Grumpy 6 year old

[georgie262]

As the title says really, I'm dealing with a relentlessly grumpy and Whiny 6 year old boy.i feel like nothing I do for him is good enough. We had such a lovely bank holiday weekend weather was lovely, had lots of family and friends over for his sisters third birthday kids played in the sunshine all day, at the end of the day I said " have you had a. Nice day?" He said "not really" - it was too hot, he didn't get any presents, x cousin wasn't there...

This week he's pulled a face at every dinner I've made, whined when I've asked him to put his dirty clothes in the wash or his pyjamas in his drawers or do his homework, cried for his dad (DH) who does work long hours. He has dramatic reactions to being told off, he cowers as if I'm going to hit him. I've never even raised a hand to him. He's only happy if he's allowed to play minecraft which I'm trying to limit to an hour a time every other day.

I'm 9 months pregnant with my third child and I can't even tell if I'm over reacting to this but I'm tired of the constant battles. I feel at my wits end I want him to be happy but I just feel like I'm failing him somehow but can't figure out what to do. I just want to cry.

I'd love to hear from anyone who might have some advice or had a similar experience, thanks

Have you had a calm conversation with him about whether there is anything the matter? It needs to be detached from any specific incident in order to be a productive chat.

Maybe he's worry about the baby.

Playing a computer game for an hour at a time seems like an awful lot for a 6 year old (I know its probably the same as all his friends but I still remember the zombified state that playing computer games used to send me into as a child!). They are also incredibly addictive.

When my kids use the whiny voice, I just say I don't understand then and ask them to say it again in a nicer voice or I parrot them back in a whiny voice asking them to speak in a normal voice.

When asking them if something was nice and they say all negative things, I'll ask them to think of something positive about it. I do also say that if they've nothing nice to say then say nothing please.

I find that talking on a very unemotional when my son is being very emotional helps to calm the situation, what ever it is.

I also don't feel it's my responsibility to ensure their happiness but to help them be able to make their own...

I'm also expecting my third child and it's my middle child who's a lot like that. I figure at 4 years old, it's a stage but he's also a bit more of a drama queen than his older brother.

I have, he says things like "I don't know why I'm like this" or "I'm stupid" I give him a hug then he'll seem fine , laughing and playing with his sister until I ask him to do something for me then it's like I've just chucked his favourite teddy out. I praise all his good behaviour, if he does something without moaning, I make a fuss of how helpful he is and he seems to like this but it's so rare and he'll re eat back to grumpiness.
Tbh I didn't want him to get the blasted computer DH really pushed the issue so we got him it over Xmas - he'd been on a while that all his friends had one (school even has an out of yours minecraft club). The thing is he's the youngest in his year and he's immature even for his age he struggles to keep up in school - reading is at expected level but writing and math both 'working towards' he doesn't seem to enjoy school at times but usually comes out in a good mood. His teacher doesn't recognise the behaviour I describe so I feel it must be something I'm doing .