How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love Floss, aka the Listerine Oral Care Challenge *Sponsored*

CC rinses with Listerine Smart Rinse after brushing and flossing.

When it comes to brushing, I've had varying degrees of luck with CC. While she brushes on her own or with my help twice a day, she also tends to want to rush the process. After all, there are toys to play with and books to read.

Cute toothbrushes and her own personal (and pink!) timer have helped keep CC interested, but I've also wondered how to get her more engaged. And that's just brushing. What about flossing and rinsing?

Just in time for National Children's Dental Health Month, I've joined Listerine and Reach for their Healthy Habits for a Lifetime Oral Care Challenge.

That means the whole family will brush, floss and rinse twice a day every day for three weeks! The good news: We've already started! Our challenge: Keeping it up!

CC jumped on board immediately once she saw the generous box of oral-care products that Listerine and Reach sent to us. She loved checking out the variously colored kid-friendly Smart Rinses. Barbie pink. Phineas & Ferb blue. And Batman green.

For me, it was learning that 50% of children will have a cavity or filling between the ages of 5 and 9, according to the U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services. Eek! And did you know that brushing alone misses around 75% of your mouth?

That's why flossing and rinsing are so important.

So, you might ask, is it OK for my little one to rinse? I mean, isn't that stuff harsh on your teeth, and what if she swallows it?

According to pediatric dentist Dr. Kaneta Lott, kids should start rinsing between the ages of 5 and 6. Before that, they might not be able to spit out well.

Also, based on laboratory tests, using Listerine Smart Rinse Anticavity Fluoride Rinse, which has no alcohol, helps strengthen teeth 99% better than brushing alone. Not bad!

So, how can you encourage your kids to enjoy -- or at least get into the habit of -- flossing, brushing and rinsing twice a day?

1. Make it fun! Make it a game, says Dr. Lott. Challenge your child to see who can brush the longest. Make funny faces while rinsing, and see who can rinse the longest without spitting.
2. "Show, Don't Tell." Brush with your child to show that it's not just a chore for her.
3. Give your child fun, kid-friendly products. (CC really went for this one!)
4. Reward good behavior. A calendar with stickers works wonders! That's what we're using.

One day down!

And CC is very proud!

(Disclosure: I received products and compensation from Johnson & Johnson and The Motherhood as part of my participation in the Oral Care Challenge. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post, however, are my own.)

Back to Escondido Canyon Trail and Waterfalls ... This Time for Real

A gorgeous day in Malibu!

Back in October, when Ian's cousin was in town, we drove out to Malibu to check out Edward Albert Escondido Canyon Trail and Waterfalls.

We didn't make it very far that time. CC was tired, and it was difficult to convince her that there was, in fact, a waterfall at the end of our hike -- which begins in a beautiful residential area in Malibu.

This time, though, we rocked it.

We crossed multiple streams -- after one fall, without tears(!), CC mastered walking over slippery rocks -- braved muddy passes and even befriended a couple of sheepdogs on the way.

It was a gorgeous Saturday and perfect for hiking. And once we got to the waterfall? Well, it wasn't as majestic as I had imagined but beautiful nonetheless. Southern California needs a bit more water for outright majesty right now. But it was cool seeing the 150-foot falls in the Santa Monica Mountains and all of the gorgeous landscape that's right in our own backyard.

Ian and CC at the falls.

Tchuess, Berlin!

Bye-bye, Berlin!

Well, our Berlin-centric week has come to a close. We're back in Los Angeles now -- got back on Wednesday -- but I wanted to share some pics of famous places that we visited around the city.

Thanks again, Berlinale! We had a great time. I also wanted to give a shout-out to the hotel where we stayed, Hampton by Hilton. The room was comfy, the complimentary breakfast was delicious, and the free wi-fi came in very handy!

Posing with the Berlin Bear on Unter den Linden, in the former East Berlin.

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

Walking through this sea of gray blocks on a snowy day was so moving. Of course, CC didn't understand the magnitude of this Holocaust memorial; she only knew that it was supposed to honor people who died. The blocks were tall, short and placed on land that requires you to walk up and down small hills.

