Has your child ever thrown a tantrum in the store? I WANT THIS! I MUST HAVE?!? We have all been through it. There have been moments that we simply wanted to ditch the cart, grab the keys, and head for the nearest exit - wait, you haven't? Oh but I have. But I would politely hand the cart back to the nearest clerk -- sheepishly apologizing that I could not restock my items, making sure I showed them there were perishables.
My son is now approaching the wonderful age of ten. I recall a very vivid moment in Target when he was three - just like it was yesterday. The toy section was packed, it was a weekend -- everyone was in the toy section. We were looking in the toy section for a birthday present, he started with the "Mommy, I want this...I want that..." to which I responded lovingly, "no sweetie, not today, we are shopping for a birthday present for your friend..." his sweet little voice began to whimper, his face turned red, there were tears - big crocodile tears and then he started to kick his feet against the cart and the whimper was in that three year old scream -- you know when you hear it and it is not your child you are like thank the stars above...
I knew rationalizing with him was not going to work, I needed to parent by example. I looked at him and sat my behind on the floor and started kicking and screaming (imitating him) "but I want a million dollars, and a huge house, and not to have to work a gazillion hours..."(and whatever other irrational thing I could think of) and he just looked at me and stopped his tantrum. He did not know how to respond to his mother kicking and acting a fool on the floor, neither did some of the people shopping in the toy section -- some looked at me like I needed to be in a straight jacket and the rest, they applauded.
And you know what? He's never thrown a tantrum quite like that since. I can walk into a store, any store, if he wants to look at toys - fine but we aren't buying anything - that is NOT what we are here for.
Just read this to a friend. We are laughing our asses off. Will let you know how this works for us. Good Lord, it really does take a village.
ReplyDeletethat is awesome! i should try this sometime because my 10 1/2 year old still has issues. the kicking and crying has stopped but the yelling and constant please, please, please, why not, why not, why not, your mean, your really mean, you suck, please? omg! most of the time i just stop right where i am in the store and i straight up tell him "i am in charge- i say no- i am not an atm machine - i am not a bank- we are here for...... and that is what we are buying. If you wish to have ..... then you must continue to sell the toys you no longer play with and earn the money honey." He hates that and usually stomps off.
DeleteAndrea, I am glad this post compelled you to laugh your ass off. Nothing like embarrassing your child into *not* doing something EVER again! Please let me know how it goes...while it does take a village, we cannot let the idiots out of the village!
DeleteMaria, I get that too, don't know if it will work on a 10 1/2 year old (a 3 year old is so much more impressionable - with their wide eyes)