How do you deal with whining?

**Elaine** · 01-06-2010, 08:04 AM

My kids are big whiners lately. Zach can't even make a statement without it coming out sounding like a whine and Grace is going through a stage where she can't do anything for herself and will literally sit and whine until someone does it for her.
I TRY to ignore it ... especially from Gracie. She'll wake up in the morning and sit in her bed doing a fake cry and calling "mommy" in a whiney voice. I call out to her that I'm downstairs or in the bathroom once and then let it go. Eventually she gets herself up and comes downstairs.
With Zachary I'll say something like "Stop, and then ask me again in a voice that I can understand". Since we are still going through the big whine stage, I can't tell if my approach is getting us anywhere though.
How do you handle it?

*Grace* · 01-06-2010, 08:38 AM

Pretty much the same way. My kids are in crying phase where they cry if one little tiny thing doesn't go their way. I am talking really tiny. I blame it on Christmas overload. I think once we get back to a normal routine from Christmas and all these birthdays, they will settle down. You may find your kids are the same. Plus all this snow makes them a little crazy with cabin fever.

DQKaren · 01-06-2010, 10:35 AM

Same thing your doing. If I can't understand I don't help.

Tara · 01-06-2010, 12:49 PM

Sounds like you're doing the right thing. I wonder if the weather has anything to do with it? My kids are more whiny in the winter.

**Spaggie** · 01-08-2010, 10:11 AM

I simply tell Ally I can't understand her when she whines and if she wants to talk to me, she must not whine, but speak clearly. Doesn't happen too often these days.

littledishchick · 03-14-2010, 07:03 PM

Try imitating the whine. My littlest one (19 months) whines and when I mimic the sound she stops and looks at me like I'm nuts. When my older ones were younger and whined, "mommmmy" I'd answer, "whaaaaaat?" with the same inflection. Then I'd say, "Did you hear how I said that? That's whining. Don't whine to me because you automatically wont get what you want." I think sometimes, especially with younger kids, they may not associate the word "whining" with the behaviour.