The Two-Minute Song

What you need

• their toothbrush
• a smear of toothpaste
• a two-minute song on a phone or speaker

How to do it

1. Pick the same song every night and start it as the brushing starts.
2. Let your toddler have their turn while it plays.
3. Take over and finish their teeth before the song ends.
4. Stop the song and spit out together. That's the end.

Why it matters

Two minutes is a long time to a toddler with no way of knowing when it ends, and a song they know turns it into a thing with a shape and a finish.

What they're learning

Knowing when it ends

A song that always finishes in the same place makes the waiting much easier to do.

A steady routine

Same song, same time, same order. That's what turns a nightly argument into a habit.

Having a go

Their own turn fits inside the song rather than taking the whole of it.

What to look for

Watch for them settling as the song starts. That's the routine doing its job.

A tip

The same song every night beats a new one each time. Predictable is the point.

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