Whine, whine, go AWAY

If I don't lose my mind soon I will be amazed. As the twins 3rd birthday approaches they are whining more every day and it is even worse if they are tired. It is maddening :headbang: especially when they trade off doing it after one whine session has ended. Here is an example of our daily battle:

DD - I want a stick of cheese.
Me - You just had a stick of cheese (string cheese)
DD - I want a stick of cheese (dragged out and whining)
Me - No, you can have an apple or some carrots
DD - MOMMY...no I WANT A STICK OF CHEESE
Me - I want a million dollars
DD - You can't have a million dollars
DD - repeat, repeat, repeat or start crying

Repeat this about 10 times per day and with DS it is a sippie cup of soy milk instead of cheese. She could eat string cheese all day long if we let her and he could survive on nothing, but soy milk. I came up with the "million dollars" just to have a response to the endless whining. Last night after we put them to bed I said "today was a perfect example of birth control" because after the non-stop whining there was no way I would consider doing this again with another child.

I am praying this is a phase that will end quickly. In the meantime I hope we don't lose our minds :wacko: before it ends.

 

As hard as it is at times, I have begun to ignore them after I tell them no. Yes, there is usually crying, but after about 5 minutes they get that I am not giving in. Just a little bit ago, my one DS wanted to watch something on tv and began to whine. I just ignored him and he's now in my room playing with a toy.

I have found that by doing this, they only whine/cry for about 5 minutes and move onto something else.

 

Ii actually do time outs if the whining is particularly bad, and I've tried distracting, offering alternatives, ignoring, etc. I haven't read 1-2-3 Magic, but I think I do something similar - I tell them they can choose to stop whining or to go to time out. Then, "That's whining, one." And so on up to three.

Also, even if they're asking for something they CAN have, I never give it to them if they whine for it. They have to ask in a normal voice and say please.

We still have tons of whining, but hopefully we're making some headway, or at least keeping it from getting worse!

 

My biggest pet peeve is whining and from the very beginning I totally ignore it and if I can't ignore it then they go in their room to do it. I can honestly say that none of mine whine anymore. It could very easily be luck or a phase that passed but that's what worked for us. Good luck!

 

I have a zero whine tolerance as well. The minute they whine I say "so sad, looks like a little bedroom time" and take them to their rooms. I tell them to feel free and come out when they are done whining. Very little whining anymore. No matter how you do it, I think the key is to not put up with it. You don't have to be mean, but you can be firm!

 

A&R have two choices when they start whining. They can ask in a normal voice, or go to their room. I refuse to listen to whining. They still whine though, and it's getting worse. :headbang:

 

This is what we do too. I can't stand the whining!