Public Displays of Tantrums

PDTs...yep, they are real people!

I believe all toddlers have this secret language whereby they learn this art form and how to perform it at the most crucial time to have maximum effect. Whether it be whilst you have a full trolley in a long line at the checkout of the supermarket, trying to wrangle multiple children safely through a car park, or when you take them to a brand new class or activity where you are trying to make a sweet impression in front of people you've never met before.

We've all been there...and if you haven't yet- just wait for it! It will come when you least expect it!! They are becoming a common occurrence in my day - let me tell you about the 2 I was blessed with earlier this week, in one day...

I took both girls out in the morning for a quick walk to a friends house, about 6 houses away. I can see their house from my front door so i thought we should simply walk...pram not necessary ill carry Miss Cheeky and Miss Placid can walk as she is super independent anyway! The walk there was lovely, but just as we went to come home, it began...all over a rolled up newspaper.

....Miss Placid picks it up off the driveway and i tell her it needs to stay there so our friends can read it...wrong answer, mum!!! World war 3 erupted and miss stubborn grounded her heels in and stormed to the side of their driveway. My arms were loaded with nappy bag and baby and I'm looking toward our house thinking its not that far away. That 1 minute walk there suddenly turned into what felt like half an hours walk home!! She screamed and carried on THE ENTIRE WAY HOME.  She stopped periodically to wriggle out of my hand to run up someones driveway, and occasionally to ask "whats that?" when something caught her eye, but no sooner did she stop than she started all over again. Thankfully, i saw no cars and no people but the whole neighbour surely heard her!!! Once inside it took her a further 15 minutes to completely calm down over the whole incident!!!

The second such display was in Coles and i was really setting myself up for a failure anyway. I needed to run to Coles to grab some Greek yogurt for part of our dinner. It was necessary as we were having a curry and they wouldn't touch it without a bit of yogurt in there. Miss Cheeky had been awake since 12:45pm and refused an afternoon nap - so she was already grizzly. Miss Placid was having a nice long nap. The second she awoke at 4pm - she came out to the lounge all groggy when i advised her we needed to run to the shops. I managed to coax her into the car with a bag of plain popcorn. Everyone strapped in, Peppa Pig switched on in the car and off we go.

After a mini setback about not wanting to hold my hand through the car park, we set off for Coles, baby on hip, toddler by the hand.. The second we get in the door she wriggles out of my hand "i not need hold hand, mum". Righto! Grab the yogurt then cue the MEGA tantrum over who knows what this time!!! She just started screaming!!!! People were looking over at me and i was quickly getting flustered...nothing i said to her was helping, until i bent down to her level and said "lets go find a lollipop"....silence...."i get lollipop, mum, yum!!" Success!!!!

I race to purchase the yogurt and lollipop and run as quickly as possible back to the car.

This is our third notable PTA as we had one on mothers day at the shopping centre too. My husband was with me at the time and we put her in timeout on a bench which was a better alternative than bribery but hey, you do what you can to survive in the moment, don't you!!

Looking back at these incidents, i realise i really should not have not offered the lollipop at all as it was kind of rewarding her behaviour in a way. We shouldn't be embarrassed by our kids reactions, but that is easier said than done when in the heat of the moment! The people that stare, shake their heads in disgust and make rude comments have either never had kids or cant remember what it was like!!! Its not easy, your not an awful parent, and they are not evil kids! They are simply pushing boundaries and showing the emotions they don't yet know how to regulate- its up to us how we teach them those skills!!

Next time, and I'm sure it wont be too far away, i think i might just grab the kids and run out the shops as quickly as possible and never look back!!