Reply #96: The title of the thread is a little misleading, I think. [View All]

The study implies that insecure and dependant kids are more likely to be attracted to authoritarian and repressive environments. The 'whining' thing is a way of characterizing insecure kids, I think. The MORE they whine, the more insecure they are.

In my experience as a parent, almost all kids will try whining when they want something. But kids who whine all the time are probably feeling very needy and insecure. My way of dealing with my son when he would start whining was to listen to the feeling of neediness and try to engage him in a positive (and EMPATHETIC) way in thinking about practical ways to get his needs met. It was often startling how well this worked.

Today, I am happy to say, he is a very healthy and self-reliant young man.