The First Time Gomer Pitched a Fit

If you've read my Who is Jen page, then you'll know that both my kids, Gomer and Adolpha (no, not their real names - I cannot stress to new readers enough to read the About Jen page), share a birthday but two years apart.

This Saturday will be Gomer's 8th birthday and Adolpha's 6th birthday.

Although they share a birthday and are best friends, they have such different personalities.  Adolpha was high maintenance in the womb and Gomer has always been the most easy going and loving kid you could meet.  In fact, Gomer never threw a fit until he was two years old.

We'd had a pretty good run until the day I took him to Old Navy.


It was January and Adolpha desperately needed tights.  Everything she had to wear was a dress and she needed something to keep her little bare legs warm.  Old Navy had a good selection for a decent price so I decided to take a minute to myself and run out and get her some tights.

As I was leaving the Hubs said, "Really?  You're going to leave me with both of them??  Alone??"

"You can do it," I replied.  "I'll be an hour."

"I can't do it.  Adolpha is too fussy to be put down and Gomer will miss you too much.  You have to take one of them," he said.

I sighed heavily and decided I'd take Gomer.  At least he could walk so I wouldn't need a stroller and the Hubs was right, Adolpha was too fussy - he could keep her for a while!

Gomer wasn't too happy to go out in the cold and he really wasn't thrilled about shopping, but he put on a brave face like he always did.

In those days Gomer was obsessed with balls.  He was crazy for them.  I remembered that Old Navy had a big gumball machine-looking thing that would give you a giant superball for a quarter.  I told Gomer, "We need to be quick and if you're a good boy I'll get you a ball at the store.  OK?"

"OK!" he replied.

We got the store and I found the tights that I wanted.  I started to get on line when Gomer reminded me, "Ball!"

"Oh, right!  OK, they're over here, Gomer." I walked over to the gumball machine thingy and put in a quarter.  Just as I did this, Gomer walked over to a bin of soccer balls and selected an $8.00 ball.

"Ball!" he said holding up his pick.

"Oh, no, Gomer.  Mommy got your ball already.  See?" I showed him the super ball.

These aren't good enough for my kid.
He took one look at my pathetic offering and started to scream.

Not like a wahhhhh scream, but like an ear-piercing-I'm-being-abducted-someone-call-the-cops-I-don't-know-this-crazy-lady scream.

The entire store turned and stared at me.  I was horrified.  My precious snowflake had never behaved like this before.  I had no idea what to do.

"Gomer," I hissed. "stop that right now."

"Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!" he wailed at the top of his lungs and then he threw himself on the floor.

"Gomer!  Get off the floor!"  What the hell had just happened to my little boy?  It was is if he was possessed by the devil himself.

"That's it.  No.  Ball," I whispered to him.  I shoved the super ball in my pocket and tried to get Gomer off the floor.

He went limp like a 45 pound wet noodle.  I struggled to hang on to my tights and my child.

By now people had stopped shopping and were just staring at us.  They were watching me try and parent my child and they were watching my child melt down like an ice cream cone on a hot July day.

I weighed my options:  On one hand Adolpha needed tights and I didn't know when I'd get the chance to go shopping again without having to haul two kids, a stroller, an infant car seat, an enormous diaper bag (Gomer still wasn't potty trained at this point, so I needed newborn diapers and gargantuan diapers), a breast pump (no matter how hard I tried to plan to go out in between my pumping schedule, it seemed like I always had to pump at least once in a public restroom), a back up battery for the breast pump, at least two lovies for each kid, snacks for Gomer and an extra bottle for Adolpha in an insulated cooler (in case my breast pump AND back up battery failed AND the winter temperatures dropped so low that my baby's bottle MIGHT get a tad warm and get her sick - God, I don't miss those days of worrying about EVERYTHING when my kids were babies!!).  On the other hand Gomer was a mess.  He'd misunderstood me because I wasn't clear about which ball I was offering.  I could buy that $8.00 ball and he'd shut up.  But then he'd win.  He'd know that in the future anytime he wanted something he could pitch a fit and I'd cave.

I had to decide right then and there what kind of parent I was going to be.  I looked at his bright red, screaming face and made my decision.

Nope.  Adolpha was getting her tights and Gomer wasn't getting ANY ball no matter how hard he screamed.

