To never leave the house ever again

[Dodosareextinct]

Had the worst experience shopping today...took my 1 and 2 year olds food shopping. Both fell asleep in the car, which is great as they're usually happy when they wake up. Anyway, 2yo started screaming as soon as I put her in the pram. She continued screaming, despite my best efforts to correct and redirect, talk in a soothing voice, ask if she wanted to help with shopping, asking if she wanted a cuddle, to sit in trolley instead of pram, if she wanted pram snacks, to watch something on my phone etc, everything I could think of to calm her down. Everything I said was met with screams and hitting out at me. So I decided to continue with shopping as we need food. Everyone was staring me and stopped what they were doing and a lady came up to me and said "your poor child, why aren't you picking her up" and looked at me like I was something she'd stood in.
I literally burst into tears, left my shopping mid-aisle and went back to the car. Put kids back in and drove home.
This keeps happening with older toddler and I understand it's her age but it's every single time we leave the house. So much so that I never want to leave the house ever again!

BooBooDoodle · Today 19:46
I'm not sure what's worse: tantrum or silence. One of mine at 30 months slipped his 'lead' and snuck away. He was eventually found in a room behind the furniture department having a kip on a sofa there.

There are 10 months between my two, younger d*ckheads darling children. They are now 10 and 11.

They would strip off in their pram, climb out, run naked down an aisle, throw socks under cars, shoes under cars, I would have to chase them down the road on the nursery run and stop them ripping up flowers in this beautiful garden in my street (the elderly couple living there thought it was hilarious), I chased them across a road with my leggings around my ankles because they fell down.

However! If you don't laugh, you'll cry!

Here are some retorts to these situations:

What child? said in an eery voice while you float away all wide eyed

What child? This is my cat Lucifer.

The Priest told me not to pick the demon up in case it latches onto my soul. She's going for an exorcism afterwards.

Oh I don't know whose child this is. Came with the trolley.

Well she never picks me up when I'm crying.

....and walk away.

My friend's 3 year old ran off from the swimming pool changing room (wearing only a towel), managed to exit the pool building and when her mum finally caught her, was standing by the side of their car, across the road from the pool, pleased as punch!

My poor friend. She is a really careful and conscientious person too.

3 year old is now moderately sensible teen.

I’m laughing at this, I went with my friend who has 3 under 3 to Sainsburys last week. On the way in I commented I couldn’t believe she’d never taken them to the supermarket, we had the two little ones strapped in and the big one in reins. 15 minutes later the baby had stuck his hands in his nappy and wiped it on his face, oldest one had smashed a jar (under my clearly terrible supervision) then the middle one had a tantrum and scratched me so deeply I’m now on antibiotics. Never again!

I hate this kind of comment as it’s not supportive for what’s happening currently and I say this as someone who has much older children. Obviously the op knows her children will grow up 🙄so what’s the point?

Safeways was brilliant. You could collect points, like nectar points, and one of the things you could redeem your points for was an annual pass to the creche. Mine used to go a couple of times a week for 90 minutes, that was the maximum time you could leave them. Plenty of time for the big shop and maybe a coffee in the cafe. Second visit just a small top up shop and my friend would come, we'd leave the 4 kids in the creche and have more coffee and cake along with a nice quiet chat in the cafe. Refreshed we'd be up for a fun afternoon at the park or swimming or something. The kids loved it and so did I.

Why did it stop?

Of all the posts you pick that one to nitpick 🙄

It's hard! I used to give mine a drink and a snack, which worked most of the time but not always. I always preferred to go shopping on an even on my own when DH could look after DC, so much easier but not an option for everyone I know. Also, click and collect is good, very cheap and just a drive there and back. Xx

Mine would rather have the sweets BROKEN BRITAIN

Aw OP I feel so bad for you. All of my kids did this around age 2 and I got the looks from so many people or comments. I hated going out! Now they are 3.5, 6 and 9 and just wind each other up. I've become immune to people's looks. Especially when it comes from middle aged women who forget how difficult parenting is at the time!!

Damnyourheadshoulderskneesandtoes · Today 17:24

So would mine, but books were healthier.

I was on the other end of this. Violent kid that wasnt reprimanded by the parent running riot and kicking, hitting and being a complete asshole to other kids.

No amount of gentle parenting will fix this, you need to discipline your kid. They smack someone elses kid? You sit them the fuck down and give them a time out.

They throw, smash, be violent? Time out. If you think its something serious, get medical help but belive me, every other parent of every other kid in that room thats playing nice is judging you and wishing you would fuck off with your brat. Sorry if that sounds harsh.

Telling a toddler to have gentle hands and be kind? Nope.....they havent learned how to understand that at a social level yet, they need to be told and disciplined.

Im not for one second advocating violence, but you're mistakenly teaching your kids to be utter bratsby trying to redirect or gentle parent them.

Oh do wise up! Bollocks it's "not supportive"! I am the parent of adult children and I am here to tell you, it happens way too fast!!

Ok, any other cliches you want to share 😂

I’m so sorry you were treated this way - I have two adult daughters and believe me I’ve been there done that - they do obviously grow out of it but at the time it’s never ending
Recently I was in a local supermarket and the checkout area was very busy and amongst it all was a mum in a similar situation to yourself……she was starting to get tearful so whilst there were disapproving looks I went up to her, asked her if she was ok and if she needed help unloading her shopping
She actually cried as she thanked me for being kind as she was feeling overwhelmed and I was the only one not tutting at her! Kindness and a smile (and empathy!) costs nothing and goes a long way to helping someone feel better in what is quite clearly a difficult time