Children's behaviour in shopping centres

**Boobycino** · 22-02-2012 07:57

Mine is pretty good & I thank my lucky stars.

He's been coming to all my midwife appointments too & waits up to 2 hours in the waiting room with me & is a freaking angel. Yes he runs around a bit, but I think he's incredibly patient <3

**betherina** · 22-02-2012 07:58

My 19 month old DS is usually very well behaved at the shops...that was until the other day when we had to line up at medicare for 20 minutes.
The plan was to get my money back, then do some shopping...but DS started screaming when we were in medicare and didn't stop until we were back in the car. I changed our dinner plans because I couldn't be bothered finding everything I needed. Then luckily they opened a register just to get me through quickly, lol!

**Tainted** · 22-02-2012 08:02

Shopping was great until a couple of months ago when he decided he is far too old for the pram (at one year old!) and wants to walk everywhere. He is also too cool to hold my hand in public, which means chasing him around the shops and a tantrum when I try to redirect or carry him. Not that I would ever put a lead on him, but I guess I can kind of appreciate why people with multiple little ones might feel the need.

**babalooba** · 22-02-2012 08:09

I only go to the shops on the weekends when DS1 is with his dad. Shopping with him is hell and terribly embarassing. Because of ASD his time limit doing something he doesn't want to do is about 30 mins and after that he will yell profanities and throw a tantrum like a 2 year old

Its quite funny when you look back on it but at the time its really not.

**Janesmum123** · 22-02-2012 08:14

My 21 month old is a nightmare. But I need to leave the house to get essentials like you know food. He will not sit in his pram, he will not hold my hand, he will not follow me. Maybe it's my bad parenting who knows...
Sometimes I slap a leash on his back and it keeps him quiet for 10 min while I go to the butcher. Sometimes I bribe him with hot chips so I can quickly do Wollies. Judge away... I'm past the point of caring what random people in a shopping centre think.

**Benji** · 22-02-2012 08:36

Mine is really good when we're out, but I'm lucky to have the luxury of not needing to take him out if he's tired/unwell. We have our food delivered but on the odd occasion we have to go to the grocery shop, he's great. He's 5 yo.

He did, however, throw the most horrendus tantrum once when he was 4 yo and he'd been at his dad's house so had barely any sleep and ate nothing but crap food. He was in the most foul mood ever so I decided to go with my mum and him to pick up a children's movie to try to settle him. Biggest. Mistake. Ever.

We had to man-handle him out of the video store as he was pulling the DVDs off the rack, he kicked, screamed, hit us... it was awful!!! I have *never* seen him like that. So I assume anybody who witnessed it thought I'm a terrible parent, shouldn't have taken him out, don't know what I'm doing yadda yadda yadda but, honestly, every person in this world has an off moment, including kids. I'm sure the kids that bug you in the shops could quite possibly be little angels on most shopping trips and mum/dad have been caught unaware by an off moment.

**HELPihavea2yrold!** · 22-02-2012 08:37

DS (2) is most of the time a nightmare to shop with. He's started running off and hiding. He also has massive meltdowns which involve kicking and screaming hysterically on the floor and throwing anything in reach at other shoppers.

**Bexta** · 22-02-2012 09:06

Originally Posted by grumpysmurf

First let me assure u that even the most lovely 1yo can turn into one of those tanty checking 3yos

also the otherwise most lovely 3yo can be overwhelmed by everything and turn into a laying on the floor screaming banshee

That is my lovely (almost) 2yo DS to a T! He was a dream baby, now he has quite the set of lungs on him

He adds headbanging into the mix too

Originally Posted by BerylsMum

Oh to go back to the smug world of one child...lol

Shopping is boring for a child who is past the , stare at people and smile, stage.
at around 2, the ego takes hold and children are convinced the world revolves around them. So they get mighty unhappy when they are dragged into a shop.

To be honest I ignore their sooking, screaming..etc.

I have to shop. I have to bring my kids. I really cannot be bothered with the judgements of other shoppers, or the comments from the shop assistants.

I hate shopping with kids.I want to scream and cry too.

^^^ this

**sajimum** · 22-02-2012 09:13

DD was great until about 15mths. Now at 22mths I have as ling as it takes to eat a packet of sultanas before she starts whinging to get out of her pram to run around. She won't walk with me nicely - she wants to roll around on the flloor, touch everything or run away....not a pleasant experience. She is great when grocery shopping though. I am considering putting her in a trolley next time we have general shopping to do to see if she is happier thanwhen stuck in her pram.

**Skullduggery** · 22-02-2012 09:13

I can tooootally understand parents using a leash! My office is right next to the shopping centre entry/exit and I often see little runaways heading for the door and mum/dad frantically chasing them before they run outside! I don't think I'd be above using one in the future!

I think DS will be a tanty kid - he's got paddys on the change table down to a fine art. I suppose it's karma for being so judgemental pre-children (really, who isn't at that stage of life?)

True, I can still be a little quick to judge sometimes, but occasionally there ARE some parents out there who let their kids run amok so they can have a chat with the friend they just ran into, and they don't give a rats who it's bothering.