"What are these blocks supposed to be?" CC asked.

"They're supposed to make you think of the people who died," I answered.

"But how am I supposed to think about them?" she continued. "They're just blocks."

I thought that was such a clever question. She didn't really know how to process something so abstract. And I think that's the challenge of this memorial -- for adults and for kids.

Apparently, Checkpoint Charlie wasn't as fascinating for CC.

CC rides the U-Bahn.

Los Angeles and Berlin Sister Cities

And, finally, we have the sign for the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It's only 9,269 km from Potsdamer Platz. A mere 5,759 miles.

Bye-bye, Berlin! Hope to see you again in our traveling future!

Legoland Berlin Builds Kids' Creativity

Legoland Discovery Centre Berlin

Whether it was watching a mini Berlin Wall fall in front of a Lego-built Brandenburg Gate, sidling up next to the huge Lego giraffe outside or watching a 4D Lego-based movie for kids, CC had an amazing time exploring Legoland Discovery Centre Berlin in Potsdamer Platz, particularly on a snowy February day.

The giant indoor play space offers lots to do for little ones. While CC at first wanted to compare it with the Legoland that's closer to home -- ours, after all, has a water park, she said -- once inside, she turned into a Lego brick maniac, building princess castles, cars that raced down curved tracks and riding dragon and wizard rides.

The fall of the (Lego) Berlin Wall at Legoland Discovery Centre Berlin.

Kids and parents can move around freely, up and down floors, checking out the different parts over and over again. Which we did. What I loved was that they provided buckets and buckets of regular Legos for kids to use as they pleased. It's certainly spectacular to see the mini cities that Legoland builds, but it's also cool to see what your child can build for herself.

Lego shark attack!

CC enjoyed walking through the Jungle Expedition area, which takes visitors through a dimly lit cave that sports Lego alligators, snakes, a hippo, explorers, Indiana Jones(!) and a huge tarantula that kind of freaked me out.

"Touch it!" CC shouted.

"Uh ..." I hesitated.

Finally I relented, overcoming my admittedly ridiculous fake-spider phobia.

"See, Mommy," she said. "It's OK. It's not real."

Whew!

Eek! Lego tarantula!

While we spent a wonderful half-day at the Discovery Centre, I can't imagine staying all day long. That might be a little much. What was great, though, was the snack bar and eating area that was located right in the middle of the downstairs action. Parents could relax with coffee, hot dogs or Berliners (the donut kind, not the actual city dwellers) and watch their kids play and play.

And, on a lightly snowy morning, being inside -- even with a freaky tarantula -- was all right by me.

Berlinale Film Review: 'Lotte and the Moonstone Secret'

"Lotte and the Moonstone Secret" (Photo courtesy of the Berlinale)

Shining a spotlight -- or perhaps a moonbeam -- on the joy and wonder that come from traveling and exploring, "Lotte and the Moonstone Secret" (or "Lotte ja kuukivi saldus" in its original Estonian title) was perhaps the best note to end on here at the 2012 Berlin Film Festival.

Directed by Janno Poldma and Heiki Ernits, the animated film follows little girl dog Lotte and her adventures with her explorer-friendly Uncle Klaus as they go in search of three mysterious stones. It just so happens that they're not the only ones in search of the stones. Two little rabbit creatures need them for something very important themselves.

Along the way, Uncle Klaus tells Lotte important lessons about traveling -- the main one being, you just have to believe. Believe that obstacles can be overcome. Believe that you will find what you're looking for.

Although the film played in its original Estonian (with a German translator speaking over a microphone) and English subtitles, CC was riveted. Of course it helped that I whispered some of the dialogue in her ear throughout the movie.

The story was sweet, and it always helps to have a femme character at the center of the action for my little girl wonder. But "Lotte" encouraged not only exploration but also kindness, friendship, curiosity and learning about other kinds of people. Well, in this case, three-eared rabbits.

The animation was beautiful -- and often a little mesmerizing. While some of it was simple, such as the characters themselves, details like fire, rain and leaves were startlingly realistic.

Of course, it was CC's favorite film. Here's hoping it makes its way to the U.S.

