Big Lots Big Tots Tantrum

The 4 year old had a mighty tantrum in Big Lots today.  One man got so mad at him that he threw his cans of sardines and a few other things on the nearest shelf and stormed out of the store.  Sorry Big Lots for the loss of that 2 dollar and 50 cent sale.

The whole hullabaloo was because Lil Bro wanted to go to the toys and I had exercised my parental authority and said no.  For several reasons actually.  He was not behaving nicely and was using a rude tone of voice in how he was speaking to the mama and he had already been warned about that.  That isn't really the point, the point is that he was told no and he was not happy to have to accept that answer and so he kicked up a royal ruckus. 

I could have left and gone to another store to get my Gain and dish liquid but I was tired and I needed those items and it would not have gone better had we walked down to the Dollar General.  Mostly I was tired.

I was proud that I did not get huffy or anything when the lady toward the back of the line yelled, "Sorry about your luck kid but you aren't getting a toy!"  I was composed and I didn't get flustered.  I was confident that I knew what I was doing with this kid.  If I had hauled off and slapped him the store would have been in a tizzy about that so clearly I was not going to win in this situation.  My child was not behaving perfectly, their glares had no affect on his powers and my thought was if we bothered them all that much they could let us move to the front of the line so they did not have to hear us any longer.

Had I left the store then his tantrum gains the power to control where we are at and any time he wants to leave said location he will remember that tantrums are a sure fire way to leave.  He was annoying but he wasn't a raging loo-loo, he wasn't endangering anyone and the store personnel had not asked us to leave.  Most importantly I was tired.  If he had been out of control like snot flying and people getting kicked then I would have left but my decision was to stay put.  Right or wrong?  Probably simply a matter of opinion.

This  has become a problem lately with Lil Bro.  I am hoping that it will pass and that I won't have to put forth a whole lot of effort.  That sounds bad.  Here's how I have been handling it.  The kids usually get a little treat of some kind in the dollar range for good behavior.  Lil Bro has not earned the treat lately, everyone else has.  I talk to him after the fact and ask him questions about what happened to ensure that it is all computing for him.  It is.  He is fully aware that he is being a toot toot and that does not earn a dollar piece O junk.

Any thought filled feedback is welcome as always.  Say what ya need to say!