste to clean effectively. This will also help that tube last a little longer!

– Be supportive. Up until first grade or later, kids will need supervision and coaching to brush properly. Make brushing more fun by playing or singing a favorite song, setting a timer to count down two minutes, or offering to read a favorite story as a reward.

ENTER TO WIN!

Have some toothbrushing tips and tricks? Leave a comment on this post with your favourite tip, and one lucky Listen to Lena! reader will win a Philips Sonicare for Kids Toothbrush valued at $70, and a sample of Aquafresh Advanced toothpaste!

You can also qualify for extra entries! Remember, you must leave a separate comment for each. You can:

(1) Follow my blog, Listen to Lena!
(2) Tweet about this giveaway (tiny URL: http://tinyurl.com/37zopx8)
(3) You may Tweet daily.

I’ll draw for a winner on November 22nd. Note: Participants can enter on multiple blogs but are only eligible to win once. Good luck!

I am participating in the Aquafresh Advanced Futures program by Mom Central on behalf of GSK. I received a sample of Aquafresh Advanced and gift card as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. orangeheromama

    oopsie! forgot the manditory entry!my girls use a timer when brushing..and also are brushing to get rid of all the 'sugar bugs' in their mouth!christyplus2 AT gmail DOT com

  6. Glogirl

    Encourage brushing for at least 2 minutes by setting a timer. Allow your child to pick out their favorite toothbrush and toothpaste from the store to make them feel actively involved and responsible for brushing their teeth.

  9. karasceviour

    I let my boy pick out his own toothbrush when it's time for a new one..He usually wants a character spinbrush, and has no problem getting him to brush his teeth with it! karasceviour at hotmail dot com

  12. Shauna MacKenzie

    We all sing the "Brush Your Teeth" song…'When you wake up in the morning and it's quarter to one, you just can't wait to have some fun, you brush your teeth'.My 5-year old loves it, and my 20-month old loves it too. I also tell them both that I want to hear a brushing noise and they both try really hard.

  13. Margheret

    Start off with a non-flouride toothpaste in the flavor your child likes and once they've mastered brushing and rinising properly( without swallowing the toothpaste), they're ready to graduate to flouride toothpaste.

  15. Nancy G

    Kids are creatures of routine, so what I did with my three kids was to set up a routine where they would have to brush their teeth first for over a minute with a timer before their naps and before bedtime at night. After they mastered brushing and rinsing after the minute, I set the timer for over two minutes and within a month, they would follow their daily routine of brushing their teeth for over two minutes, twice a day.

  23. anya

    I let my kids pick out their own toothbrushes and toothpaste. We also brush our teeth together as a family, which is fun and sometimes silly, especially because we have a small bathroom and a small sink….and we have to wait our turn to "spit"…which means the kids brush longer while they are waiting!

  24. Addison K.A.T.

    Letting my daughter pick out her own toothbrush and toothpaste helps. Also brushing my teeth at the same time helps. She also brushes her baby doll's mouth after I help brush her teeth.anita [dot] truck [at] gmail [dot] com

  26. Tricha

    I use the Raffi's version of brushing your teeth song with my 1 1/2 yr old who happens to love her sister's battery operated toothbrush. For my almost 5yr old, it helps that she sees us brushing twice daily so it becomes a part of her daily routine. You can also help with brushing the hard to reach back teeth until they get much better at doing so.

  28. Anonymous

    hmmm i don't have much experience with this yet as my son is only 4 months old. But my tip would be to start an oral care routine early on. Right now we wipe his gums with a wash cloth and hopefully once he has teeth brushing won't be too hard.katiekatiejaneallen at gmail dot com

  50. ksceviour

    Let your child pick out their own toothbrush and toothpaste! They`ll want to brush more often if it is a cool or fun toothbrush! My son had a barney toothpaste that played music when he was small.:)ksceviour@hotmail.com

  55. kinga loforte

    I still remember my very first toothbrush, (1986) that I got to pick out myself. I was 6 years old on a road trip through Trans Canada highway with my folks, heading to Victoria BC. We stopped over in Kenora, and we were at some store. I saw this lovely pink toothbursh with a miss Piggy ( muppets) on it, with matching orange flavour miss Piggy tooth paste. My dad bought it for me, I was so happy. I rememeber him saying " as long as you brush I will buy". What great memories, brings me back to that moment.:) Kingafronczak@aol.com

  58. Muffy

    I try to make toothbrushing fun for my kids by having them make funny sounds when I need them to open their mouth or show me their teeth.

  61. Carrie

    I started my son at 5 months so he'll keep his mouth open for short times so I just have to be really fast and when I'm done I let him chew on the toothbrush.carrie_dodd at hotmail dot com

  63. Tooth Fairy

    Have children chew a disclosing tablet so you can point out where those harmful "sugarbugs" are! Then teach them to brush round + round in circles to scrub 'em OFF!ladybugcda(at)hotmail(dot)com

  65. leanne_mac

    I always let the kids brush their own teeth, after I brush them. They are happy bc they can do it themselves and I am hppy bc I know its done right.leannemacg at gmail.com

  83. catamo

    I sing "Old McDonald had a farm" and create funny noises for the animals while the little ones brush. Routine is important and giggles are contagious.

  84. catamo

    I sing "Old McDonald had a farm" and create funny noises for the animals while the little ones brush. Routine is important and giggles are contagious.