Little Grey Cloud

Maia is still a bit grizzly and whiney at the moment, which is quite hard to deal with. I am not sure what is prompting it. She is normally pretty cheery, and as whining doesn't get rewarded, she is getting frustrated when she doesn't get her way.

Anyway, we were in the car, coming back from dropping off the vacuum cleaner to be fixed (it is all about the glamour, here) when Maia starts grizzling over something or other in the back seat. I say "That is enough Maia, no grizzling please. If you talk to me in a Big Voice I can help you." and then do my best to ignore the grizzles and wait for the Big Voice, and an explanation of what is bugging her.

She moans and half cries for a bit, and then starts mournfully singing

"red...(sniff) and yellow...and pink (sniff sniff) and blue..." all in this Little Grey Cloud Raining on Eeyore voice.

Mum and I are doing our very best not to burst out laughing. I sneak a look at her. She catches me looking and starts to sing more cheerfully. Once she is done, I tell her that she is like a little Grey Cloud singing the Rainbow Song, and that we should all sing it like Sunshine. So we belt out a verse of I Can Sing A Rainbow that takes us home.

I don't want to deny her the right to let us know that she feels grotty - we all feel like crap at times. I also don't want to force her to repress genuine feelings and display false emotions to make us feel better. But God DAMN, I want her to stop whining... Answers on a Postcard, please.