Parenting is hard, so Sensei is committed to sharing his lived experiences and battle stories so that you can benefit and have an easier time. That’s my motivation for coming up with micro tips for parenting.

To train my children to brush their teeth, I downloaded the app called **PokemonSmile**.

It’s an ingenious app. Your child faces the camera for 120 second. He must look at the screen directly and brush his teeth. PokemonSmile’s interface comprises a row of teeth, which bacteria will appear to invade them. As he brushes his teeth diligently, the bacteria will be vanquished.

If he kills the bacteria at a steady pose, then a Pokemon covered with bacteria will descend onto the screen at the 1-minute mark. All your child needs to do is to keep on brushing so that he can destroy the bacteria enveloping the Pokemon.

Eventually, all the bacteria will disappear, with the identity of the Pokemon being revealed. Then, all your child needs to do is to throw a Poke ball to capture the Pokemon. Very exciting!

Yes, Pokemon has shrewdly leveraged gamification to get reluctant children everywhere to brush their teeth enthusiastically. It has saved my life and alleviated much frustration!

This app is so popular that I spotted a book on PokemonSmile during my stay in Japan.

Remember, Sensei has all the hot tips!