I dragged his limp ass up to the line and waited patiently.  I ignored him while he wailed and thrashed on the floor beside me.

A few people actually moved and let me go ahead of them.  "Thank you," I said through gritted teeth as I shoved him forward with my foot.

Now I was between an older lady (grandma age) and a teenage girl.  Both of them were looking at me like I was Mother of the Year.  The grandma harrumphed and muttered something like, "I would take him home."  The teenage girl nodded in agreement.

"Look," I told grandma, "I have a two month old baby at home that needs tights, dammit.  This kid is pitching a fit because he can't have a ball.  You are too old to remember when your kids acted up in a store and you -" I turned on the teenager, "should pay close attention, because I'm giving you a glimpse of your future if you don't practice safe sex.  Now everyone quit staring at me."

I paid for the tights and carried my screaming, thrashing toddler from the store while he pulled down the front of my shirt and exposed my boobs to everyone who cared to see my goods.  I wrestled him into his carseat.  This was my first experience with the arching toddler who refuses to be buckled into his seat.  I ended up sticking my knee in his gut to get him in his seat.  I threw myself into my seat exhausted and called the Hubs.

"You will never believe what YOUR son just did."

"What happened?  Why is he crying?" the Hubs asked.

"Clear out his room.  Take everything of any value that he cares about.  I want it all gone by the time I get home.  Everything he loves is off limits."

The Hubs could tell I meant business.  He hung up and got to work.

We got home and I filled in the Hubs.  We sent Gomer to his room to think about his actions for a bit while I calmed myself down.

Finally, I went upstairs to talk to him about his behavior.  After our talk I asked him, "Do you have anything you'd like to say to me?"

He had calmed down.  He sat there and stared into my eyes and thought long and hard.  Finally he said, "Sorry usually works."

"HUBS!" I yelled. "Come and get your son before I hurt him!"

67 comments:

Rebecca said...

The list of shit you had to bring with you is amazing...I had forgotten about almost half of it (thankfully)!

I hated this moment...I gave a time out in Kohl's once and glared at anyone that glanced in our direction.

The arching in the car seat is the worst. I'm sure I was close to breaking ribs one time. Thanks for the post!

Amanda said...

I feel your pain. I too, just like every other mom on the planet, have been there. It's horrifying when it's your turn. I make sure to tell every other mom I see in the middle of the situation, "We have all been there. I guess today is just your turn."

Lord, may I never turn into the old lady who judges young moms in these situations. I pray that some day I have the funds to say, let me pay your bill, and you can deal with your spawn. If there was such a way to offer that without offending the mother.

Anonymous said...

hahahaha. I remember the first time my oldest (now 5) threw a major tantrum. He was the same way as Gomer. Such an easy baby & so laid back. Never was unhappy. I took him to Target with my mom when he was just under 2. When we got to the cash register, he was mad that I wouldn't buy him another toy (my mom was buying him gobs of toys, btw). After he shoved one of the toys to the ground, I gave it to the cashier & said we would not be getting it. HE FLIPPED! I'm talking screaming, body limp, head banging my chest as I walked quickly out the door in shock. My mom stayed back to pay for her stuff while I took him to the car. I could feel people staring at me on my way out the store (some laughing, some judging, and some sympathizing) as my son screamed, cried, & banged his head on my chest. After I got him buckled in the car, I just sat there in shock waiting for my mom, wondering "WTF just happened?"

It took me 2 weeks to take him out in public again. I was that scared.

Idnarb Margni said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE this!!! SO great to know my kids aren't the only monsters out there!

Jenn @ Something Clever 2.0 said...

Oh no you di'int! I LOVE that you told granny and the teen what's up.

My son make his first scene in public when he was just over three, in a TGI Fridays inside a mall. Our food wasn't even ready yet, and I had to ask that they immediately wrap it up.

We had parked at the other damn end of the mall, so I had to wait outside with him for what seemed like an hour while my husband brought the car around. Some woman tried to jump in and amuse him with some stupid napkin rings WHILE he was screaming bloody murder in my face.

Then we had to deal with the car seat situation... You would think it would be easier with two people. Not so much. He kicked me in the FACE! Everything he owned was relocated to the basement for a week.

He hasn't made a scene in public since.

Anonymous said...

My oldest (now 13) did this when she was 3. It was the first and only time. I dropped what I had with me and left. She never did it again.

