“N
oooooouh! I don’t want thaaauuut! I want the purple shirrrt!” Wah, wah, wah. I swear I don’t want to hear ONE more whiney thing in this house. Mercy, the headaches are fierce when facing the beds you’ve made by spoiling your kids.
Whining
So first up is to stop spoiling. Pretty darn simple!! Stop buying the kid every doggone thing she wants, stop rushing in to save her every time she makes a doggone squeal of pain, and stop fluttering around meeting her every teeny, tiny, doggone demand and want. “Oooh, gosh, you don’t want this chicken, and you don’t like these green beans?
Here, I’ll make you some macaroni instead! Good grief, what was Granny thinking buying you the wrong $300 electric scooter! You want the pink one instead? We’ll go get you the pink one! Then we’ll have twin scooters so your friend can ride one, too!”
People, we need to change our habits. I hopped on my husband’s butt for years about this. His reply? “But it’s my baby!” She won’t be the baby much longer! And besides, you spoil her, too! Uh huh. So okay. After you do as I say and not as I do, you’ve got two choices:
- You can outright tell your child, “No whining. Use a normal voice, like this” – (Demonstrate the voice and words you want them to use.)
- You can go a more pushover, non-grouchy route and say, “Wow. . . you know, I’m sure you’re trying to tell me something, but I just can’t understand when you use that voice. We’ll talk about it when you can use a normal voice.” (Again, demonstrate what you want.)
Make your choice, then wait ’em out. Go about your business and pretend you don’t hear the whining at all. You are deaf! They whine for attention or demands, so do not give any attention, and most certainly do NOT give in to the demands. When the child straightens up and decides to use a normal voice, guide your child on what to say and do instead.
And as far as me, I’ll get right on this!