Helping DH cope with tantrums/whining

amother

Sat, Feb 14 2015, 11:03 pm

We have a very verbal 2.5 year-old but he often sounds very whiny. We've been encouraging him to use a "talking voice" to make requests, but in my experience 2.5 year-olds get whiny and kvetchy sometimes--and we should be grateful that he's even talking instead of just crying and tantrumming. My other child 4y/o has his moments as well when he has a tantrum or otherwise irrational moment.

My DH has limited experience with young children and gets irritated easily by whining and tantrums. Often using expressions such as "what's wrong with you?" or "why are you/they acting so crazy?"

How can I help him cope? Especially since often they are like this first thing in the morning when he's getting them ready for school (they're not morning people, and I leave earlier) and when he comes home for the evening it's often pre-bedtime and the kids are naturally not in their best form and he gets annoyed that they are so kvetchy "just for him"

I'm naturally more patient and have experience dealing with children both personally and professionally, but I don't want to come across preachy. Can any mothers with "lay-mother" experience help me out?

I would move up bedtime--but a)I haven't found it to be effective b)I think there are other factors which we are dealing with but the whining still occurs.