Tantrums and Whining

[Jodileen]

Hi,

I am having a problem with my 18 month old. Sometimes he would follow me around the house whining. I have been trying to ignore him but he doesnt seem to stop.

My partner actually sat him on a cushion last night and told him to stay there. He did and did cry but after a minute he got up and was fine.

Whats the best technique to deal with this?xx

[Shiv52]

What happens if you stop and get down and say 'what's up? Did you want to come with me?' And just keep engaging him. I'd say 'come on, mummy doesn't understand whining but how about we go do x?'   

I think he's too young to be ignoring him or sitting him on a cushion to be honest. Both mine were REALLY whiny at 1-2. The whiny ones were much more trying than the terrible twos!!  I just kept engaging them and they did cove out of it.

What's his communication like? Can he say much or does he sign?  Often the whining is frustration too.

Hugs. It is draining!!

[Jodileen]

I tried talking to him and including him in whatever I am doing. I can tell what he is trying to say. I try to talk to him on his eye level also to engage with him.

[Shiv52]

I think sometimes they just like to have a whine!  I'd keep doing what you are doing. It does pass slowly but surely. Don't be afraid to say "mummy doesn't understand that whining, let's speak nicely'. 

Is he sleeping oK?  Any teeth coming?  They made the whining worse here too.

[Jodileen]

Hugo sleeps fantastically. Well from 7 to around 6-6.15. Unfrotunately Hugo seems to always have teeth coming through. He doesnt seem to ever get a break. They are almost all up

[Katet]

am having a problem with my 18 month old. Sometimes he would follow me around the house whining. I have been trying to ignore him but he doesnt seem to stop.

If you were trying to tell someone something in a language you had only limited ability & someone ignored you, would it make you more frustrated or less so. At 18mo it is his way of communicating, he isn't going to stop just because you find it a challenge. I do think that it is learning to understand that he is doing the "best he can" rather than being a 'difficult child'

The more empathy you show for the reasons he whines & gets upset (even if you can't work out why) the less it will be an issue in that he will feel he is appreciated rather than ignored.

[Haribo2012]

My LO is almost 17 months and can be very whiny and wants picking up a lot, I get down to his level and say mummy is just.....I'll be 2 mins and then we can play or I'll pick u up, why don't you go choose a toy or story to read! Or I sometimes give him a cloth to pretend clean or a dustpan and brush and say good boy why dont u help mummy. I find distraction works way better than ignoring!!

[Jodileen]

Thank you. I am going to really try and work on this later x

[Haribo2012]

It's so hard when they are just hanging off your leg lol....I just stand and deep breathe before I talk ;-)