I was appalled at the obvious eating disorder being manifested by our 2nd child at 7 years old when just a few minutes before riding the car he saw some fried rice in a wok. He said he liked to eat some brown rice now. Then a nannie berated him (in her view merely reminded him) that he should brush his teeth immediately after eating the rice before boarding the car for school. I said it’s okay for him to eat the fried rice now. That the children usually eat their rice and meat meal in the car anyway around 730am on the way up to their school. But our 2nd child was caught in a confused bind. He had conflicting “advice” one from toothbrush mommy, his desire to eat and one from daddy who allowed him to eat without after brushing.
Our 3rd child, the girl known as “KAEN” (eating) Agabin sided with her own curiosity at the fried rice and ate her bowl, then ate some more of the rice her older brother did not eat. My concern is with the 2nd child who cowed to toothbrush requirement fears and sacrificed his desire to eat.
Me daddy being the wet marketer and meal planner was furious. I had to tell the 2 nannies right off that at no point should the children be threatened with toothbrushing after every meal. That I don’t care if that is policy because it is making the children choose between tooth brushing and eating. That eating comes first. These are children. They have to be fed and fed and fed.
The toothbrush policy is idiotic in this case as the child had already finished breakfast by 6:40am, brushed their teeth. Saw some nice food by 6:55am. Wanted to take a few bites of the new food, but was merely threatened / reminded that he needed to TOOTHBRUSH AGAIN afterwards for 5 minutes before boarding the car. But usually at around 7:30am, they would be eating their meat and rice meal anyway. So what is 30 minutes of not tooth brushing? But that’s policy – the robotic nannies said – well I am changing the dumb “toothbrush policy.”
I reminded the children that EATING COMES FIRST. If they had to choose between eating and tooth brushing, I would throw away all those idiotic tooth brushes.
It is superior nutrition that prevents and heals tooth decays – not tooth brushing. Ever.