Happy Valentine's Day!

While reading one of my favorite blogs, I was reminded of one of the best -- probably the best -- gift Ian has ever given me.

Have you ever read this adorable book, "I Like You," written by Sandol Stoddard Warburg and illustrated by Jacqueline Chwast?

It's meant for friends, boyfriends, spouses, family, whomever, and it has cute little pages that say, for example, "I like you because you are a good person to like," and "When I say something funny, You laugh, I think I'm funny and You think I'm funny too. Hah-Hah."

Well, several years ago, Ian took six pages from this book and had them framed in one big frame along with three pictures of us. It was so lovely and special. And it's hanging on our wall.

Thank you again, Clarkie.

Happy Valentine's Day!

[Photo courtesy of Loving the Dream]

Berlinale Kindergarten Gets Two Thumbs Up

CC spends a few hours at the Berlinale Kindergarten.

You might remember me mentioning the Berlinale Kindergarten, a bilingual -- and wallet-friendly! -- daycare option for festival goers? Besides giving me a few hours to check out a film at the Berlin Film Festival, the Kindergarten also gave CC the chance to mingle other little ones. And it didn't seem to matter that those little ones were all speaking German.

In fact, I made the mistake of picking her up too early. Leaving her there for three hours, I started getting nervous, thinking she might be uncomfortable or worried that I had left her alone in too-unfamiliar territory.

Nope! Even though she was happy to see me, she asked if she could go back again the next day.

The daycare, which operates out of a real German Kindergarten space that's huge, colorful and full of wonderful playthings, turned out to be a wonderful respite for a little girl who just wanted to play with kids. CC told me they climbed up an indoor treehouse, read books and rode around on little cars. (Mercedes, of course.)

Not bad for only 5 Euros ($6.60).

CineStar Theater at the Sony Center in Potsdamer Platz.

I was happy to hear her so happy. And happy, too, to check out a film on my own at the super-cool Sony Center called "Kid-Thing," by David and Nathan Zellner, which explores the dark side what happens when a neglected, disgruntled 10-year-old girl is left to her own devices.

Maybe it was watching that film that made me rush back a little early to pick up CC. Either way, I was more than happy to have her in wonderful hands.

Berlinale Film Review: 'Die Kinder vom Napf'

"Die Kinder vom Napf," a film about kids growing up in rural Switzerland, screened at the Berlinale. (Photo courtesy of the 2012 Berlinale.)

Opening on a group of school children trudging through the dark, in the snow, with what looks like miner's flashlights on their foreheads, the first scene in "Die Kinder vom Napf" reminds me of that old parental admonition: When I was your age, I walked uphill to school in the snow. Both ways!

Well, if you're these kids, who live in the village around Mount Napf in Switzerland, you wouldn't exactly be lying.

Director Alice Schmid followed several Napf children, who live in the municipality of Romoos, for a year, documenting how they lived -- their days at school, their chores at home and the cable car one girl rides to get to and from the classroom.

While this lifestyle seemed so foreign on screen, the charming children reminded CC and me of what's universal for families and kids -- namely, for CC, making cookies, which is what the kids did in school. Although, as CC said, "We can't make cookies at preschool because they have sugar." Score one for Napf.

Watching the film, I found it fun listening to Napf's version of "Kids Say the Darndest Things." Some choice quotes included: "We catch mice only six days a week," says a 10-year-old Thomas. "Never on Sundays or holidays." and "We should make Romoos more famous," says Carolin, also 10. "Like Hollywood."

The young boys and girls of the village, which is dwindling in population, are hard workers. They help cut grass using a scythe, help with slaughtering animals, groom cattle and deal with such rural issues as wolves on the loose and hawks snatching up chickens.

It was amazing to see their work ethic and adorable to hear their voices. While the film included English subtitles to translate the Swiss-German dialect, it was hard for CC to stay focused -- namely because she can't yet read, and two, because of some serious jet lag. But she said she liked the film, the cookie-making standing out as a highlight.

A cute coda to the film was when four of the kids came up on stage, in their Swiss best, to show the audience a bit of their culture. So cute!