Everything and I do mean, everything, is a major battle. Eating, going to the potty, simple commands all seem to provoke crying, whining, temper tantrums, etc.

I'm going out of my trees! She's at least 5x more work than my newborn, maybe 10x more work.

Is there anything I can do about the perpetual whining and crying over everything? Or is it just a stage that will pass?

YES! I was going to post a thread on this today...so glad you did Ruth! Trevor whines about everything too...so frustrating! I'm interested to see what others say to do.

I'm sorry Ruth how old is Hannah again? I remembering almost 3?

Just be consistent it will pay off. I know you are tired and she has beens sick so it certainly can be stemming from soo much right now. And she is adapting and adjusting to a new brother, it takes time for them to comprehend all that involves.

Lovingly be consistent and she will come around. 3 is really a great age, really such a new world opens to them, hang in there its most likely a stage. Hannah just could have a splash of strong willed in her as well which just makes parenting all that much more tricky. (I have one of those )

hugs hang in there sweetie.

I think it is a stage and the best thing you can do is tell them they have to ask nicely before you'll help them. (ie they whine for juice. you say, If you want juice you'll have to ask nicely, I don't respond to whining.) If it gets really bad, I'd usually say, you sound tired I think you need a nap, and he'd whine about that. And I'd say well then stop whining or you'll have to have a time out in bed for (however many minutes). Consistency is important (so is getting away for a while if you can! lol).

This is her regression due to the baby being here. It's typical. Just continue to deal with it as you otherwise would, as well as continue to give her the attention you otherwise would.

In other words, just buck up and deal with it. It'll pass.

Don't give in to the whines. Don't allow the tantrums.

It's going to be tiring, yes, but it will pass.

Ethan has been doing this also. Anytime he is told no or spoken to sternly for doing something wrong he will run off to the bathroom and cry. I also hope that this too shall pass.

My middle child was a whiner, whine or cry at the least little thing, carry on longer than necessary, etc. What worked for us? - I'd dip my finger in cider vinegar and put that in his mouth. He didn't like vinegar, that won't work for some kids as they may like the taste of it. There were days that I just left the bottle of vinegar out on the counter so it was easy to grab. He'd start whining and I'd ask him if he wanted vinegar, he'd say no and stop whining.

Be consistent, remind them to use their "nice voice".

Janell

Yes yes, Janell...we do the 'nice voice' and vinegar trick as well. I met a gal in WalMart one day who told me about the vinegar trick (yes, I'm in the south...strike up such conversations with strangers LOL and I promise, no children were doing anything to provoke such a thing :p ... actually, found out she was a friend of a friend of mine :) ok, sorry, rambled)

Sorry I didn't offer any such practical tips my first response Ruth. I was doing a drive-by basically.

We just send Katherine to her room to cry if she starts being upset over something ridiculous (like if she asks for juice and I say no). It's gotten to the point where if she just starts crying she just runs to her room without us even saying a word, LOL. She comes out when she is done and ready to join the family peacefully again. That is working for us because... she is still able to express her emotions (i imagine it's difficult for a 2-3 year old to get a grip on their emotions), but also then she knows there's an appropriate way to deal with it: i.e. go cry in your room, don't be out here making everyone else miserable.

She cries much less now because I think she doesn't like having to go to her room. Nevertheless if she's unable to contain her emotions, she knows how to go express them appropriately (i.e. alone as opposed to using them to manipulate me to get what she wants)

Crying, IMO, is different from tantrums. Tantrums involve screaming, yelling and flailing and kicking, not sobbing tears. Tantrums get spanks in this house.

And that's how we do things. Our house isn't perfect by no means, but, it's what is working for us.

we've been out of that stage for a long while now, but if I do remember correctly I would tell her, I will not talk to you until you talk to me in your big girl voice. If she was crying/tantrum, I would leave her there and go to a different room. just ingnoring her. when she was more calm I would go back and talk to her. but then there were days when I just spanked her because it was ridiculous and I then gave her a reason to cry. It is a phase, but if it is not taken care of then it will last longer then it has to.

We just send Katherine to her room to cry if she starts being upset over something ridiculous (like if she asks for juice and I say no). It's gotten to the point where if she just starts crying she just runs to her room without us even saying a word, LOL. She comes out when she is done and ready to join the family peacefully again. That is working for us because... she is still able to express her emotions (i imagine it's difficult for a 2-3 year old to get a grip on their emotions), but also then she knows there's an appropriate way to deal with it: i.e. go cry in your room, don't be out here making everyone else miserable.


This is exactly what I started doing today...by the end of the day, I actually saw him think before he told me "NO" or whined....we'll see what tomorrow brings...((sigh))

We just send Katherine to her room to cry if she starts being upset over something ridiculous (like if she asks for juice and I say no). It's gotten to the point where if she just starts crying she just runs to her room without us even saying a word, LOL. She comes out when she is done and ready to join the family peacefully again.


We did this with Aidan. When she cries she goes and sits on her bed (her private space) until she can calm down. Then she can come back out. We let her know that it is okay to have feelings and cry if needed but that she needs to go somewhere private instead of disrupting the rest of the family.

As for whining we are still working on that. Going to try the apple cider vinegar. Like that idea. So far I have been telling them that mommy doesn't listen to whining and that they need to use their big girl words but sometimes they get to whining so much that they don't listen.

I would also say too lots of encouragement and praise when she does do something without whining. I am thinking the adjustment of the new baby is just turning her world upside down too!