Four- and Five-Year-Olds

This isn't exactly a full blown temper tantrum, but you could handle it the same way and it would be very effective. Try the tips in this article.http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2068269/handling_temper_tantrums.html?cat=25

You do have to be willing to let her make a scene or put up with the whining without giving in. Unfortunately, you are conditioning her that she will get her way when she whines. Good luck. Terror

I'm glas to know there is someone else going through this!!!!!! I understand your pain. I have a 4 year old daughter who just start pre-K at school (it's a half day program held in conjunction with the Kindergarten class) and everything that doesn't go her way is met with tears and drama.

I have tried all the techiniques of dealing with all of the temper tantrum issues, and sometimes they seem to work, sometimes they don't. The only thing that has seemed to work was taking things away time after time until she realized I was serious when there was no toys left and she had to earn them back, one at a time. Not that it stops it, but it has seemed to slow it down some.

Anyone else have any ideas?

Feel free to vent and cry on my shoulder, because heaven knows we all need someone to understand sometimes! I know I do.

Being consistent and letting her have a melt down in public are the only way you are going to let her see that she can't get what she wants when she whines. Doesn't stop the whining completely but it does lessen how often they happen as well as the intensity and the length when they do occur.

I was telling Lindsay's teacher that with my son I was exhausted. He has a lot of energy and was always on the go when he was younger. With Lindsay I was always waiting for her to fall apart or throw a fit about something or someone. You really never knew what was going to set her off. Since she was loud and dramatic she always drew everyone's attention whenever she melted down. I was jumpy and just knew she would fall apart some how when we were out. This was despite being consistent about expectations and how we handled the melt downs. What I found with her was that I have to talk to her about what I expect (already did but with Lindsay I have to stress it again and again) and what will happen if she falls apart. We also went over how she could use her words to express herself when she was upset and then we developed ways to make her laugh so she would get over being angry/upset quicker. She didn't get what she wanted but we wanted to move past the melt downs and not have them color our whole day. We talked about how we feel when things don't go our way. We talk about how we handle mistakes; we want her to see that it is okay to make mistakes and that everyone makes them. We talk about accepting help when we need it, something she is not very good at because for the longest time she has believed that only babies need help. Because she believes this we have talked to her ways to turn down help politely. Since she started Kindergarten last year she has gotten a lot better about it but it is still a work in progress.

I will tell you that it has been my experience that Kindergartners are very willing to give people second, third and even fourth chances. Have you talked to her teachers about this? They might have some additional suggestions and tips for you.