I just thought of something I do that has been a very helpful parenting tool. If I hear a whine or a crank out of a child, I hold out my hand for him or her to “spit it out” in my hand. The child’s voice almost always changes immediately, and I often get a smile. This has worked extremely well, maybe because I have used it regularly and at the first sign of a crank or whine. Then, problem resolution and/or empathy go into play. I try to help the child cope with the cause of the whine, which could be hunger, fatigue, frustration, etc. The empathy might simply include expressing the child’s feelings in words.
This entry was posted by Carol
on Thursday, May 1st, 2008 at 8:02 AM and is filed under Parenting Discipline.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
About The Author
Welcome to PARENTING FREEDOM.com, a unique website with information based on research, experience, intuition, and Christianity. "O teach me, Lord, that I may teach the precious things Thou dost impart; And wing my words, that they may reach the hidden depths of many a heart." I encourage you to read my parenting essays linked in the left sidebar. Each topic has Scripture verses and quotes that are particularly moving. Thanks for visiting my website, and come back soon!
You would need a bucket for me to spit my whine into.