Just about now kids are getting cabin fever from all of summer’s endlessness. But when whining sets in, parents can get testy. Here’s how to keep kids from becoming pests.
With summer in full swing, whiney kids can sometimes push moms to the brink. Just don’t let that whining get your little ones what they want or the whining will get worse.
Tips to Stop the Whining
from Your Child at Play by Marilyn Segal, Ph.D (Newmarket Press)
• Stay calm and neutral. Your child needs to know that you won’t react to a whiny voice.
• Try using humor: “Ouch, my ears are hurting. I know that you want something, but I can’t understand you when you use that voice. Can you find another way to tell me what you want?”
• Teach your child to ask for things differently by modeling how you want her to speak and what you want her to say. In an even tone, ask her to repeat a sentence, such as “Mommy, may I please have some more milk?”
• Be firm and consistent. Within a week, you’ll likely notice a change in the way your child asks for things and talks to you. You are teaching her that she has a choice about how she behaves.