Is appreciation ever an issue when it comes to your significant other?  

Thank you so much for you response and for your advice I really appreciate it. And although my boyfriend and I don't live together just yet I could ask him to do little things. Although lately I've tried that kind of. Like simply asking him to make phone calls to places we both are involved in that way its one less thing I have to do and he does it but he complains the whole time. Ugh. But I see your point and I think I am going to be more demanding but then at the same time showing him how much I appreciate what he did so he can hopefully understand it better. Thanks again :)

When he complains say "Stop It" Don't explain any more then that just say "stop it". This will be hard, but if he continues to complain, say "Stop it, or I am leaving" - I don't mean leaving him, I just mean leaving the room or house or car. Soon he will stop complaining.

It works very very well, but it is extremely hard to do. I felt very very bad about it the one day with Carolyn, we were driving home. She was going on about something that had little to no merit. And I said "drop it or I am stopping the car and leaving you here" - She didn't stop, so I stopped the Car, got out and started walking. I was the one driving. She didn't have a license then, and still doesn't. I got quite aways before I cooled down, and when I got back, I just felt horrid, she had been crying and stuff, but I didn't here another word about whatever it was she was complaining about. So it works, it is just very hard.

No lesson worth learning is easy. Nothing worth doing is easy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYLMTvxOaeE