Very few childish behaviors are more annoying than whining. I don't know any mom who hasn't wanted to rip her hair out over this issue! Many of us don't have a clue how to stop it. But I found something that worked well in my family: I refused to acknowledge what they had to say if they whined. It's a simple matter of positive reinforcement. When they approached me in a respectful manner, I addressed their concern. When they whined, I refused to engage them in conversation. Whining comes naturally to children. We must teach them what is acceptable when they speak and what is not. By allowing a child to speak rudely and with a whiny tone of voice, by engaging them in conversation when they stomp their feet and shout at us, we show them this behavior is okay. But if we refuse to listen until they are calm and can speak kindly in a smooth tone, then they quickly learn that if they want their problem solved, they must approach us correctly. So what does that look like, … [Read more...]