My Five Yr Old Is a Baby!!!

My 4 year old son just started doing the same thing. He used to be able to dress himself, put his shoes on, brush his teeth, anything and everything and now he "can't" do anything and cries if I ask him to. I guess it's just a stage and it to will pass. I read an article that said if they are acting like a baby for attention then treat them like a baby and they will get over it. I haven't tried it, because I don't think it will work .... but who knows. I haven't found anything else that works either.

Well...here's how far I went...I have a very low tolerance for crying and whining, too. (when it's unnecessary)
First of all, just know part of it is her age...not that it doesn't need to be addressed...but just remember that...in the back of your head.
Acting like a baby constitutes being treated like a baby...right? (I almost feel ashamed to say...) I had to changemy mindset...then...WHAMMO. Every time my son started crying for some annoying reason I would STOP EVERYTHING! ...and swoop him up off the floor to my lap and start rocking him asking a thousand and one questions...(and when at home I would elevate myvoice, but not sounding sarcastic...are you alright?...oh my gosh! Should I call 911? Are you bleeding? Oh my poor baaaaaaaaby! (...and so on) Now the first few times he just ate it up and really wanted the attention. After about a week of that...it was over.
This was a very liberating idea to me...it allowed me to not get so stinkin mad...cuz I had a plan! I really felt like I was outsmarting him!
He's 16, now and plays football at the HS ...good luck! I'd love to hear back from you if you decide to try this!

S., I have a 4yr old and a 1 1/2 yr old who are both really well behaved, but they too have their baby moments. The advice that i could give you that has worked for me is sit her on the couch and ignore her. Even with my 1 1/2 yr old if he wants something and only grunts for it, i wont give it to him. He cant say cookie but he says cooka and that is good enough for me. They both know that if they dont say it they dont get it.

My son went through something like this at 4 or 5 yrs. I have a low drama threshold. If he was hurt or tired or had a reason, I'd try to be understanding and comforting. But if it was for no good reason I could figure out, I'd tell him everyone needs a good cry once in awhile (me, too). You can go to your room and cry if you want to and come out whenever you've had enough. I'd check on him, and he'd usually want a hug and a snuggle and some rocking in his rocking chair when he was done. Sometimes he just needed a nap and the quiet of his room would let him doze off. For first thing in the morning I'd ask him if he got up from the wrong side of his bed. I think it's a pretty common phase.

I have a very whiney child, and have been watching supernanny. She really says to praise them on everything you can. It really works! Sometimes we get so frustrated that we overlook the positive things our kids so. Try to take a step back and focus on the good things, and then when she does whine tell her that you can't understand her when she talks like that, and that you would love to talk to her when she speaks in a way you can understand. I've been using this technique for a week and it's working great!!

I'd probably look for something else going on. THey *do* go through stages, and we've all felt "weepy" at times, but maybe she's not feeling well... or maybe something has made her off kilter. Take her temperature, give her a dose of tylenol and see if she's less whiny. She might be getting some teeth or have something else going on. I'm not sure she'd even realize the pressure of a tooth coming through as "pain"... maybe just pressure. Sometimes I realize I've had a headache coming on for DAYS and didn't realize the early signs...

Maybe she just needs some mom time. How about the three of you make a batch of cookies and visit, then put the little one to bed and cuddle with your "big girl" on the couch for a movie.

Mine isn't the same age as yours yet, but he does the whiny 2 yr old thing quite a bit. His talking is great, so I know he is frustrated trying to communicate, just being whiny. I don't give in to his demands, and if it is super annoying I leave the area. But to get him to calm down, I tell him to take deep breaths and try again. It is impossible for them to keep crying while taking huge deep breaths. Then I tell him to use his happy face or happy voice. He has to smile and say his request nicely. As soon as he does this I get him his milk or whatever. Hope that helps you.

My 4 yr old just started the same thing. He cries for things he usually does himself. I just tell him to go sit in his time out spot or go to his room or tell him to leave the room I'm in until he calms down. He either stops immediately or goes where I tell him to and calms himself. Sometimes I have to phyically put him in the other room and sometimes this makes him cry harder, but it does work for me. It allows me to get the distance I need from the crying without losing it. I believe that this will also help him to work thru his emotions by himself. If he has a really bad episode I do talk to him about it after he calms down so I can gain a better perspective on how he sees things. Good Luck.

My 5 yr old acts the same way , its a phase they all go through, my daughter who is now 8 went through it too. It does drive you crazy but you just have to take a deep breath and not explode at her. And do not ever give her what she wants while she's doing it. After she calms down a bit go ahead. If you wait till she's completely calm you will likely have another melt down on your hands due to frustration.
Sit her down and calmly talk to her, with my son logic usually works, until it happens again , because he's forgotten. It seems they have the memory of a gold fish when it comes to things like this dosen't it? LOL

I know I'm a bit behind, but my son is like this. I can tell it is his natural reaction & so I haven't gotte angry but I hate it too. So, when he whines, or cries etc.... I mimic him while saying. "Oh. I so wish I could understand you, but I can't & it is so awful. Don't you think?" Then I walk off or go about my business. He straightens up and asks for whatever in his big boy voice & I try to comply of course and I notice that I am having to do it less & less. Best of llllllllllluuuuuuuuuccccccccckkkkkkkkkkk. :)