Stuck on whiny

Posted on October 7, 2008

It is getting so that I can’t tell who is being more whiny, Chloe or me.  I think, in all fairness, she starts it.  She gets frustrated because I am not playing one of the games she just invented EXACTLY the way she wants me to.  So, she starts whining.  Then I get tired of her whining and I start whining back.  Before I know it, she is scowling in time out and I am pouting on the couch (in my own version of time out.)

I know I shouldn’t let my two year old boss me around, and it frustrates me when she does.  But, at the same time, I want to feed her creativity and “play” with her when she comes up with these games.  I am just having a hard time with finding the limit between her being bossy, and her trying to engage me in one of her games.

I really do enjoy playing with her, and even sitting there watching her play.  She is getting more and more creative, and its fun to watch how her mind works.  She does things that are completely unexpected, and I honestly can’t wait to see what she is going to do next.

It is unbelievably frustrating, though, when I go out of my way to try and make sure she is having fun, and all she does is boss me around and cry when I don’t do what she wants me to.  Time out really works for her, she always comes out of it with a more compliant and positive attitude.  I hate having to resort to that.  I don’t want to punish her for expressing her frustration.  Once she starts though, she just doesn’t stop, and threatening or giving her a time out is the only way I have found to make her stop.

Anyway, generally, she is a really good kid.  And I know I should be grateful that I have a sweet, caring, cuddly child that wants to spend time with me.  But nobody has any fun once the whining begins.