Kids Win if Parents Give In to Whining - Parenting Tips

Kids Win if Parents Give In to Whining

William had a knack for annoying his parents by whining when he wanted something. And, of course it seemed to happen at the most inconvenient and embarrassing moments for his parents - at the store, right before dinner, on play dates, in the car. Joe and Tina were finally at their wits end. They could no longer handle William's persistent whining and knew something needed to change. William's teacher suggested his parents remain consistent and not give in to the whining no matter how distraught they became. After

several weeks of following her advice, William's whining eventually subsided.

All parents have heard their kids whine. No matter their age, all kids do it at one time or another. Why do they whine? Because the more persistent they are, the more likely parents will break down and give them what they want just so they will stop.

By following these simple suggestions, parents can end the whining:

Teach children to ask for what they want instead of whine. Teach them the right words to use and how to accept your answer whether it is yes or no.
Don't give in to your child's whining. If you think what they are whining for is something they really need, have them wait five minutes before asking again.
If you are going to ignore your child when he or she whines, make sure everyone else your child is around does the same.
Be consistent. Once you decide to stop the whining, stick with it. Every time you give in to whining, you make it that much harder to stop in the future.

By using a chart you can keep track of the number of hours and then days when your child asks for what he or she wants and whining does not occur. This helps both you and your child focus on his or her improvements.