3 year old always whining/crying

dmndsr4eva

Ok it's probably not always but gosh seems like about 50% of the time he is whining or crying.  He cries because he doesn't want to eat his dinner, he cries because I try to put it away, he cries because he doesn't want to take a bath, cries because he doesn't want to get out of the bath, etc.  He goes to preschool most of the day and spends 30% time with his father.  It is just so hard for me to know if this is normal behavior or how to handle it all.  I don't have the support of his dad .  obviously (long story). I just feel like I'm walking on eggshells and any little thing I do will set him off.

Gordcrys

It's a 3 year old thing... he probably isn't really that upset just trying to get his way.  My DS went through this a few months ago at 3 too it sucked!!!  It didn't matter what we did he cried when he wasn't calling the shots... it's an independence thing. 

He would ask to have a bath after dinner, so we would say ok you can have a bath or watch a show before bed but not both, he would pick show, but cry when it was over and it was time for bed saying he wanted a bath... and it went from there, crying became his way to get what he wanted but we kept firm and tried not to cave in.  It took time but eventually after many frusterating nights he got over it...

Hang in there... I think for DS he picked some of that up from daycare seeing other kids do it, but it is a normal phase...

lcherian

My daughter at age five is still like this. Although it is common at the age of three to have some tantrums, I don't think it is normal to be whining that much. I figured out that diet causes much of my daughters irritability, specifically gluten, corn and artificial colors. It is hard to do an elimination diet, but worth it!

lcherian

https://voices.yahoo.com/foods-trigger-behavioral-problems-children-7073952.html

brettsmama

Hmmm, I could swear you were describing my DS. He just turned three and this whining has been an issue for a few weeks now. Tonight he was whining that my dinner was too hot for him to have a bite. So when I started blowing on it to cool it off he whined that he wanted it hotter. No great advice...just patience. "321123 what the heck is bothering me?".

jlw2505

Whoever said that 2's were hard didn't have a 3 year old.  This behavior is totally normal and the whiney part will be around much longer than the crying.  At this age, kids are starting to realize that they have power and they want to use it.  Let him be part of making decisions - give him 2 choices, both of which you can live with, and go from there.  Do you want to play for 5 more mins and then take your bath or take your bath first and then have 5 mins to play?  Have him help you with the meal planning, take him grocery shopping with you and have him help pick out the food.  Being consistent with things is a huge key at this point as well.  I live by the books 1 2 3 Magic and Love and Logic and still use the methods today and my kids are 6 1/2 years and 5 in a few weeks.