You know when you're cross with your children IN PUBLIC, do you shout at them IN PUBLIC or do you just hiss?

[Twiglett]

?

I only shout in public if the Dcs are being a pita far away So 'DD Serenity'sdaughter get back here NOW' 'DS2, 5 foot rule*' Generally I can either click and point to get them to come (with 'the look'), sometimes I have to start counting down too and then it'll be intense but normal volume rant at their face level.

I have sworn, but only when pushed to the absolute limit, and when stressed and tired.

My mum was a teacher and I so recognise the approach of the other teachers on here (yes, MB, I am talking about you).

My DCs get the "taken to one side, down to their level, look in their eye, this is a final warning in a 100% 'I mean business' low and direct voice". Sometimes I even scare myself.

I have only once done something more loudly when DS was arsing around in a coffee shop and non accidentally slopped a huge amount of his hot chocolate everywhere by doing something I had specifically told him for the last time not to do about 3 seconds earlier. I was very exasperated, particularly as he cried as a kind of way of preempting a telling off . I wasn't shouting per se but was very exasperated and cross. I could feel the eyes of the people in the next table and felt like a mean fishwife, but was absolutely buggered if I was going to say "there, there my little angel poppet - let mummy mop it up and buy you another one".

But Anchovy, I can't help thinking if you'd shouted a bit earlier, the chocolate might not have been spilled.

I sometimes take DS out, specifically because we are losing it, and I think maybe I'll not shout so loud in public.
But sometimes, if DS is being very silly, then other people around need to see that you are trying to stop it, so I will raise my voice, saying something like, "You are not getting away with x just because we are out"

I hiss.

Oh, and I show fingers. DD knows she gets until the count of 3 to stop doing something, and where I have pretty much always counted to three showing her the fingers going up at the same time, she now shudders when she is shown a finger

I glare, then I hiss, then I kind of strangle shout through gritted teeth. Its very attractive and doesn't make a blind bit of difference.

After much provocation and several warnings my technique used to be a hissed "If you don't stop doing that RIGHT NOW I will pick you up like a baby and carry you out of here." (I had a very humiliating - for her - way of picking her up like a parcel).
DD knows I mean this as I have done it on a number of occasions and she really hates it, so usually stops mid-crime.

Unfortunately she is now 8.5 and the size of an 11-year old and I seriously doubt that I would be able to pick her up like that anymore!

oh, I shout,...........have been known to say loudly
'WILL YOU STOP THAT RIGHT NOW'!!
the whole of the bakery section of asda stopped and turned.

kids often complain I embaress them, but i tell them thats my job and only perk of being a mother.

Hence taking photos with my phone, of my son snoring on sofa with dribble running down his chin.

its soooooo good to have some form of control!!!!!

hiss...or tight lipped silence as I sweep both toddlers up and carry them out screaming...can't keep on doing that for long though as they're getting far too heavy!

By pointydog on Sat 23-Feb-08 14:04:02
That would be by far the best thing to do if it happened on a Saturday by a woman known as tutter

Quick question - how many times do you normally 'warn' them in public, and does it differ when you're at home?

they get a warning, then a hiss, then another louder hiss with the most evil 'wait til you get out of here look', follwed by the pinch of the arm, which usually results in them shouting 'oooww mummy you pinched me and it hurts' by which time i am so embarassed, i pretend they are not with me and get out of the shop asap, then give them a real bollocking!!

usually hissing

but totally showed myself up at playgroup last week when DD bolted for the second time (she'd already made a run for it through the door and had to be chased into the car park)
by shrieking at the top of my voice (Outside a baptist church) 'for GOD'S SAKE COME BACK HERE AND LISTEN TO ME' and then bursting into tears for the second time

they're still talking to me but was a tad embarassing, would rather go back to the hissing ASAP

yes i do the death stare too.
I then hold there hand, drop to their level and say that i am getting very angry. if i am still angry when we get home they will be in their rooms all night with no tv/computer game/toy etc.
so they need to start behaving so that i calm down.

then lots of praise for everything and anything

The Look. Then a threat to go home immediately. I have only ever had to actually take them home twice for bad behaviour because they know that any outing or treat will be cut short if they play up. It goes like this: DS not sharing or shouting or tantruming in restaurant/cafe or going to far ahead on his scooter and pretending not to hear me - I stand up and pretend to be packing up the buggy and putting on coats etc while saying in a sing song voice "Ok, you obviously cant behave nicely so were going home, really, its not a problem", immediate subsidence of DS and panicky "No, mummy, no, no, I'm being good now!". Works every time.

Also lots and lots of praise for anything and everything.