JLS star Aston Merrygold has shared a simple parenting tip he uses to get his kids to the dentist without stress. Speaking on the CBeebies Parenting Download podcast, hosted by Katie Thistleton and rapper Guvna B, the Cambridgeshire-born performer revealed a reverse psychology trick inherited from his own childhood.
Turning Dentist Visits into a Game
Merrygold explained: "My mum always used the trick on me, reverse psychology, to kind of make it a bit of a competition and to see what is the least amount of time I could be in the chair." He added: "It was a case of going, 'Well, if you've got an appointment with a dentist, if he's gonna see you for 10, 20, 30 seconds, then your teeth are great. You'll be good to go.'"
"If you're in this chair a little bit longer, then you're gonna lose. I'm not losing. This is not a thing." The father-of-three said the trick works especially well with his oldest son, who is very similar to him. "He's just so excited about the end outcome. Whatever your child is into, maybe just try and take that in with them," he advised.
JLS Bonded by Their 10 Children
Merrygold also opened up about why JLS members are "closer than ever" nearly two decades after their debut. He attributed it to their combined 10 children. "We're more close now because it's almost like it's not our decision to see each other. It's our kids. They're family," he said. "It's not really our decision anymore to see each other. Yes, we work together, we love each other, but now it's like, 'Okay, Grayson wants to see Valia, he wants to see Kiki or Hook.'"
The band, consisting of Aston Merrygold, JB Gill, Marvin Humes, and Oritse Williams, performed at The O2 Arena on November 28, 2025. Merrygold added: "Now we have to follow their lead."
