No, you need the patience! Lol
Don’t make him toughen up too soon but if he is using it for manipulation, I get it. However, he may be using it for other reasons. One reason may be because it’s the quickest way to get your attention (in a good or bad way, they don’t care right now lol). All kids do it. Does he do it to your wife, also? Or mostly just you?
I probably wouldn’t call it a winey voice to him. He doesn’t exactly know what that means but understands it’s negative. And what you really want to convey is “ I want to hear you and what your saying is important but I want it in a normal voice without manipulation.”
At first I would tell mine something like ‘oh I hear that voice again. Are you okay?’ Then I would hug him, get down to eye level and say “now tell me what you need in a normal voice. I can’t understand what you are saying in that other voice.” Later I would move to just saying, “I can’t understand what your saying. Please use your normal voice” . Do this with a calm and normal tone because if they are trying to trigger you, you don’t want to allow it to work. And lastly do not engage in the conversation until he uses a somewhat normal voice. But be sure to take him seriously and give him a proper response (basically give him what he wants a few times lol) when he does.
I can’t think of any way you could tell a 3 year old why eye contact is important. You will have to show him. Start off with something fun like staring contests. Get him used to you gently placing your hands on each side of his face during the game. Then take opportunities to say something emotional/important to him while holding his face and looking him in the eyes. Make sure you have moved to his eye level. Take his face in your hands and tell him you love him and give him a hug. You can work your way up to other types of serious things later. He will start doing it in return on his own time.
You don’t want him to look you in the eye from submission (because you told him to). And please don’t make him look you in the eye if you are bitching at him. That’s cruel. Lol
You must be the patient one right now and keep doing your job. You won’t see it right away but at around 7 or 8 years old he will start acting just like you. And that can be painful as a parent sometimes especially when it’s your bad behaviors. Lol
And yes, sounds like he is going to be a smart guy! I miss that age with my boys so bad.
