Do NOT create a monster!

 

Let’s be honest, sometimes whining can drive you to drink.  The ability to whine begins after about the first year (I forget exactly when) and NEVER STOPS!  Hahahahaha!

Seriously now, you can REALLY minimize your child’s whining and here’s how:

1. Pay attention to the rhythm of your day to day life – Children thrive on routine which calms them.
2. Pay attention to their blood sugar (they need to eat at least five times a day)
3. Pay attention to their sleeping/napping schedule (depending on their age, they need to take one or two naps each and every day as well as a get a good night sleep)
4. Pay attention to your own communication style.  Do YOU whine?
5. Pay attention to them.  If they are trying to communicate, be patient and give them a chance to express themselves.
6. Pay attention to whether or not you unknowingly encourage their whining by not addressing them right away (even to say “Just one moment.”)
7. Pay attention to whether or not they are feeling ill or are cutting a tooth or have begun a new routine (daycare or school or camp).

Establish a no-whining-policy and then STICK TO IT!  How do you do this?  Well, when the child whines, you either ignore him/her (if you’ve previously addressed them and they continue to whine) OR you say, “Use your regular voice”  “I can’t understand you when you whine.”   “Use a big girl/big boy voice.” 

The tricky part is that it can be VERY tempting to ‘give in’ to a whining child (picture yourself in the check out line at the grocery store where there is yummy candy all around and your child WANTS some and starts WHINING and you don’t want to hear the whining so you CAVE and give him/her the candy).  DON’T GIVE IN!

Giving in sets the stage for <wait for it> MORE WHINING!  Hence, NEVER giving in sets the stage for VERY minimal whining in the future and THAT’S a beautiful thing!