What do you do if your four-year-old insists on running off in a shop and you don't have enough spare hands to stop him?

[iwouldgoouttonight]

That's it really. Just been to M&S and he just decided he was in a naughty mood and just wanted to run while we were waiting to pay. Telling him to stay still didn't work. Ignoring him didn't work - he just ran far enough away so I couldn't see him. Even tried distracting him by making jokes about big pants (we were near the ladies underwear dept).

I ended up with him in a kind of headlock between my legs while I tried to hold onto several pairs of school trousers and tried to get my purse out of my bag. He just wriggled and screamed and it just felt as though there must have been a better way of handling it but I don't know what!

your aim. FFS.

If my aim wasn't so appalling a tranquiliser dart would come in very useful!

The ignoring him or saying 'bye then' trick doesn't work with my DS I'm afraid. He just keeps on running in the opposite direction - he doesn't care if he can see me or not.

I do normally shop online but just wanted to hold some trousers up against him so I could check his size. We were only in the shop for about ten minutes. He clearly has a low boredom threashold. Or sometimes you can actually see his brain ticking over and deciding that he feels like doing something naughty. He'll actually admit it - 'I'm want to be naughty now'!

SegacityNell ~ You clearly don't keep a stash of Smarties in your handbag.

Iwouldgoouttonight, at least he is giving you some warning!

The only way I could find to stop DD4 running everywhere in shops (the other were angels or I have selective memory) was to sit her in the seat of the shopping trolley, that I use even if only buying a few things that would fit in a little basket.

I throw my 4 year old over my shoulder when she does this, sort of a fireman's carry using my arm to wedge her legs against my chest. It leaves me one hand to do things with, and I can still walk around

Amanderrr - No i don't. Chocolate just gives DS2 a sugar rush that makes him worse. And if DS2 is with me that means i also have DS1 and 3 ........online shopping all the way!!