mom2scouts Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 OK, I wouldn't REALLY give him away, but I'm losing my patience with him everyday lately. He has a "glass half empty" personality and he whines and complains all day long. I know it's February and we're all getting cabin fever and getting bored, but he's driving me crazy. He whines about having to get up in the morning, he complains that he didn't eat enough breakfast and he's still hungry, he whines that he's cold, he whines that his K sister is already done with her work and he's not, he complains that his sister is making noise in the other room, he complains that he doesn't like math, he complains that his play breaks aren't long enough, and on and on and on. The only time he doesn't complain is when we are reading together. We use Sonlight and he *loves* when someone is reading the books to him. I try to encourage him to concentrate on his work and be more positive, but I eventually lose my patience and then he starts crying and complaining that I'm "yelling" at him even when I'm just trying to be firm and not actually yelling (yet!). Does anyone have any ideas on how to help someone be more positive? I've tried taking away computer or TV time when he gives me a hard time. I've tried giving him extra computer time when he cooperates, but that is so rare that it's hard to use as a reward. I try to add as much reading to our school day as possible, but I feel like he's being lazy and just wants me to make all the effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 I think you may have picked up my kid by mistake. :) commiserating with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Library Momma Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 I'll trade you one hormonal girl! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone43 Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Yep that's my kiddo too lol. So I'm all ears!! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Only if we are swapping my 11 y o boy too LOL!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuirkyKidAcademy Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Hey, Tess! That was gonna be my line! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Oh, I'll put my 10 yo on the auction block today, too! She was doing her chapter-end review of Fractions today, test tomorrow. and she acted like she had NEVER SEEN A FRACTION BEFORE!!!! Um, honey? We've been doing fractions for, like, 2 months now????? I totally kept my cool, I'm so proud. Now she's happy as a clam and making brownies. Ah, the rollercoaster that is now my life! :glare: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 I think it is interesting that many people have responded, but no one seems to have an answer. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Marple Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 I think it is interesting that many people have responded, but no one seems to have an answer. :glare: Well, I don't know if this is an answer, but I've btdt 4 times now :) One day it suddenly hit me that as much as my boys were feeling out of sorts with me, I was also feeling out of sorts with them. I had a sister who lived nearby and we found that on those "out of sorts" days, I could send them over to her and they would behave beautifully! She would do some fun things with them - usually art because that's her thing and definitely not mine. It made me feel sad at first thinking that I was the reason they were out of sorts, but on those days, I, too, had beautiful behavior :p So...all this to say that sometimes a drastic change of scenery or pace is called for. This is the time of year it happens for most people. I would take an evening and send them to their room or somewhere away from you, tell them you are planning a surprise, and then plan something really different for the next few days or week. If they are like my kids, they will be so full of suspense that they will wake up excited and ready for the new day knowing that something different is going to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Why don't we just band together and create "The Well-Trained Kids" store on Ebay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 OK... I'll second the change of scenery idea. When DD11 gets into super-grmpy-moody-whiny mode, often I will relocate her work location. Her favorite, of course, is the nearby coffee shop that carries kiwi-strawberry drinks. Of course, a nice coffee for me improves my mood too! But we also use the library, the ktichen table, or the living room sofa as "alternate" school locations. I have also found that we need more movement breaks in February than in other months. Today she went out and spent 45 minutes happily shoveling snow in the driveway and cleaning off my car. Worked wonders for both her attitude AND mine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsBasil Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 Trade ya for a headstrong, persistent, destructive 16 month old who doesn't sleep. I bet by the end of the week we'll both be ready for our own kids back.m:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 Second the out of sorts Mum equals out of sorts boys. But now, it doesn't exactly start that way..... I do find that some physical activity of some sort seems to help--not just playing, but an actual assigned physical chore. I send mine to gather a bucket of sticks or go chuck rocks. They get a little bigger I may assign splitting firewood. They don't exactly like it, but it seems to let some of the bad humors out. I've also noticed with my guys that Monday is probably the worst. That happens to be the day I don't exercise. The rest of the school week the hours of 10:30 to 12:00 are my exercise time. I go out and run. They stay inside and finish their independent work (math problems from their lesson, penmanship, the reading of their book for literature discussion.) When they finish they can come out or stay in as they choose. Often I am almost done with my run by the time they are coming out for their lunch recess, and I go in to cook. So they have almost two full hours of Mom-free time there. I think that helps in some way, although it may be that the boy-free time for me is just as important. I very seldom have bad days on any day other than Monday. Little stuff, yes, but general funk, not so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2scouts Posted February 26, 2013 Author Share Posted February 26, 2013 I see I'm not the only one with a whiny, grumpy child this month. Maybe we'll pick a day and head to the nearest coffee shop and do some school there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyfordlr Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 Dh reminded me its a full moon too. I often start Facebook posts with "2 girls for sale, cheap". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nscribe Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 I'll trade you one hormonal girl! :scared: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 I wonder if some of the issues just have to do with a push for independence. It seems to me from watching and listening to my guys that they see-saw between wanting to do for themselves and wanting me to do for them. Maybe they are fledging--fluttering around the nest but still gaping for worms. That's what they remind me of, anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 Sounds like my 10 year old too, OP!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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