*Update 9/3/10 I've added a few more places to buy the brush and replacement heads along with coupon and deals info at the bottom of the post.

Sonicare has come out with a line of toothbrushes specifically for kids. We got it for Tyler to help with the morning and nighttime battles over getting him to brush his teeth at all, let alone thoroughly and for the required two minutes. Tyler was using our old Sonicare but he likes this better. He said the Sonicare for Kids is not as rough on his gums as the adult brush and the bristles are "less prickly."

Here are the things I like:

*The escalating tone the brush makes. When it's time to switch to another area of the mouth, the toothbrush beeps. The beeps get louder as the 2-minute countdown gets closer to the end. I can hear the beeps from upstairs so I know that Tyler is brushing and I know he's brushing the full two minutes because of the tones.

*The smaller brush head. I didn't think having an adult sized head would be a problem, but it makes sense since he doesn't have an adult sized mouth.

*The base is easy to clean. There are three pegs on the base, one for the toohbrush handle and two for the heads. The shape of the base is easy to wipe off, much easier than the adult Sonicare we have.

What I don't like:

*The cost of the replacement brush heads. They're not cheap at $22 for four. If you have a larger family the yearly costs will add up. But, I've used coupons from the Sunday paper for our adult brush, I've seen Sonicare coupons on Coupon Carryout ($5 off replacement heads is a great savings) and if you have any $10 off $30 from Bed, Bath and Beyond that would be a good place to check too. Still, the cost is better than dental treatments.

The Sonicare for Kids and the replacement brush heads are available online at:
Amazon.com 
Drugstore.com/Beauty.com (Shop through EBates.com and earn 6% cash back at either site! Go to Ebates and search for Sonicare)
Target.com

You can purchase in store at Bed, Bath and Beyond, WalMart and Target. There's a $10 coupon on page 142 of the June issue of All You magazine. Check with your dentist's office for a possible $5 rebate. Our office had the rebate forms at post time.

This is a a sponsored post. I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Sonicare and received a free Sonicare For Kids toothbrush to facilitate my review. The opinions are all me. Some links are affiliate links. Photo credit.

Mom Guilt Stinks

I've been feeling Mom Guilt since the moment I found out I was pregnant. Gasp! I had a few cocktails! What if something happens?! It's gotten progressively worse over the years. Even though I know it's a useless and wasted emotion, I carry it around with me like a favorite accessory.

I pushed for three hours and Tyler came out looking like a tiny prize fighter. Guilt. 

I had to go back to work when Tyler was only 3 months old. Guilt.

We started Tyler in Kindergarten at age 4. Guilt.

I try not to let parenting issues get me down, but I'm a worrier and I beat myself up over just about everything. It doesn't matter that Tyler is his own person, that he understand the basics of right and wrong and is mostly capable of making his own decisions. If he acts like a brat in public, people aren't wondering what his problem is, they're looking at right at me. 

The latest monkey on my back is Tyler's teeth. It seems he's inherited mine which resemble mini mountain ranges with steep peaks and valleys. The result? Four cavities and the makings of a new one. Guilt. 

I'm not sure what Tyler has against taking care of his teeth (and basic hygiene in general). We started fighting about it, meaning I'd yell at him for not doing it correctly and he'd whine that the toothpaste was too spicy and why can't he go back to the bubble gum flavored kind?! 

I found out that first, Tyler wasn't brushing at all, then he'd brush, but with no toothpaste! I resorted to doing random plaque checks, sneaking up on him when he's in the bathroom, putting the toothpaste in a specific position after he'd gone to bed and checking to make sure the toothbrush bristles were wet before we left for school. I had the dentist talk to him, showed him scary pictures of tooth decay and threatened to make him pay for any future cavities. The kid just wasn't getting it and I was ready to lay the ultimate smackdown.

As a last, last resort we got him a new toothbrush, the Sonicare for Kids. It seems to be working. We gave Tyler our old Sonicare when we got new ones, but I think the adult size head was part of the problem. He's brushing without fuss, with toothpaste, and seems to be more thorough. I'm happy that I can stop pulling my hair out and turning our mornings and nights into screaming matches. 

Photo from here

Now, if only I can find a way to get him to brush his hair and not leave the house looking like Crabman from My Name is Earl. Guilt. 

*We received a Sonicare for Kids from Mom Central. The opinions are mine, as is the guilt over not having this post up in time (despite the reminders) because I spent the last two days shopping, visiting with family and spa-ing with friends. Read my full Sonicare for Kids review.