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How do you handle tantrums in public?

Jaime - posted on 05/05/2010 ( 23 moms have responded )

Hello ladies. I am a mom of an 18 month old daughter and a 7 month old son. Lately, when the kids and I go out, my 18 month old throws tantrums when we are in the store. Just today, i had the kids in the stroller, shopping at walmart and she started throwing a fit cuz she wanted out of the stroller. I tried giving her things to distract her and they just got thrown at me. I tried talking to her and that just made it worse. Ignoring doesn't work either. I tried taking her out so she could walk with me and she tried to take off runnin so back in she went. She cried for a good while til a lady came over and talked to her for a minute. She acted like i couldn't control my kid and i guess i couldnt cuz she wouldnt calm down for me.

So my question is, how do you handle public tantrums??

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Jaime - posted on 05/19/2010

4,427

EFF! It's just haunting me at this point...I mean seriously, why? LOL...I feel like my next line should be "precious....." schmeagal from Lord of the Rings....scary...GAH, I'm going to turn into a shriveled up old creature, petting my chocolate bar and chanting in a cave. What is wrong with me?

Chatty - posted on 05/19/2010

Yes! They have chocolate...NEVERMIND, they're for Gray!

Jaime - posted on 05/19/2010

4,427

LOL...oh no, they have chocolate flavour...that's no good! Curse the chocolate addiction...GAH!

Charlie - posted on 05/19/2010

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111

I ate a whole box of choc pockys the other day :(

Chatty - posted on 05/19/2010

And sometimes they just have an ' OFF ' day.....everyone's entitled I suppose!? In a really bad situation I would remove my daughter from that situation....leave the store if at all possible!?

Jaime - posted on 05/19/2010

Thanks for the tips ladies. I always have some kinda snack in my bag and a drink for her but sometimes that just doesn't cut it. That day in particular, the cup and snacks got thrown at me. Its funny but its not. I kinda think it was because she was in the stroller facing away from me and couldnt see what was happening and i couldn't talk to her face to face. She's usually a good girl when she's in the cart though.

Jaime - posted on 05/19/2010

4,427

LOL...I was going to razz you about the "is it made of rice" comment Meghan, but I was too tired to think up something witty...Dana came through for me though! LMAO

Chatty - posted on 05/18/2010

No, they're not Baby Mum Mum's .....LOL! There's about 20 in a pack....they're about 10cm in length....they're a like a cracker but more like a cookie and 3/4 of the stick is covered in either strawberry or chocolate flavor....they leave one end without so you don't get ur hands all sticky! LOL! I can't believe I'm tryin to describe them? I feel silly!

Meghan - posted on 05/18/2010

3,169

LMFAO!!! I knew I should have gone back and cleared that one up! I TOTALLY didn't mean it like that, I was just wondering if they where like those baby mm mm (whatever the frick they are called) rice crackers..omg I can't stop laughing!

Chatty - posted on 05/18/2010

LOL! I dunno....I can't read it.....it's in Japanese! LOL! Just kidding!

I don't know if they're healthy and why rice Meghan? Because they're Asian? LMFAO! I do feed Roxanne fairly healthy but these are her favorite and only as a treat!

Meghan - posted on 05/18/2010

3,169

pocky's huh? let's give them a whirl. I am assuming since Roxanne eats them they are healthy? Is it made of rice?

Chatty - posted on 05/18/2010

I've never looked cuz I HATE Stupidstore but I'll bet you they do....LOL!

Jaime - posted on 05/18/2010

4,427

hmmm, gonna try and fine em' next time I get groceries...do they have them a the Superstore?

Chatty - posted on 05/18/2010

They're in the Asian food section at the grocery store....at least at Save-on-Foods they are! It's a pink box with strawberry coated cookie sticks....they also have chocolate flavor! Roxanne LOVES them!

Jaime - posted on 05/18/2010

4,427

Nope...what are they?

Chatty - posted on 05/18/2010

Has anyone ever heard of Pocky's? Roxanne LOVES the strawberry ones...

Jaime - posted on 05/18/2010

4,427

Sweet!

Chatty - posted on 05/18/2010

Oh, good! Then it's settled.....snacks all 'round!

Jaime - posted on 05/18/2010

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Dana, their reasoning could be that it would cause kids to associate shopping with getting "snacks" or "treats"...but I don't agree. I think that if you're someone that does feed your kid snacks and treats all the time (at home or out) to keep them occupied, rather than taking an opportunity to divert their attention to something productive, then you might have a problem when they're older, but other than that I see no harm in the occasional treat/snack during a shopping trip. I make sure I pack a snack for Gray too.

Meghan - posted on 05/18/2010

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Aww, thanks! I always have a snack for J just incase....I have no idea why they would tell you that..maybe if you brought in a brand new bag of goldfish and opened them there that would be cause for concern, but I small ziplock with some fishies in it??

Chatty - posted on 05/18/2010

(((( BIG HUG ))))

Meghan definitely had the right advice! Ur sooo smart Meghan!

One other thing I want to say is that I always have a snack for Roxanne JUST in case.....someone told me it not a good idea to let them snack in the store but I'm not sure why? Can someone enlighten me please? A couple Goldfish in case of emergency? Wrong?

Jaime - posted on 05/05/2010

4,427

I agree 1000% with everything that Meghan has said...awesome advice! I haven't encountered tantrums much either, a little bit of a whine if Gray is tired or hungry and the shopping trip can't be postponed, but so far no tantrums. I will definitely keep this advice handy if it ever comes up as Gray is approaching 15 months and does have his grumpy moments.

Meghan - posted on 05/05/2010

3,169

I have beed blessed with a child that LOVES shopping..he has had a fit maybe 1 or 2 times in the store.

There are the "obvious" (I say obvious because sometimes it is just not possible, and sometimes we need to do things on our schedule, not theirs) things like make sure they are fed and not tired.

My son is 19 months tomorrow and I find what helps us is I get him prepared for the trip. I tell him before we leave what we are going to do. Once we get to the parking lot I tell him again what we are going to do and what I expect of him. "Mommy, needs to get some groceries and I need you to be a big boy and listen, not touch anything and let's have fun" I let him hold the list (I am usually not a list person but in and out of the store is the way to go with young ones and I find I get it done quicker if I know exactly what I need) I get Joshua involved in the shopping trip..."hmm what kind of crackers should we get? Now where is the milk? Yay, the chicken is on sale!"

As far as when they actually have the tantrum I really haven't expiernced it...I have heard of people picking the kid up and just leaving the store (this would be too hard for me being a single mom-I can't make 2 trips to the store), I have heard just ignoring them,..and really for me I don't let him even know that being out of the cart is an option for him. He sits in the cart-period. (Because I know he would run around and get into everything lol)

I hope some of this has helped...:)