Aggressive tantrums get embarrassing for parents sometimes, especially when they take place in public …
1. Today wasn’t the first time my son has thrown a tantrum but it
was probably the most embarrassing. Today he almost flashed my chest to
everyone.. today I have just been feeling super overwhelmed and this
time I nearly burst into tears.
2. I absolutely hate it when people start to stare and pass judgment
because they think, he is just another ill-behaved child who doesn’t get
spanked…
3. My daughter is 23 years old and she still has meltdowns when she
doesn’t get what she wants. In public, there’s nothing much I can do but
when at home, I can deal with the tantrums.
4. You are lucky he is just sitting there. My daughter would have
destroyed that display and be eating the treats.
5. To hell with people looking and commenting… they don’t know your
story, let them look…
6. You could use earphones to relax him and keep the sensory
overload in check…
7. One of the best things that I ever heard was advice from a
psychologist who worked at ‘— Children’s Hospital’. When her son had a
tantrum in the middle of a shopping mall, she led him to a seating area,
let him go on the floor and took a seat. When anyone said anything to
her she asked to see their credentials…
8. I had to grow thick skin because people were always looking at me
as if my 15 year old son was ill-behaved. I stopped caring for what
people thought and just focused on me and my son…
9. Just remember there are so many people out there who do
understand and are kind…
10.Let us be our children’s advocates, ignoring what people say or
think…
11.What I do with my son is to flip the heated situation as if I was
feeling the same way. If we get in a store and he gets scared and starts
getting upset, I’ll lean over to him and say something like… “you know
what, I am ready to go home. I don’t feel like being out.” This is my
way of conveying, without verbalizing, that he is not getting his way.
12.Reacting in a way (with your kid) as if you felt the same way, helps
a lot…
13.I made rules with my son… encourage him to use self-control and
explain that his actions will be followed up with consequences…For poor
behavior, no favourite show/movie, no favourite sweet/treat, etc. Then
if he behaves or even semi behaves, he is rewarded. But this exercise
needs to be done continuously.
14.Involve him in your activities in the store… I also would turn
everything into a game that removes stress for both of you… The trip to
store will seem pleasant plus he would gain social skills.
15.Try not to take them for shopping when they are tired or hungry…
Monica (Managing Editor) is the quintessential researcher - she thrives on showcasing overlooked aspects that form the foundation blocks of people, places and issues. She is a social scientist by profession with masters in Economics and loves to travel.