3 year olds should not sulk

[notworking]

I'm a bit nervous about writing this as not sure what the response will be, but today I was out shopping with my 3 year old and we got ourselves in a situation where he got somewhat stroppy at not being able to buy something he wanted on the shelf.
I was trying to be firm with him telling him to put it back and that no he can't have it, when this women approached us and almost started taking over the situation, telling him to put the item back, grabbing it off him and giving him a good talking too.
He was being a bit of a pain I admit, but not to anyone else, and wasn't screaming or causing upset to anyone.
This women seemed to feel entitled to take over the situation, telling me she had worked with children before and knew how to handle them. My ds at this point was now sitting on the shop floor quietly sulking, not great behaviour I admit but she then she looked at me and said oh look he's sulking now see, he shouldn't be doing that at his age, he needs a good kick up the backside! And walked off. I thought it was nasty tbh.
Sometimes I feel unsure about things like this as it takes me back almost to when I was younger, my parents were very much 'stately home' thread types and this women seemed to show similar traits as my mother, but I am not sure if IABU?
Should a child really not be sulking by the time they reach 3?!

I got screamed at all the way home by mine because he realised he'd lost the dandelion he'd picked, I refused to walk back a mile to look for it and none of the million other dandelions on the way home would do for some reason.
Not funny I know as it's exasperating when happening, but reading about someone else going through it it is funny as it shows you're not alone!
Sounds like the exact same thing either of mine would have done toddler age in the not very distant past at all

I'm 22 and a massive sulker so ...
So is my sister and she's a 25 year old doctor 😂

This women seemed to feel entitled to take over the situation, telling me she had worked with children before and knew how to handle them

Yeah, just clocked this bit. I think the telling part is where it says she said "she has worked with children before." Nothing said anywhere about her having an actual 3 year old of her own at any point.
I find people without kids of their own are full of great ideas but when it comes down to it know feck all as they've never actually been there! (Handing them back at the end of your working day doesn't count... )

Benlui
What a helpful list of replies, I'm sure OP will write them on prompt cards for next time.
It's pretty clear she was taken by surprise, I really hope of someone does that with me I could come back with a witty retort but chances are I'd be a bit shocked in the moment

I think my 3 year year old might have learnt some new 'words' if she'd tried that with me, but sometimes you're so busy thinking 'WTAF is going on here!?' to respond the way you think you would.

Stupid woman needs a kick up the backside more like! 😖

Mind you, if it stops DC kicking off in shops, maybe we could all borrow her 🤣

I would see sulking as a major win really. He could have been lying on the floor screaming, hitting, biting, kicking.. etc, etc.. but no he is managing his disappointment by sulking. think it is great for a three year old.

I often think that if you've had a Stately Homes upbringing, the nutters can smell it off you and feel entitled to impose themselves. I bet a penny to a pound her "work with children" was something really peripheral such as dinner lady or helped out at a playgroup for a few months or something. Your DS does not need a kick up the backside and sulking is a perfectly normal human behaviour!