Parenting Tips for Crying Children

It amazes me how quickly children can transform from these carefree, fun-loving and playful beings into a high-end torture device that will extract every last drop from their parents. Yes, we are talking about crying children and how to make them stop.

Whining in young children

Young children, 2 and 3 year olds, are very gifted in the art of whining. However, the question is why they are doing it and how can we stop it. Young children are experiencing so many new emotions. They are not able to properly control and redirect their own energies. They are often frustrated because their receptive language or ability to understand is superior to their receptive language or ability to speak.

A frustrated little boy: what to do

When you’re in the middle of toddler-ville, and the mayor of the city starts to lose it, what can parents do? First, remember that they are emotionally exaggerated. Take a 5 minute break and spend time with them. Sending them to a timeout to complain will only add more fuel to the flame. They need attention and love. They just don’t know how to order it.

But is that encouraging to whine?

No, not really. As you hold or hug them, work on giving your children the tools to ask for attention in a better and more constructive way. Teach them the words to use. For example, “Mommy, I need a hug.” or “Dad, can you hug me?” or “I feel lonely.” Give them words to express their feelings, both positive and negative.

By responding to their needs and teaching them how to manage their emotions in the future, you are building a strong relationship and a strong person who will cope with all kinds of emotions in their lives.