When do the whiny years end?

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My mother – the wise one – told me the other day on Skype, “Enjoy it – they’re small for such a short time, you know.”

Nod away, please – because I know it’s true. I know this is a fleeting part of my children’s lives, and one day we’ll be looking at photos in the knowledge that this phase of cheeky, dimpled, non-stop little boyness was merely a snapshot in time.

Like my parents must wonder how the blonde-haired, shy little girl with pouty lips in their photo albums turned into the mum-of-two in Dubai.

You thought we didn't need umbrellas here in Dubai, didn't you?

“Ouch! You’re hurting my ears!”

But could someone please tell me: when, oh when, does the whining stop?

Today my four-year-old whined All.Day.Long. In fact, he’s whined pretty much all week.

It’s like I’m a conductor and the mere act of turning my attention elsewhere signals to my son’s vocal chords that it’s time to strike up a racket louder than a Katy Perry concert.

And his older brother – seemingly oblivious to the clanging, deafening decibels – has been egging him on from the wings, with cymbals.

I’d like to be able to tell you that I get down on LB’s level and calmly explain that whining won’t get him what he wants, but I’m about a hundred miles beyond that.

Instead, the constant wa-wa-wa-ing in my ears has driven me to distraction and I’ve started fantasising about lying down for a very long sleep – not-to-be-disturbed until my youngest is at least 8.

But I know what my mother – if I can catch her between aqua-zumba, bridge sessions and Med cruises – would say: “Just you wait til they’re teenagers, dear!”

6 thoughts on “When do the whiny years end?”

  1. Ha, your mum’s correct, but I have to say, I really enjoy my teenagers. They’re mostly self-sufficient with great senses of humor and (while not entirely logical yet) are a lot easier to reason with than when they were four!!!

  2. Not to sound overly dramatic but OMG! This is what has been exactly on my mind for the past month. I recently asked my colleague what age does she think kids start to change for the better, 5,6 or 7? Her nephew’s a few months older than my daughter who is 4. Not until right after I asked her did I realize how ridiculous my question was. I think I was trying to mentally assure myself it’s bound to end at some point. I love my little girl to bits don’t get me wrong. I thought we were over the terrible twos and horrible threes. Did you say 8?

    • Definitely sooner than 8! I can’t remember now when it started changing, but my 7yo doesn’t whine like he used to. He can still be really demanding, but not in that whiny way that makes me crazy…he’s a bit easier to reason with (more bribable!). But, then again, it’s like he’s 7 going on 13! Honestly, I can already see teenage characteristics! x

  3. Every season has its annoyances…whining is definitely my all time peeve…hate. it. Our kids are 9,11,13,15 and mostly I’d say the whining is MOSTLY done….but there’s plenty of other buttons to be pushed. It does go quickly though and I do wish I paid more attention to that truth when they were little.

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