Contentment/Greediness

[greenbeanmama]

How do I help my son learn contentment? He's three and a half, and lately he's been asking for everything. We go to the grocery store and he wants a free sample. We go to the post office and he wants a sticker. He's being very attention-greedy right now, which is okay (I think he's figuring out that is six-month-old sister is here to stay and he's going to have to continue sharing Mama), and both Daddy and I are trying to give lots of hugs and snuggles and one-on-one time reading, etc.

We realized it had gotten pretty bad this weekend at Grandma and Grandpa's house when he saw his great grandma, and the first thing he asked is what she brought him. Granted, he's used to always getting a gift from her, but he's usually a pretty shy kid, so for him to ask this right off the bat is rather bold of him.

If we tell him no, or that he needs to wait, he often throws himself onto the floor, pouting. Or else he says he doesn't want a snack, a story, etc. ever, ever again. I've tried playing with him when he gets that way ("You mean never, ever, [I]ever[I] again?!? Wow! That's a long time!" or "Aww, come on! You can make a better mope-y face than that - now, no smiling!"), I've tried being matter-of-fact. I've tried explaining the why behind the no. I've tried offering other choices.

But what I think the heart of the issue is, is a lack of contentment. Oftentimes, I don't think he really cares about what he's not getting, he's just being greedy to get it. So, how do I address the root issue and help him learn a lesson in contentednes? Ideas, anyone? Thanks!

[meemee]

mama - honestly you are overthinking this.

he is just 3 1/2, his world revolves around him. almost all children do this. this is the appropriate age where it is ALL about him. as it should be. he is just trying to figure out the world.

however how do you encourage 'ungreediness'. by the way YOU live and what you do. our children are smart they pick it up.

biologically you son has to be greedy to survive as a human being. he is right on track. when i used to get home the first words out of my dd's mouth was 'what did you get me'. i took that as meaning 'when i was gone did you miss me.' so i would bring home a variety of stuff. toys, candy AND dirt, rocks, flowers and tell her how much i missed her, what stories about her i told my coworkers, etc.

grandparents are special. i feel their job is to spoil the child. and his gparents are doing great. he didnt say anything out of the ordinary.

celebrate his boldness - that he came out of his shell to ask.

for now let him be the 3 1/2 he is. they are not expected to fully get sharing in play till they are 5.

when dd was 5 she went for an easter egg hunt and ran gathering as many eggs as she could. and she got a zillion. then she discovered a two year old struggling to find some eggs, so she went around and hid some of her eggs back for him to find. its just not my dd - i have seen other kids do it too - during halloween too.

[lolar2]

I'm getting that maybe this might be a bit of a manners issue, too? Maybe if you work with him on remembering "please" and "thank you" and all that, it might help the requests to be less annoying to you, at least.