Do you have a child who uses his voice to express his discontent? Isn’t that really what whining and complaining is? Call it what you want, it can really grate on a mom’s nerves. In this episode, Abby shares a story about a friend who’d had enough with her daughter’s complaints on a family camping trip. The group discusses why some kids complain more than others. They focus on the positive side of complaining: Discontentment can come from dreaming big and not being satisfied with less. How can parents encourage that? There’s also the fact that there are some behaviors that parents see as “bad” that become assets later.
But they don’t sugarcoat whining. It’s a habit parents can’t encourage by giving a whiny kid extra attention. So what do you do? Abby, Susan, Chloe, and Megan talk about practical ways to handle young kids and older ones who complain. They share two creative solutions. One idea helps a child use language that looks for solutions instead of dwelling on what’s wrong. The other is a great tool when you have an older child who complains a lot. Instead of shutting her down and telling her she’s wrong for feeling that way, you move in another direction that will shock her into solving the problem herself.
And all moms have to ask themselves if they might be setting an example for their kids. Do you complain a lot? Do more words of discontent come out of your mouth than praise or compliments? How about in the way you speak to your husband? Take our 7-Day No Complaining Challenge with the kids and turn the whole house around in a week.
Articles We Mentioned
How to Make Your Child’s Complaining Stop in Its Tracks
Whining: Why Your Kids Whine
5 Bad Kid Behaviors to Be Grateful For
Printables We Think You’ll Like
Do you have any strategies to curb whining and complaining?
