What can I do with a miserable, whinging 7 yr old?

[Jasnem]

Ideally something to help her to be happier and less whingy.
Failing that, anything that will stop me just getting cross with her for sulking.

When we are out, or busy all day she's not too bad, but the rest of the time, she just seems to go from one strop, to tears, to sulking, and back to stroppy.

[orangegiraffe]

Does she enjoy craft or jigsaws, that what keeps mine occupied.

[Jasnem]

We haven't done any jigsaws for a while. She loves making things, but gets bored if I'm not in there with her all the time,

[Blandmum]

I went through this phase with dd....MIL sujested that I was doing too much with her, and damn me but she was right! Doing less, and leaving her to entertain herself a bit was the key.....when we did things together she then really enjoed them, rather than whinging all the time.

Tell her it is OK to sulk, but not to make other people unhappy with it, so she can sulk in her room on her own time

sympathy though..it is grim

[orangegiraffe]

I agree martianbishop, I think you can devote to much time to keep them entertained.
You could start her on someting maybe a craft and then leave her for a while, then go back to see how she is getting on.
I would suggest bead making but they always end up in the hoover

[Jasnem]

Ok. I've given them (she has a yoounger sister) a box of bits and a piece of card to make a kite.

[silverbirch]

Unless dd is genuinely very tired, I find it works quite well to say that the only person who is upset by the sulk is the person sulking (and then doing my best to ignore the sulk, and to look as if I am enjoying what I am doing and am unperturbed by the sulk). I tell dd she has a choice of being happy or sitting in a sulk, and no-one else minds what she chooses. Normally she decides there is no point in being sulky and cheers up.

[lukenjoesmummy]

My ds is the same. He always gets like this halfway through the holidays, I think he's starting to miss school and is getting bored with his little brothers company!!

I'd say the same as silverbirch. Ignoring it is always the best policy. I send him to his room and make a loud fuss of the little one. He soon realises that he's missing out on something good by sulking and curiosity gets the better of him!

Good luck - roll on September!!!

[Jasnem]

Thanks for the replies. I'm hoping things will get better when they go back to school.

I do ignore the sulking as much as possible. She seems very sensitive at the moment§and cries at the drop of a hat. (Which I also ignore unless there is a real reason for the dramatics)