Single Mom of a 3 Year Old Whinny Daughter

I actually had a pair of ear plugs, the huge kind you'd use at a gun range--but earmuffs would work to. Whenever my daughter would whine, I'd tell her I was going to have to put on my "Whine Mufflers" and as soon as they were on I would not be able to hear her until she spoke using a regular tone of voice. Then I would proceed to go about my work and completely ignore her. Her whining and crying would increase at first because this really frustrated her. And of course I could really still hear her, but she didn't know that.

The minute she started speaking in a regular tone of voice, I would look at her and remove the earplugs saying, "oh, you must be speaking normally because I can hear you now."

This worked great!

Hi J.,
I agree with the previous mom, when my kids whine I tell them I can't understand them (which sometimes I can't). When they can ask in a nice voice I will answer them. Until then I ignore them. Sometimes it's hard because it's really annoying to listen to them but now they know that they won't get what they want until they ask nicely. If they are whining just to whine I put them in their room where we can't hear them. I tell them they can come out when they stop. Good luck. If you keep with it it will get better.
Chris

My daughter is the same way (She is now 7.) I just remind her that I can't understand her when she talks that way and she doesn't get what she wants until I can understand her. I just ignore her requests until she speaks normally. She may have a little tantrum in between, but I ignore that too. Then when she asks without whining, I pull a "Oh...that's what you wanted."

Hang tight. It sticks around, but it does lessen.
C.

It may be due to the fact that a new baby is on the way, but my two older children both went through that stage at some point. When they said something whinny I would respond with, "i don't understand you, say it like a big girl." Or something along those lines, but I would never respond to their request until they spoke without whinning.

I think it's part of being 3. Mine has also been very whinny the last 6 months or so. We have been working on it...... When she starts whinning really bad asking for things, we try not to respond with the 'correct' answer but remind her that she needs to not whine when she asks for something and wait until she can ask without whinning. We have also put her in timeout for whinning/not following direction (direction was to stop whinning).

I'm interested in seeing what others have to say. :)

J.

One thing to keep in mind that whining is a learned habit. The more she whining she does she think shell get her way and if she does you just taught that this methods works. The more she whines and gets no results than the behavior will disappear. You could try say you can not hear that voice and you only respond to nice sweet voices. If you have trouble ignoring her than try a time out in a different room. What ever you do you must be constant and do the same thing every time even if your a grocery store. I use the grocery store as time out or a anyplace I can find. Hope that helps.

She is probably acting out because of the new baby on the way. Hang in there. She will get through this. So will you!

S.