How to Prevent Tantrums in Public
Most of us have witnessed another parent deal with a loud child’s unruly behavior in a public setting. A temper tantrum in aisle 4 of the local grocery can seemingly make the whole store standstill. Or time itself, for that matter. I found comfort in remembering my own child was with her mother at that particular time.
For some of us, we may feel sympathetic toward the parent, or perhaps a bit annoyed by the child or some awkward combination.
Planning out the trip in advance can be very helpful in avoiding a lot of stress-inducing situations. Making sure your child has eaten in advance is always a good idea, going to the toilet or a diaper change ahead of time makes it even better.
Laying out a plan of expectations for your child before entering the public setting lets your child know what his boundaries are and that you expect them to stay within those terms.
Letting your child help by allowing them to help retrieve certain items from the shelves can keep them involved and feel helpful.
A small reward may be forthcoming for good behavior by your child.
Whatever the public setting may be, it can be very comforting once you get a good routine in place knowing that your child will be behaving properly in a public setting.
