STOP THE WHINING! Tips from The Go To Mom, Kimberley Blaine

We recently featured Kimberley Blaine, better known as The Go To Mom on our blog talk radio show. To listen to the show click here...or if you'd like to check out some of Kimberly's tips on how to stop kids from whining - then read her tips below!

First determine if your child is hungry/thirsty, tired, physically uncomfortable (hot, itchy shirt, tight clothes etc.) or over stimulated (too many people present, or at one location for a very long period of time). If so, meet child’s needs immediately.

If whining is for attention:

Let your child know that you can’t understand what she is saying when her words sound like that.

Ask your child to use her regular voice.

If she continues to whine, simply state, “when you use your regular voice, I will listen, but when you whine, I can’t hear what you are saying.”

Once your child uses her regular voice, validate her current feelings and continue to listen. Example, “You’re sad that your friends left the park early, what would you like to do now?”

Setting the “no whining standard” early, through conversation with your child is important to potentially prevent whining from becoming a way to get attention.

If at another date, your child slips into whining again, simply remind her of “how you can hear them best.” Once the whining ceases, a simple statement such as, “thank you for using a regular voice this time,” is appropriate. Excessive praise is not necessary.

Copyright, Kimberley Clayton Blaine, 2007