Tonight's trip to the grocery store was an absolute train wreck. It started out fine, but once it started going downhill, it deteriorated fast. DS was out and out challenging me to see what I'd do, if anything, so I had to do something. Mostly he was hitting me, which is 110% not acceptable, and he knows it.
At home, this would be an automatic time-out, but I honestly couldn't figure out how to make that work at the store. 1) Where would I do it? 2) Time-outs usually involve really pathetic sobbing, which I wouldn't want to subject the general population to having to deal with. I'd like to be able to just haul him out to the car and go home, but we live too far from town to make it realistic to just leave without our groceries and come back the next day.
Usually, DH goes with me when we're doing a big shopping trip, so he can take DS out to the car to sit if necessary. However, he didn't go tonight, so I was on my own. I seriously think DS knew that I couldn't really do a time-out and wanted to see how I'd handle the situation. The crappy thing is that he won (sort of), and I hate that he got the best of me. One way or another, it WILL NOT happen again like it did tonight. I have to have a plan.
So, how do you handle discipline in public, especially when you're on your own w/DC and can't just leave?
Edit: Our shopping trip was also at the same time and followed the same routine as it always does, so I don't think it was a matter of being overly tired (although it did become an issue b/c the trip was stretched out with all the behavioral issues). I honestly think he was just challenging me.
Re: WDYD re: discipline in public (grocery store, etc.)?
I take my girls to the bathroom for time outs when I'm at the grocery store. It's a PITA, but discipline issues have to be addressed even if it's inconvenient or uncomfortable for the parent.
Also, if there are any discipline issues, my girls know they won't get stickers in the checkout line. So that's another incentive for them to behave.
I don't know if going in the morning is an option for you, but I know that my girls are always about 100xs better when we grocery shop in the morning rather than at night. Even if they are well-rested, they just seem to be a lot more wired at the end of the day.
Oh, and just as a add on, it works for me that if i absolutely can not leave the public place that Im at, and I need to dicipline my child, I bring him into the bathroom and dicipline/ speak to him in there. It is much more private and it removes him from whatever situation was causing the problem to begin with.
when we go shopping I have a snack cup, a drink cup, a book, and a car/truck.
that usually keeps him satisified. That said, I have completed a shopping trip with a crying, screaming toddler. I let him cry it out so much that he stops once he realizes I'm not paying attention to him. Same with strapping him in the cart. He hates it for about 4 minutes then he realizes he can't do anything about it so he stops sobbing.
If I have to listen to DS crying so I can shop, well, so can the customers, except I have to go home with him...lol. I hate to say it, but when I cater to DS his behavior gets worse, so I just grin and bear it and he gets the picture.
hth.
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I've got a couple of ideas one I see nothing wrong with just putting him on the floor in time out. Really are people going to be pissed off that you are actually taking care of your unruly child or happy to see a parent that is actually addressing an issue.
2nd since it sounds like shopping is usually a big project I would make some pictures of typical objects and get him involved. Use some clip art and put them on a ring, crackers, apple, squash, pizza, bread, whatever you usually get and have him look for them. Every item he spots and matches to his chain he gets to pick up and put in the cart.