How to Get Your Child to Stop Whining

Every parent’s worst nightmare is that their child is going to whine or scream in public, which honestly can be rather embarrassing, not to mention annoying to others around you. But the good news is that there are certain things you can do to get your child to stop whining without giving in to their every demand. Whining is a learned behavior, and like every learned behavior, it can be unlearned; so don’t expect your child to stop whining over night. The key to success in getting your child to stop whining is always being consistent, which means no matter what.

Here are some ideas on how to get your child to stop whining.

Idea one:
Be calm and clear. Your child will most likely use any means necessary to get your attention or to get a reaction out of you, including kicking, screaming or whining. Rather than lash back at your child, calmly tell them that their behavior is unacceptable and that you will only listen to them once they have stopped whining. Another good thing to do is to turn your back on a whining child and busy yourself with other tasks; this will send the message to your child that you are not going to listen to them while they are whining.

Idea two:
Another thing you need to do is to discipline your child for their behavior; that way they learn that there are consequences for their actions. But in order for this to work, you are going to have to be consistent and follow through with your threats of discipline. Don’t forget to also praise your child when they are doing things correctly; nobody wants to hear only the negative stuff, not even children.

Idea three:
Another thing that you should try doing is to stop the whining before it starts, usually when kids whine there is an underlying reason for the behavior, such as they are hungry or bored. Pay attention to what is going on when your child starts whining, and then try to find solutions to the problem. Usually the answer is as simple as offering a snack in the middle of the morning or taking them outside to play.

Idea four:
You should also pay attention to your child’s nap or bed time; when children get tired they tend to get whiny. So basically don’t take your child to the grocery store five minutes before bedtime. Children require more sleep than adults do; rather than change their schedule around, you should alter your schedule to be sure that they are getting enough sleep. If they start whining half an hour before bedtime, that is a good indicator that they need to go to bed earlier, or if they are whining by midmorning, sometimes a nice nap will help them to sleep it off.

Idea five:
Another good idea is to communicate with your child rather than demanding things from your child. This helps to teach your child that using a reasonable tone of voice and compromising on things is more acceptable behavior than whining and acting out. You should also give your child warnings of an upcoming transition if they are engrossed in playtime; this way when you leave it won’t come as a complete shock to them.

Just remember that the worst thing you can do is to give in to your child’s whining. By allowing them to whine and get what they want, you are sending them the message that whining is the best way to go about solving your problems and getting what you want.