How to Prevent or Stop Your Kid Whining
Let’s face it: a whining kid is a serious menace for your nerves and sometimes for the public well-being as well. While the capricious child is acting up pushing you to the brink of despair, there’s little you can do to straighten the situation… Or is there? Gratifyingly, there is. Here are six ways to deal with the crisis with some certainty of success before you finally sigh, give up and yield to your kid’s unbearable insistence.
Stay cool and express yourself clearly
When the child resorts to crying, yelling, kicking and even trying to bite it means that they want to attract their parents’ attention and make them react in a certain way. Yet, they are unable to foresee the result and behave in the most demanding manner. If parents respond by giving vent to irritation, it is far from what the child expected, and the situation can develop from bad to worse.
Showing your temper is no way to correct unwelcome behavior. Violent resistance or attempts to gain control will only make the child frustrated and they will continue expressing their anger. Rather than that, speak out calmly and firmly telling them to ask again in a proper way or cease hitting out because they are hurting people.
The child may keep on misbehaving in hope to overcome your resistance. Don’t give in. Urge the little disturber of peace to speak in a normal voice and say that if they won’t, you refuse to listen. Pretend you are ignoring the kid by turning your back on them and doing something nonchalantly like reading your texts on the phone or singing to yourself, prompts Elizabeth Pantley, behavior expert.
Combine disciplining with praise
Teach your child that their acting up has consequences if they persist in it. Let them know that you are going to resort to disciplinarian measures. Warn them that for further misbehavior they go straight to the Naughty Step and remain there for as many minutes as they have years of age. After the child has calmed down, insist on their making an apology to the parent who had been under pressure. Then round the situation off with a hug, showing them that discipline was meant for their good.
Discipline is something that must be maintained unceasingly. No matter how busy you may be, you have to find time to cope with the outbreak.
Just as you show the kid that you don’t hold with bad behavior, show them that good behavior is also taken notice of. Praise the child when they managed to sort out the situation without whining. Make them understand that a collected and reserved way of handling difficult situations yields the best results.
Forestall whining
This kind of behavior on the part of children can be a sign that they want to convey something to you. It may be that they are getting hungry before the time or bored with whatever they are doing. They may be wanting something that they are entitled to have.
So, as soon as the kid bursts into whining, look around for possible reasons for his dissatisfaction. You may hit upon an easy way to settle the situation like treat the little one to a timely healthy snack or take them to a stimulating place where they will find diversion.
Mind the need to sleep
While you are in full belief that you are keeping to the child’s sleeping schedule, he or she may have grown tired and are therefore irritable. Give a second thought to whether your child has gotten enough sleep. It may be a good idea to get them to bed earlier or – if the outburst occurred in late morning – they may already need a quiet nap.
Children are apt to go breaking the set schedule without minding how much it may be inconvenient for you. You are supposed to come up with reasonable adjustment.
Cut down on sweet stuff
Behavior can depend on the diet at times, and sweet foods may act like a strong energizer on the kid. If they’ve consumed too much of sweets they may be struggling under a veritable onslaught of sugar. It can be an overdose of a soft drink or any sweetened food. Subsequent diminishing of the sugar level can cause bad temper and acting up.
If you consider the child’s diet you may change their behavior by introducing simple alterations in their eating habits.
Adjust to the situation
Another good reason for whining can be the child’s engrossment in whatever they are doing. See if they are deeply involved in play or some project that interests them a lot. Probably the best bet is to strike on some kind of compromise.
Make a concession – give them some more time to play or to finish the activity they’re in, telling them clearly what you expect them to do afterwards. Agree to wait a while or to participate further in their activity, but for a limited time, and afterwards they are to comply. This way you will teach the kid that compromise is a preferable way of resolving disputes.
More tips to prevent whining
Supermarket showdown. To avoid loud imploring in supermarkets feed the child before you set out. When inside, distract their attention by giving them small tasks to perform for you – like finding something or bringing it over. Take care that your route doesn’t take you past the sweets aisle.
Whining along the way. It’s understandable that children get bored when they are on a long ride. When you take them somewhere in a car, be sure to take along toys and games so they can amuse themselves. Get their favorite music CD ready to play them and probably sing along. Long journeys can pose a real problem so they may need some more guidelines on how to keep the little ones satisfied.
Pre-bed time headaches. Those kids who are wont to resist going to bed may display more willingness if a routine including reading or telling stories before sleep has been established.
