what do you do in public when your child thrown a tantrum?

Question

today i took my 2 year old daughter and 8 month old son to the market for groceries. about half way through, my 2 year old decide she wanted me to hold her (she asks, "howd joo" which is her ay of saying "hold you"). i distraced her by tlling her to ride on the side of the cart. she enjoyed that for sometime until she wanted into the cart. i allowed her to rind inside the cart until i had to use it for the gorcery items.
by the time we reached the end of the store she threw the biggest tantrum i have ever seen her throw. the ENTIRE time "howdjoo howdjoo" ... she was crying so hard and long she had snot, tears, and spit running down her face and onto her shirt!!!!
i was so embarassed. i didn't know what to do since i also had my 8month old.
i had my two year old sit in 'time out'. it was about 20minutes until she finally callmed down.
ever have anything liek this happen to you? and what did you do, what do you suggest?
i vented by yelling at my hubby which helped me

thank you for all the replies ...
yes, i was alone with both children. and it took being in the public eye to not smack my 2year old daughter. at least that's how i felt at the time.
normally, my hubby DOES take her out when she starts to whine to prevent a tantrum. but, alas, i was alone :(

Answer 1

your husband should have removed the child from the store until she calmed down if he was not present you should have taken both children away from scene until little one calmed down maybe someplace quiet

Answer 2

Well, you need a time out for yelling at your hubby. Was he there during all this? Or were you alone with the kids?
If he was there, he could have taken the two year old outside and waited in the car. If you were on your own, you should have simply picked up the two year old (and the baby) and left the store and told her that next time you go shopping, she stays home. And mean it! Get a sitter for her or wait until your husband comes home and can care for her while you shop. There are grocery stores open 24 hours a day, so that can be worked out.
Bottom line is, she has to learn that when she is out in public with you, she behaves. Or she doesn't go out in public with you.
Two years olds will throw tantrums at the drop of a hat. If you react, that gives her the attention she craves. If you ignore her, put her in time out, or remove her from the situation, she isn't getting what she wants. And if bad behavior isn't reinforced, it is abandoned.
On the other side of the coin, if you take her out next time and she behaves like a 'little lady' - make a BIG fuss over her and tell her what a good girl she is. Give her a little reward. It might seem like overkill, but the two year old mind isn't into subtleties.
Now go give hubby a big kiss and make up.....

Answer 3

My mom always gave in to me when i was that age which taught me i could have anything i wanted has long has i could annoy or cry long enough. So plz dont give in to her at anytime! Unless you want a spoiled brat. Of course i was little and didnt always understand my mom couldnt always do what i wanted i now feel bad for the way i acted when i was little even if i was just a child!

The best way to handle a child like that is to punish the act. Never smack your child in public, and people dont exactly want to hear a screaming child so what i would do is ask a worker there to put a side your buggy which they can do if it has cold stuff they put your buggy in a freezer and simply take your children to the car, and let her cry it out. She has to learn that mommy isnt always going to be able to hold her and with her getting older she needs to be a big girl for mommy. Because face it you have a 8 month old you have to constantly be watching you dont want one in each arm do you. That just sounds painful! This is why i dont want kids close together.

Some people say it is better to get a babysitter when you go to the store but how are the kids supose to learn if you never take them anywhere?

Answer 4

My son is autistic, we dealt with this A LOT for about a year. First, just ignore all he high and mighty who either had angels for kids or never had any. If you get slack from the cashiers, report them. It's not their job to give parenting advice. After that, do what feels right for YOU, not everyone else in the store. This is between you and your daughter. Try bringing a special snack, or buy one and allow it to be opened, like animal cookies, and if she is good, she gets one. Let her have one every once in awhile, depending on her behavior. This is the easiest way, there's nothing wrong with getting a treat for being good. If that doesn't work, you'll have to try taking her to the car and sitting with her until she calms down, or just continue shopping. That's what we did. We felt removing ours from the store was giving him what he was trying to accomplish, so we just tredged on and let him do his thing. But, that one is really hard on your nerves, so again, do what feels right for you. Also, try to plan outings after meals, early in the mornings or after a good nap. That way she's not hungry or tired, the two most common reason why kids tantrum. Hope this helps! Keep your head up, you don't have to answer to anyone.

Answer 5

My year and a half old son does the same things in grocery store. It usually starts with him screaming at the top of his lungs and ends up with him hitting me yelling no. Here lately, I take him out the cart, sit him down on the ground and walk away. Within just a few steps, he'll come running saying sorry and behaving. I know it sounds cruel, but it is better than hitting or screaming at him.

Answer 6

I baby sit my 2 year old nephew and I have a 4 month old of my own. When we go out and my nephew starts to act up and whine, I tell him he must behave like a big boy so that my baby knows how to act when he gets big. My nephew loves the responsibility of being a role model. Also, I let him help me shop. Before we leave for the store, I make my list and he makes his list. I give him a crayon and I take a crayon and we cross off things on our list. He helps me put things in the cart and helps me push. Anytime he wants to be held and his mother or I cannot hold him, we give him a big hug and tell him we will hold him as soon as we are done...

Answer 7

I have a 2 year old too and it has happened in public, unfortunately. Although grocery shopping does have to get done, the best way to stop a tantrum is not to respond to it. Just calmly and quietly remove your child from the situation, put her in the car and take her home. Go by yourself and let your husband watch the kids. Sometimes it's just best to leave the kids home. She'll grow out of it. Great age isn't it? Ha ha.

Answer 8

it doesn't matter if you're alone, take a tantruming child out.

however, if you'd have just held her for awhile, she probably woulda been okay. how utterly frustrating to be coompletely ignored like that, don't you think?

I'd get a sling - great for carrying her the whole time you're shopping - then she can get her needs met.


Don't be embarassed, kids aren't born perfect, and never become perfect. The key is - how's your behavior? Are you courteous to others - that is, do you remove a screaming child from a public place? That's all anyone wants from you on that matter.

Please don't ever slap your child - only being in public holds you back from doing such a damaging and humiliating thing? Physical punishment lowers the IQ, creates resentment, and doesn't work. It's just abuse and hopefully you know it.

Please read "How to talk so Kids will Listen and Listen So Kids will Talk."

Relax, You've got out a hard life for yourself with two such little kids. Be good to them and your life will be easier.

Answer 9

My son is now 4. The first and last time he had a tantrum in a store was when he was about 2 as well. I dropped everything that I was doing, took him into the bathroom and gave it to him. I popped him on his butt and then I made him calm down. After he was calm and able to hear what I was saying, I explained to him that he was getting popped because he was not behaving. Basically, you need to nip it in the bud immediately or it is going to continue to happen. All my friends who tell me about their wild child, I tell them to send them to my house. You just have to be consistent and make discipline your number one goal. Even though sometimes it can be a pain in the butt to do so.

Answer 10

My opinion actually yet in case you allow them get away with throwing a tantrum like that they are going to proceed to do it. the toddler desires to draw close what no skill. i does no longer make any remark or provide any looks myself except the toddler replaced into being damage. i ought to attempt some thing diverse at homestead and perchance provide rewards for information certain or no. Get your fiancee that ought to really help you. A 17 month previous can learn a lot faster than some human beings adults. good success and ignore the teenage mom remark.

Answer 11

I have 3 kids , ages 3, 4 and 7 months, When any of my kids throw a fit in public, I just simply " Walk Away"