constant whingeing and crying

[driedapricots]

just put 2.8 dd to bed after the most trying day ever... well actually it's quite a normal day, and seems to be always extra bad on a saturday (bcos daddy home??). she whinges and cries from the minute she gets up about every single little thing 'i want.. i want..i do it...no mummy do it...' i can't even elaborate about how bad she has been because i'm too exhausted with it to relive it on here!i think i know WHy it is but what i need advice on is WHAT to do about it. we have just had new baby and think it's attention seeking - but we give her as much attention as is humanly possible without completely leaving baby to scream all day. has anyone any similar experiences/advice? tried the naughty step/ignoring tactics already to no avail...

Hi, my 2.8 DS1 is similar. In our case I think it's a combination of not getting enough sleep and attention seeking. He's been trying to give up his nap for months, but because he only ever manages 9.5 hours of sleep at night on a good night, I prefer to let him nap. But I make sure I wake him after 1.5 hours. This means his bedtime is 1.5 hours later than DS2 and he gets all that time alone with me and DH. Makes him feel special and more grown up.

I also find that specific praise for every tiny little thing he doesn't do wrong is also good: ie "well done for NOT taking the toy from your brother". "Good boy, you are using your spoon to eat your cereal". Etc etc.

In particularly bad moments I have been known to put his favourite cbeebies programme on iplayer, on repeat. Or use chocolate buttons as bribes to shut up

It is getting better, slowly. But it is always worse at the weekends when DH is home. It's as if he knows during the week I'm on my own so no amount of crying will make me go to him if I'm changing DS2's nappy!