Kari's Keen Knowledge

As your little tot grows into his full potential (learning to use the word "no," and bargaining for new toys), you may find yourself gritting your teeth as you watch your whining baby turn into a whining toddler.

What to do? Toughen up, mom! This is not going to be easy, and it is going to take a worlds worth of patience, repetition, and endurance.

First off-do not let yourself succumb to the crocodile tears and persistent motor boat whimpering. Like any battle, prepare yourself.

Supplies:

• Snacks
• Recycled toys (toys your baby hasn't played with in several weeks)
• Household items (such as pots or pans)
• A quiet crib in a darkened room
• A full meal
  

Snacks:

Your little one is prone to whining when he's hungry, tired, bored and restless. Therefore, by offering small snacks throughout the day you should be able to curb his appetite. Stick to his feeding schedule so that the bulk of his nutrition comes from his regularly planned meals. Remember, this is just a snack, not a "second breakfast." Give these small snacks right before your child begins to cry so as not encourage comfort eating. The snacks you give him should be quality, not quantity; the amount should be no more than what you can pile in your flat palm.

Recycled toys:

No child, at any age should be allowed access to every single toy all at once. Not only will this cause over stimulation, but it will cause every toy to become old hat very quickly. Be careful not to fall into the trap of buying a new toy every week. Instead, you should organize your toys in a bin or tub and rotate the toys available to play with on a weekly or biweekly basis. This will extend the life of your available credit on your visa as well as keep your child entertained for a longer period of time.

Household Items:

Does your child seem bored with his toys despite the fact that you're rotating them? No problem. Remain calm and resist the urge to buy new toys. Look around your home for things that make noise, shine, have many angles and can be lifted with relative ease. Pots, pans, long plastic cooking spoons, gladwear duck taped shut with beans inside, etc. All of these items make noise and give your child a new perspective on an old skill: banging things together. Yes, you may need to take an Ibuprofen, but at least he's not shrieking, right? Try not to turn to the T.V. for relief. Most children eventually become frustrated by the T.V. after ten to twenty minutes of entertainment. Imagine if you were watching T.V. in a language you only knew a few words of. Instead, try coloring books, finger paints, or even better (and cleaner), Brio blocks.  All this being said:  take a look at your child's daily routine-if it bores you, it's surely boring him.  Make sure to take walks, go to the park, aquarium, etc.  Get out and about-Try new things!

A quiet crib in a darkened room:

Your child needs a room that is cool but not cold that can be dimmed but not completely darkened. Most children hate to wake up to a completely dark room, so always leave a dull lamp or night light on so that he wakes up slowly instead of startled.

A full meal:

Giving your growing child enough nutrition is key to having a happy toddler. Sometimes an extra piece of bread or cheese at the designated lunch or dinner time can make the difference between sleeping through the night or not. If your child seems hungry, he is. Unless he is severely over weight, don't fret about the extra calories (you shouldn't be counting them anyway if you're offering the correct foods). Children go through routine periods of growth spurts and need the extra food to grow and still get through the day. A full tummy followed by a good two or three hours of play should lead comfortably into a nice nap in a cool room (without too much whining).

Things to keep an eye out for:

*Make sure that if your toddler is teething that he isn't simply whining because he's cut a tooth . Also, sometimes teeth that have already come in can cut the exposed gum on the opposite side (so don't be surprised to find a little blood and a fussy baby). You can treat this with frozen teething rings, or a towel for him to chew on. You can even pour water over a pacifier and freeze that for your little one-works great and not a choking hazard! Do not apply oragel! My husband is an excellent father and tries everything before we give it to our children. Oragel has a slight burn to it for several seconds before numbing an area. Applying this to a cut gum will only make your little one more angry!

*Keep all fingernails and toenails trimmed. If gone unattended they can become long enough to be accidentally bent back and broken off during walking or playing. Obviously, this can cause quite a whiny baby with apparently no reason for whining. Children's nails are not as thick as ours are, so make it a point to groom them weekly.

*Always check diapers, who wants to sit in that?

Never under estimate the possibility that whining is an indication of something wrong. Although it can be extremely frustrating, keep your cool. If all checks out and the only apparent reason is for attention, you should tend to your business within eye sight of your child and try to ignore his whining. Give him verbal reassurance occasionally, and when you take a break, be sure to give him a hug and let him know he's ok. Eventually, he'll realize you've become boring and he'll move on to toys and entertaining himself. Teaching your toddler to entertain himself is one of the greatest skills you both will need throughout the long journey of parenting. Just be tough and stick to it-you will survive!