Fussing, Whining, and Tantrums
By Michael Kauper

   Parenting successfully seems to require an acceptance of contradictions. A great example is in the area of sound nutrition. Devoted parents who want the best nutrition for their child must be willing to calmly accept their child's choice to be hungry when the child refuses nutritious food.

   Because we want so much to see them well fed, we are tempted to substitute a preferred food when the child snubs nutritious offerings. This will reinforce the behavior of refusing nutritious offerings. If we give in to whining, fussing, or tantrums over food which is not “liked”, we risk raising a child who is picky, demanding, and malnourished.

   The paradox is that if we allow our concern that the child be well fed to unduly influence parenting decisions then in the long run the child may learn to eat poorly.

   Whining or complaining may be met with sympathy and calm confidence, and the parent may offer distraction or a new activity, but she/he must not give in to demands made during whining. Giving in reinforces the whining and makes it more likely to recur.

   The above food example can be generalized to other situations. If you find your child often fussing, whining or involved in a tantrum, then you can be certain that the child is getting some reward or benefit from the obnoxious behavior. Somehow, and in spite of good intentions, the adults are encouraging the problem behavior.

   In our child care home, with approximately 15 children, we see on average less than one tantrum a month. These somewhat rare tantrums are usually performed by two year olds. A tantrum by an older child is even more unusual, and would suggest a serious change at home and/or a need for the child care providers to take strong action.

   Here at day care when we tell the children to clean up toys or eat their vegetables, we expect a pleasant response. Even if the child chooses to protest or negotiate, we insist on courtesy. Pouting, groaning, or arguing are met with sanctions. Even small rebellions are important, because they foreshadow far greater rebellions. If we ignore a small challenge, we soon get treated to a greater challenge. We need not be harsh or angry, but we must be consistent and reliable.

   When working with a child who is using fussing, whining, or tantrums, the first rule is that you must not give in. The aversive behavior must not be successful. The second rule, nearly as important, is that you must take positive action to deal with the behavior. 

   We must cultivate a certain resistance to tears in order to feel sure that when we do see tears, they have valid reason. This requires a judgment call on the part of the adults. You are imposing your values on your child. I am sorry about that, but raising children is not really a democratic activity. We can respect and value our child's individuality and still teach them manners, courtesy, respect, and self control.

   Here comes another paradox. In order to have a child who is truly free, who can be herself in a comfortable manner, she must first be free of the need or desire to control her parents and other authorities through coercion. You as the parent are in charge, and you cannot escape.

   To give your child what he or she really wants (and needs), you must sometimes go against what they say they want. That is a scary thought, hinting at what an awesome responsibility parenting really is. If we fully understood parenting, fewer of us might be brave enough to try it!

   Children who succeed at coercion are dominated by their involvement in coercion. They frown and fuss even when the situation ought to be to their liking. These children will complain about tiny or inconsequential circumstances. We see this every day.

   A child who is involved with pushing her or his parents about seems to pick fights almost like an athlete who is staying in training. Kids who have been waiting with happy anticipation for their parents to pick them up from day care, will scream, fight and refuse to leave once their parent arrives. Kids who care little about their clothes, will torture their parents endlessly about clothing choices because they feel more comfortable and secure relating to their parents through coercion.

   This is bad for the parents because it is exhausting. It is even worse for the child because their more genuine interests or desires are masked or confused. A simple example is a child who fights about preparing to go to child care in the morning even though they will later have a great time being with their friends. These children are horrible to their parents until their parents are safely out of sight, and then magically, with no visible effort, transform into little angels.

   A more subtle case is a child who enjoys math or language yet refuses to learn arithmetic or reading from their parents because of the ingrained habit of rebellion. Dominating their parents, keeping their parents “in line”, is more important to them than satisfying their desire to learn.

   The old saying is perfectly correct. Kids are willing to cut off their nose to spite their face. Paradoxically, this is actually a correct decision on the part of the child. Children need clear ethical guidance even more than they need the more superficial trapping of culture, such as reading and arithmetic. Kids who are to some extent out of control are to about that same extent being neglected.

   Our kids will kick up a fuss until we do our job, as best we can anyway. They will misbehave until we get our act together and give them the sense of predictability, reliability, and security which they absolutely need to grow up; and eventually be brave enough to be free, independent, and strong.

  For your child to be free to “be herself”, the parents must insist on cheerful, civilized and cooperative behavior. Permissiveness actually defeats freedom.

   So, parents (and other care givers) need to decide what their limits are. How much pouting, crying, and shouting is OK?  What do you want to experience as normal? Living with more than you wish to tolerate is, well, intolerable, for you and your kids.

