Best way to deal with toddler tantrums in shops?

[LoraLoo]

I know the majority do it at some stage, and right now is Amy's stage!

She wont sit in the trolley, she wont sit in a pushchair (which is only useful if there is 2 of us anyway, which is rare)

If i hold her hand/grab her wrist, she just relaxs hersel so that her full body weight is dragging on me and theres only so much of that I can do at 33 weeks pregnant.

She will throw herslf on the floor and refuse to move, run off in the other direction, get inbetween clothes rails and up on shelves

If i ignore the behavior she will just happily wander off round the shop which obviously I can't allow.

So, where do I go from here? Any tips or advice? As shopping is becoming something i really dread!

Thanks in advance xx

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Yeah, it's hard. I pick Ruby up if she starts messing about in shops and we haven't got the pushchair. I don't see what else you can do!

 

[Baby France]

How about reins? I have reins for my boy. You can get them with a little bag attached that they can put their toys and clother in etc... Thats one way to keep her close by and not climbing up on everything.

Other times I would just sit him down and ask him what its all about...but being heavily pregnant its not that easy to get down to their level is it!

Is she having more tantrums recently? I found Jacob most difficult in my latter stages of pregnancy, he seemed to sense that I had limitations as to what I could do?

Sorry not much help x

 

[LoraLoo]

Thanks ladies, I do pick her up but she goes all stiff and kicks, and i only have one arm to hold her in as im pushing the trolley with the other, its really hard and i end up giving up and putting her back down!

She's not too bad for tantrums in general, its just when shopping, she goes in all lovely and holding my hand, withing 2 mins she's running riot

I was talking to my Mum today about reins and i didnt think they'd be very helpful as i was thinking if she throws herself to the floor im still going to have to lift her etc, but you are right, at least it would prevent her running off or getting between the clothes rails etc, and i guess it gives me something to grab hold of! Will deffo give this a try thank you xx

 

[Baby France]

Do you play games with her? Our LO finds shopping boring, so we get him to help. I.e. mummy needs mushrooms Jacob, can you see them. How many shall we put in etc.. etc... He LOVES putting stuff in the trolley too (we have to help with some) It keeps him occupied for a little bit?

Another thing we've done is pick up a book and have him read it while in the trolley?

 

[bambino156]

As baby france said, reins or a toddler rucksack are good. We have a Little Life rucksack for lo which has a parent rein but is also handy to take a few toys and a couple of snacks in it to keep lo amused x

 

[Cazza89]

I'd deffo use the reins. Ryley used to be a nightmare in the shops but I found if I give him something to hold he will behave...oh so simple once I figured that out.
Also, if she won't walk closely to you I'd get her in the trolly and tell her she has to stay there and if she plays up then she does...just ignore it and carry on shopping! Try to prevent it by giving her a book/toy/food if possible first though.
Ryley soon gets the message when he's 'restrained' (he loves running free! Lol) so if he goes places he's not meant to, runs off too far, misbehaves etc he gets told once not to do it, then a warning of what will happen if he doesn't listen, then I do it. (Eg. We were in a half enclosed park but Ryley kept running off over the other half and he was told, warned that he'd have to sit next to me if he did it again, he did, I followed through, he kicked off for a while and once he'd calmed down I explained to him about everything and he did it again after that so I repeated my actions and then that was it then. No more running off as he could see his friend and the other children playing in the park and HATES sitting still for even a few seconds) Worked for us
Kids are very intelligent and if you warn, follow through and 'punish' them with something they don't like, they soon learn! X

 

[special_kala]

If Rivers really playing up she goes in the trolley, she will kick up a fuss but it only lasts so long until she realises its more fun actually pointing things out and talking then it is screaming.

 

[charliebear]

AJ goes in the seat in the trolley.
It gives him an excellent position to see all we need to buy and he helps 'choose' the shopping.
Some days he doesn't want to go in the trolley but not going in the trolley isn't an option, he needs to be safe.