The path of least resistance for parents is to just give in to all of your kids' whining and demands. It takes resolve to hold the line and say "You can do that yourself" or "You don't need that" or "That's isn't the way to get what you want".

All of those little life lessons add up and build habits of self-reliance. We're going through a lot of those with our daughter who still resorts to whining and crying to get what she wants.