I am not strict enough with DD?

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Had a conversation recently with DM. We get on well and normally she praises my parenting, although does hint with how she has done things different occasionally. Today, however, we had a conservation that irritated me abit. Basically, DS is 2 and like most 2 year old wants to run about and play. Since walking I have found it hard whenever we go anywhere like for a meal as he does not want to sit in his highchair for long. I recently went shopping with family and it was just too hard work. He wants to run all over the place. I obviously stopped him/tried to distract. This can often result in a tantrum.
Normally because of this I avoid such places with him. My mum has now said this shouldn't be the case that I am not strict enough with him. She said I never behaved like that because I knew not to.
DH disagrees said he is 2 and just behaving like a normal 2 year old. He is clearly bored when shopping/in a restaurant so looking for things to do. Just wondered what others thought?

Ha ha we didn't eat out from about 2 until they hit 3.5! At 2ish I was seen carrying one under each arm out of a harvester.... we avoided it for aaaaages after. Now they're much better. Interested in colouring etc

I don't think your not strict enough, i think it can depend on the child, mine will sit nicely at the table and wait for food/wait for everyone to finish and will also stay with us while shopping, but i know children who don't do that, they are all different.
She's 3 and has always been like this

Having dc you can control in public doesn't mean resorting to fear or forcing respect. My tactic wasn't anything of the sort, we just talked about how big, good girls walk, and help, but acting like a baby meant having to go in the buggy/ shopping trolley/ empty stable house, wear a wrist strap etc depending on the setting.

Let's be realistic, not everyone has the time or support to use online shopping, leave dc with the other parent etc. Most of the country, and indeed the world manages to go about their daily business accompanied by their dc.

I’m with your dh on this. Completely normal 2 year old behaviour.

I know a lot of other mums of 2 year olds. Some are very well behaved, biddable and compliant children who can sit in restaurants and generally listen to instructions not to run off when shopping but those toddlers are few and far between. The vast majority of the toddlers I know (including my own) sounds like your ds. I don’t think they are parented much differently, I think a lot of it is down to personality and temperament.

According to my mum I was an angel as a toddler so she thinks my ds is a handful. I don’t think she attributes this to my parenting, maybe I should ask her my dh was exactly the same as our ds as a toddler and he turned out ok and can sit through meals without running off now 😂 I think your mum May be looking back with rose tinted glasses and also you may have been a very compliant toddler and she was lucky!