  Break Your Kid's Whining Habit  By: edited by Marguerite
Jordan Email By: edited by Marguerite Jordan Email  April 26
Why they do it: Early talkers whine like babies cry. Some
experts say that whining tends to peak in a child's development
when she's feeling out of control and overwhelmed -- emotions
that pretty much sum up toddlerhood. She lacks the vocabulary to
articulate her frustrations, and that whimpering is the natural
default noise. Certain triggers, such as hunger and fatigue, can
also cause breakdowns (true for kids of all ages), so keep that
in mind the next time you take your toddler grocery shopping
close to naptime.  How to stop it: Patience becomes the first
rule when confronted with these early bouts of whining. When her
son, Matthew, who's almost 3, melts down because he can't wait
10 more minutes for dinner, Rae Sullivan of Durham, North
Carolina, gives him a little extra attention, like five minutes
of lap or snuggle time. Those five minutes are well spent if it
means she can finish co