   I have been thinking about a hierarchy of coercion, from most coercive to least. These are ways that people get what they want. Here is my own working list.

1. Violence
2. Extortion
3. Yelling and screaming
4. Harassment
5. Bribery
6. Crying and screaming
7. Whining
8. Pouting
9. Peer pressure
10. Paying
11. Taking turns
12. Cooperation
13. Persuasion
14. Leadership

 The ethics of these behaviors may be situation dependent. Any of them, even the nastiest, might be permissible under some circumstances. If you don't believe that coercion is sometimes necessary, then you probably haven't administered eye drops to a two-year-old.

 Note that crying, whining and pouting are in the middle of the above list. There are worse ways for a person to get what they want. Whining has a long and venerable tradition.

 In one family, shouting may be a great family tradition, and whining may be viewed as disgusting. In another family, shouting or tantrums are way too violent, but a persistent whine is a respectable way to make your desires known. What are your limits, what are your preferences, what would feel ideal to you? If your child were perfect, how would she or he behave?

 What are some options for correcting or “adjusting” your child's behavior? We can look at our choices in several different ways. For example, we can sort techniques along the time stream into things we do before the child's behavior, during the behavior, and after the behavior.

 Things we do before the behavior are wonderful. Preemptive actions often involve the least stress and they make us look like great care givers, full of insight and compassion. This realm includes quality physical care, room arrangement, pre-planned activities, enough materials to go around, etc.

 Another thing you can do before the behavior, is planning your response to a possible behavior should that behavior occur. You try to decide in advance what you will do if thus-and-so happens. If the kids nag excessively in the grocery store, you will cut your trip short, or you will give all of them as many cookies as they want, or you will _________ (fill in the blank).

 How many chances will you give the kids before you decide that they have misbehaved and take the action you have planned?

 Actions you might take during the misbehavior could include looking, glaring, scolding, spanking, yelling, distracting, reasoning, lecturing, explaining, begging, threatening, bribing, laughing, teasing, hurrying, changing direction, leaving, crying, or some combination of the above.

 After the behavior, you might ask someone else for advice, read a book, talk to the child, practice doing it over more successfully, or avoid the situation which brought on the behavior.

 Another way to sort responses to behavior would be according to the level of coercion. We can recycle the list we already made of things people do to get what they want. (See above.)

 Here is another list for you to think about. Call it the elements of discipline:

1. Setting an example
2. Peer pressure
3. Teaching
4. Explanations
5. Rewards
6. Bribery
7. Practice
8. Analysis
9. Affection
10. Punishment

   Successful discipline is about 5% punishment on an ongoing basis. Remedial discipline is what happens when the caregiver is trying to make up for lost ground.  The child's needs during “retraining” may vary tremendously.  In a mild case you may use more punishment at first to establish your credibility, authority, and (most important) reliability. In a severe case you may need to totally avoid all punishment at first just to get past the child's defenses.

  Here are a few aphorisms and  pithy generalizations to keep in mind when you feel stuck.

• Children cry, fuss, whine and have tantrums most often to coerce and pressure their caregivers. If a child is actually hurt, that is a different story, and you will probably know.

• Good discipline helps your child feel better and be happy more of the time.

• When your discipline is strong and effective, you rarely (if ever) need to punish the child.

• If you do punish your children, you must find punishments that are not worse for you than they are for the child..

• Escalate faster than your children. Mean business, and follow through.

• Paradoxically, being willing to punish or be tough is essential to arriving at a place where punishment becomes rare.

• Being firm and clear with your child(ren) is a central part of being respectful, listening, and working hard to give them the best life you can imagine for them.

• Tell the kids what you want them to do and try to be specific.

• Ignore the questions “Why can't I do it?” and "Why must I do it?" until the kids are at least 18 years old. Really. Trust me on this.

• If your child is having trouble with a normal and beneficial activity, such as dressing or chores or coming to the table, do not avoid the activity. Do that activity more. Practice, practice, practice.

• Raising children is a lot of work and totally inconvenient. If you plan for this and accept it up front, you will have more time and patience to enjoy the process.

• Teach them every day and every chance to be brave, helpful, courteous, hard working and kind. Notice and comment when they are being good or successful or wonderful.

• Try something new. Reassure yourself and your children that you will not give up on them.

• Plan your strategy before the problem begins. If they fight in the store, what will you do?

• If your child is out of control, limit her choices, make their environment smaller and simpler.

• Tell the truth. If you say you are going to reward or punish a behavior, do it.

To be continued...

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rev. 2.1, 12-11-2003
MTK