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Tantrums
Over the last six months or so The Little Mermaid (just turned 3) has been practicing her tantrums. She has almost perfected throwing herself on the floor while screaming and crying that she has been treated terribly unjustly. Sometimes she pretends she can’t walk and just collapses into a whiny heap.
At home, this is fine. I just step over her and get on with my day. She has twigged to this though, and last week when I ignored her and moved to another room to do some ironing, her paralysis was miraculously cured so she could follow me and start all over again. When I kept ignoring her, she began to “try” standing up and was then repeatedly thrown by some supernatural force against the couch.
This behaviour continued for around 10 minutes until she grew bored with it and wandered off to play with the dog.
But what do you do when you’re out and your little darlings decide the only way to handle the situation is with a full blown tantrum? Fortunately, I’ve only had to deal with this once or twice and each time the kids were small enough to be sat in the trolley. I just gritted my teeth, ignored the stares and sniggers (I’m sure people were staring and sniggering) and got out of there as soon as I could.
There’s an ad on TV at the moment where a mother and her young son (about 4) are in the supermarket. He’s whining that he wants something. She’s saying no. Everything’s getting tense. The son is just about to do his best tantrum, when the mum throws herself on the floor kicking and screaming and putting on a great show. The son is so dumbfounded his tantrum stops in its tracks. Mum gets up, brushes herself off and they continue shopping in peace.
I can’t even remember what the ad is for, but I love it. I would love to try it, but of course I’d never have the courage to.
All the “experts” recommend stopping what you’re doing and removing the tantrum thrower from the situation. Leave your trolley full of groceries or half eaten dinner and go. I can’t say I’ve ever seen anyone do this, so I can’t vouch whether it works or not.
What is your best tantrum story? How did you deal with it? Did it work? Make us all feel better and share your doozie in the comments 
I’ve had the screaming boy in the supermarket and there’s no way I’m leaving a full trolley of shopping there and leaving so I’ve carried on. I’ve tried to ignore it as much as possible, ignore the stares of other shoppers and get out as soon as possible.
jens last blog post..An eye full of colour
June 15th, 2008 at 10:16 amI agree Jen. It’s bad enough having to do the grocery shopping once, let alone leaving it all there and having to go back and do it again!
June 15th, 2008 at 1:59 pm