Has anyones toddler done this?! So embarrassed!

[user1496780858]

So today we were on our way back from doing some shopping when my 3 yo toddler - who was a very tired but being good as gold up till this point - wondered over to those stalls that sell jewellery etc. As I'm telling him not to go into the stall, he sees some bracelets and just grabs them. The owner of the stall walks up to him as I'm behind him asking him to put them back, when he thinks its a game or I don't know what, but literally chucks these bracelets everywhere. The guy was really nice about it, but when I got down on his level to explain to him that we don't throw blah blah, my DS slaps me round the face...Twice!! I could hear the stall owners wife gasp with shock and I felt mortified! Not only did he basically take what someone does for a living and throw it on the ground but then hit me! He's lashed out a few times but never in public like that. I took him away from the stall where he broke down and said sorry and was crying; whenever he does anything he's not meant to, he hates it. He over apologises, sobs for ages and then spends the rest of the day asking if I'm ok and giving me kisses. Its like he doesn't like being naughty but can't control his toddler impulses. He's a good boy really, I just also hate the thought of those stall owners thinking what an f-ing brat he was... I would've thought the same!! I made him go back to the guy and he mumbled an embarrassed apology. None of my mum friends said their kids do anything as mortifying as that, but they've got to be lying right?!

Bless you, I'm sure many can relate. From what I've learnt (the hard way!) is tiredness and an inability to articulate feelings results in these incidents. It's not a reflection on how he feels about you more how he feels at that very split second about the situation and it manifests in a scene like you experienced. After you explain in brief and simple terms why it's not acceptable behaviour remind him you love him. Please give no further thought to the gasps of shock, they will have forgotten about it by now. As he gains ability to communicate these situations should become history. It sounds like you dealt with it very well and kept it together. I still get the odd "outburst" from my 4 year old dd, just remind him it's wrong and consequences if no warnings heeded. Good luck and chin up and a hopeful bump for you from others.

I agree with Phoenix - I think you dealt with it really well!
Think about when we - as adults - get a instant moment of rage, we'll swear or slam something down but we're adult enough to not lash out at anyone, your DS hasn't learnt to fully deal with his emotions yet and that's just his age. My toddler has lashed out at me when doing exactly the same as you (down to his level to maintain eye contact and tell him off and I've received an anger-filled, lightening quick wallop in the nose!).
Don't think twice about what the stall owners thought - maybe different if your DS was 15 but he's 3 and they saw that you acted upon it.

You won't find other mum friends telling you about their children misbehaving - it's not the first bit of info voluntarily mentioned when in a group but they'll have had their share. Ask them, if only for purposes of how they dealt with it.

My 2.5 year old lashes out all the time. He's done it in private, but also in public. Sometimes I deal with it well, sometimes not so much. In this instance though I think you handled it really well. For what it's worth, parents of toddlers will feel your pain but don't worry what the rest of them think!

Thank you so much everyone, reading this made me feel 100x better! I have a 2 year old as well and get such anxiety taking them out because they're both such... spirited children, so things like these set me back quite a lot. And its hard not to take it personally sometimes when some one is literally slapping you round the face ! Thank you all for being so kind! Its always reassuring to know other kids do this - despite my mum friends saying theirs don't! I think I'm just going to make conscious efforts not the take them out at times they'll be tired and grumpy as Phoenix76 is 100% right - tiredness and frustration at communication always leads to these type of scenarios!