After reading advice on here as well as from our hv, today i had to put the 'we will go home if you don't listen to mommy and calm down' threat on our 3.7yr old DS.
We now have a little chat before we head off anywhere about how important it is to share, play in a kind way and listen to mommy and daddy when we ask him to. He knows the drill and knows we can stay and have nice time if he does these things.
Today, he just was over excited on a trip out with a friend and her 2 children. I had a bad feeling from the start but kept my tone upbeat and positive! He just got more unruly and pushed his friend, he had a last warning and then just went into the zone and carried being silly and a bit disruptive. So I did it, we finished lunch (we had only just ordered!) and got the train home by ourselves instead I going onto to the activity that we had gone out for.
He had a meltdown all the way to the train station and I also said we were just going home and there would be no DVDs for the rest of the day and we would just stay home.
I am only posting as I know this was the right thing to do, but its the first time I have actually had to do it.
We always praise him when he has had a good trip out/played with friends and it certainly doesn't go unacknowledged.
I know it won't be the last time either, just need to feel confident In our action in addressing poor behaviour.
He is a long, sociable child and I don't think their is majorly wrong, just a developmental phase we need to help him through!