Make sure your kids brush their teeth long enough with this simple trick

Brushing your teeth is supposed to take at least two minutes -- about thirty seconds per quadrant. It can be very hard, however, even under the best of circumstances, to keep track of time; when you're brushing your teeth, it becomes nigh impossible. So how do you get your kids to stick around long enough? It's simple, really, if you're willing to put the alphabet to work.

There are twenty-six letters in the English alphabet; if you recite the whole thing slowly and carefully, it will take you right about thirty seconds. (Sure, it's not exact and may come up a bit short, but it's close enough, really.) Recite the alphabet four times -- once for each quadrant of your mouth -- and you're good to go. Plus, it can be educational!