What Dr. Ann Corwin, The Parenting Doctor, has to say about whining:

Nothing is more annoying than listening to your child (or someone else’s child) whine. Your response to that whine will help determine it’s effectiveness. As a parent, your job is to discourage whining as a means of “getting what they want”.

Remember that whining is a form of communication, even if it is not a very good one. If a child’s whine works to get time and attention from their parents, then that’s why they continue.

Children with delays in speech will whine to communicate, as it is their only way to be understood. Even some kids with great verbal skills will use a whine to communicate, because sometimes their brains work faster then their words.

TRY THESE IDEAS TO HELP YOUR CHILD LEARN HEALTHY COMMUNICATION:

As soon as you hear a whine, cover your ears and look at your child and say, “I don’t hear anything”. Then turn your back and walk away.

Your child may have a tantrum, and that’s OK as long as the tantrum doesn’t physically hurt your child or anyone else. As long as your child knows they won’t get a response from you when they whine, the behavior will disappear.

If you find yourself raising your voice and telling your child to ‘use their words’, remember the reason they whine is because they do not have the words at that moment.

Try not making eye contact when they whine, do not talk back, but MOST IMPORTANTLY when your child talks without a whine, always look at them, tell them you love their words and ask them to talk more.