how do you get a child to stop complaining all the time about everything?

Answer 1

Some ideas to try:

- Refuse to get involved in the conversation. Just act like you can't even hear them talking.
- Take away whatever it is they are unsatisfied with and throw it in the trash.
- Refuse to do anything if whatever you do is met with ingratitude.
- Move them to their bedroom so they can complain alone.
- Seriously...take away all the extra..the tv, the phone, the computer, the video games etc. Restrict them to their room for two weeks then make them earn back all those privileges by doing some good deeds or chores. They need to earn them slowly so as to begin to value what they have as having been earned via hard work.

On a more positive note, the two of you should spend some time with kids that have far less. Maybe volunteer at a soup kitchen, or a youth club. Let him or her see how much sweeter his or her life is than many.

In reality, kids get like this when they've been far too indulged (read spoiled), so cut everything back to the basics. Food, basic clothing, primitive toys and books. Then make them earn it all back. Stop doing everything for the child. Use leverage, which means that they must do something you want before you'll do anything they want from you. Assign regular chores so the child becomes a valuable contributor to the household.

It's all too common these days for parents to give their kids everything and expect little to nothing in return. We think we are doing them a favor by helping them be the cool kid at school, or by giving them everything we didn't get from our parents. But the truth is that kids NEED limits and parents need to build and teach a sense of respect. Kids who never work for anything respect nothing, and often have little respect for their parents.

Catch it now or the teen years will be hell.

Answer 2

You sit down and tell the child "things do not go they way they are always planned and life is not served on a silver platter, so we cannot complain. We have to be thankful for EVERYTHING we have and not complain about things we don't. there are so many people A LOT worse off than us. Other kids in the world would die to have things that you have and you do." Then after your little talk you remind them that they are not going to complain about things, that they will try to be thankful and patient. Then if that does not work then you must use a voice with a little more force and then you always remind the child there is no complaining and it will not be tolerated. Eventually if they still insist on complaining then you have to use your best methods of correction and help them understand it is not okay. And quite annoying!

Answer 3

It depends on what they are complaining about. Is it trivial things like not having everything their friends do or is it about more important things. Once you find out what the real problem is, then you can figure out what to do. Talk to them, let them set the parameters of what is important and what is not. Then hold them to it. When they are just complaining to be complaining, take away a privilege or something important to them. Make them earn money for their spending, don't give it to them. Again, back it up. As a parent it is your responsibility to teach them to be responsible and to make good decisions. Not to give them what they want. Love is not just giving, it is teaching. If they are complaining about things such as a family members habits, behavior toward them or even mean treatment from another sibling or friend. Then the problem should be treated differently.
You are the parent in the situation and not your child's friend or complaint department, you are however; their protector and teacher. Just love them, love them, and love them some more. A cry for attention is never trivial in any form, no matter how irritating it can be.

Answer 4

Before they have a chance to complain ask them " what was your favorite part about __ " if they complain at the end of the sentence, just ignore it, and say " did you notice the color of __ " ? wait for their response. Engaging them in a different conversation can be very helpful . Start to only respond only to necessary comments from the child, like " I need to potty " I'm hungry " I love you " Sometimes my son aggravates me so bad I just look at him and say ' I love you " then I run to the garage to get away for a minute ( phew) try to ignore the negative stuff and just start responding to their " Ididn't like the __ _-- -_'s " with What pot should I cook this in ? ( examples are bad but you know what I mean ) sort of reactions, they'll get the message that the complaining is getting old, and they'll start to communicate in other ways like ' Hey mom I like grape instead of lemon " To which you'd probably smile and say to yourself " it's finally working" ..

Answer 5

Hang flat panel TVs on every wall in the house, even in the bathroom and shower and have constant film footage going of starving children in North Korea, China & Nazi Germany. Embed his or her mind with all the horrors children before have endured and, once your child has trouble sleeping due to recurring nightmares, they'll never complain again...

Answer 6

tell them that they are going to have to scrub the floor with a toothbrush for 15 min every time they complain. Then make them do it. Every time they complain, hand them a toothbrush and a cup of water and tell them to start scrubbing, and set a timer for 15 min. If you are out of the house tell them that you are keeping count and that they will serve out their scrubbing time for every complaint. This is the most effective thing I have ever tried and it complety cured my son of saying " I am board!" all the time.

Answer 7

Give them something big to complain about.

Answer 8

How old are they? Are their complaints valid? Tell them to take action to change whatever it is they are complaining about. Encourage them to take action rather than complain and do nothing.
Good Luck.

Answer 9

give them something to complain about, like every time they complain make them do some work, that will shut them up.....

Answer 10

lead by example. children replicate what they see. if they are around someone who complains, they will complain. if they hear someone use "bad words", they'll use them too. if they are around someone who smokes, guess what? they are gonna try that too... we have to be careful. especially when they are young and more influential.