Tell me our coping strategies for living with whining

[TheHouseofMirth]

As far as I can tell, whining comes and goes and there's usually some underlying cause (illness etc) and eventually they grow out of it entirely (when they're about 20). So assuming it isn't really a behaviour that one needs to modify but just live through, how do you do it?

After a few hours of it today, much to my disgust I actually found myself telling DS1, who is 4 to shut up. I obviously need to get a grip and wondered if anyone had a "tricks" they'd like to share? Apart from alcohol.

Earplugs? Fingers in ears and 'la la la'.

Sorry, but am watching for answers and it drives me up the pole.

No answers either but feeling the pain. DD1 is going for the 2012 Olympics in whining.

I go for "DS, you are using a whiney voice" and he will generally make an effort to whinge less if he wants something from me. But I do end up saying it a lot.

Just spotted typo in thread title. See, it's rotting my brain!

I was thinking we could send them all to Afghanistan. I imagine the Taliban would give themselves up pretty quickly if forced to listen to my DS. Not sure how much of a barrier it would be that he doesn't speak Pashto/Dari. Come to think of it, it doesn't as his first language is currently the universal language of Whine.

Anyway, pleasant fantasies aside, anyone else with something a bit more practical?

I used to do LOTS of "I can't hear you if you use that whiney voice" repeated ad nauseum, and now (DD3 is 7) all it takes is a raised eyebrow and maybe a "was that a whine I heard?" to stop it in it's tracks.
Best of luck

Much like ShrinkingViolet, I used to (and still do occasionally) say that I won't respond to anything that is whined at me rather than said.

Persevere!

Shrinking Violet - thats what I do! ..."I don't understand you when you whine" and totally ignore until a non whiney voice is used.

Works!

Another vote for the 'I'm ignoring you until you speak to me properly' school of thought - it does work!

ANother vote to not responding until spoken to in a normal voice

Both my dd's (3.7 and 2.5) are champion whiners, I try to ignore, and do the 'I can't understand you if you whine' thing, but it doesn't seem to have any effect at all.

I usually rely on copious amounts of rescue remedy, deep breathing and popping upstairs to get something so that i can stick my head in the wardrobe and scream.

I just have to keep repeating 'its just a pahse, its just a phase........'

I don't know what's worse though, the sound of the whining or the sound of my voice repeating "mummy can't hear you/only dolphins can understand you/I'll do it when you talk properly". I think I've got a very persistent one here!