Did You Brush Your Teeth Yet?

LESSON OF THE DAY: You may have to repeat yourself several thousand times before people hear you.

I feel like I ask this question all the time so I wanted to figure out how many times I actually say it. Four kids, twice a day=8X each day. That's 56X a week and 224X a month and 2,688X a year. That's mind blowing, isnt it? I repeat myself two thousand six hundred and eighty eight times every year with that question alone. It's quite possible that those are the words I've said the most as a mother, if you think about it. Up for close seconds are "Say thank you," "Clean up your room," "Make your bed," "Get your fingers out of your nose," "Stop fighting" and "Please flush the toilet."

PS. One good way to get your child to allow you to help them brush their teeth is as you brush, talk about all the food you see in there; "I see apples," "I'm getting the chicken out now," or make up silly food. Also, you tell them you see friends in there and have to pull them out; like "Oh, there's Mary, I see Michael." Etc.