Anonymous said...

Please tell me you actually said those things to the women in line with you and didn't just think them. I have wanted to say such things many times. I did once tell a grumpy old librarian chastising me as I tried to chase my toddler out the front door while carrying his baby sister, diaper bag, etc. and trying NOT to scream through a quiet library that she clearly disliked children. I like to think people like that teenager have an "aha" moment later in life when they are now in the shoes of the person they smugly judged before. I know I did.

Anonymous said...

Have you considered online shopping?

Meredith said...

Been there... http://www.frommeredithtomommy.com/2012/10/what-happens-when-i-try-to-squeeze-just.html?m=1

Anonymous said...

my kid was FOUR when he decided to throw his first throw myself on the floor and scream fit. WAY to old for that shit. we left and didn't go back to target (his favorite place, he even says he's going to work there when he's older) for weeks. and i am so glad i'm not the only one to tell my husband to get the kid before i hurt him.

Shelley in So. Illinois said...

I don't know if it was the first fit, but it was very memorable when my second born started fussing on the beach, at the Polynesian, at WDW resort during Wishes. I am sure I got that mixture of pity and judgement from everyone who heard him as I carried him back to the room, screaming the whole way. And the way the screams bounced off the water and back up to the buildings was almost awe-inspiring.

Been there.

JenKennedy said...

My daughter's favorite place to eat is Subway. (Weird right? Most kids love McDonald's or something) When she was 3 we were waiting in line to order..and we were waiting a while. She wasn't listening, running around, playing in tables, and bothering other patrons. I warned her that if it continued we would leave and she wouldn't get Subway. It continued. I picked her ass up and walked out. All the way to the car she was screaming "Help MEEEEEEE!" and kicking/punching me. People were looking at me like I had abducted her! As I attempted to buckle her in the car seat she told me she hated me. I sat in that parking lot for a good 15 minutes bawling and talking to my hubs on the phone. To this day, Everytime we drive by that particular Subway, she says "Remember when I was bad and you didn't let me have Subway?" Yes, child, 3 years later and I remember VIVIDLY. I won't say she's never thrown another fit somewhere...but never THAT bad!

Unknown said...

I laughed for a good 5 mins after reading this.. I have been in that same situation before, but my kid was 4, not 2..And I didn't have the balls to say anything to the people staring..I just kept on like nothing was happening, paid for my things and took the kicking screaming kid out of the store. I yelled at him all the way home about how you should act in public, and the fact that he knows how to act..blah blah blah.. As soon as I got him home, I sent him straight to his room, still crying like it was the end of the world.. My husband sits there dumbfounded until I can calm down enough to explain.. After the kid calmed down we talked about his behavior, and all he had to say was, "does your throat hurt when you yell at me like that?"

Anonymous said...

My youngest is two years and two months right now and threw a fit just like this this past weekend at a renaissance festival I swear I was about to give him to a freak in tights just to be rid of him

SanH said...

At least they are older now and you can have have a laugh about this, because at that very moment I know you feel awuful.
My son usually threw his fits while on vacation with my family that we didn't see but 2 times a year, so you can imagine what they thought of me as a parent.

myrtlejoy said...

Your post brings back so many memories. So glad it's all behind me! Now I can look forward to the time when my kids' kids pull this shit. I will chuckle evilly and say, "Serves you right!"

Anonymous said...

OMG! Not long after I had #3, I decided that I needed to go to Old Navy, needed something to wear for an upcoming wedding. So I packed up my 11 y/o, 2 y/o and newborn. We get to the store and my 2 y/o decides its a playground and is literally running and scream/laughing at the top of her lungs. (Anyone else have girls that do that?) My ever so helpful 11 y/o decides that chasing her is the way to "help" me catch her. Meanwhile the newborn starts screaming his head off. I ended up leaving the store with NOTHING, except a box full of humiliation.

Unknown said...

I have a 4.5 y/o, a 2.5 y/o, and a 3 week old & I want to laugh at this post so much, but I'm afraid that karma will bite me in the butt. I hope that I have the guts to say what you did to the grandma & teen if said karma does happen. ;)

Rebecca said...

JC Penney's here. Sprawled on the floor right inside the entrance because we dared to make him put on his coat. In hindsight, we probably should have just stopped before it got to tantrum level and let getting cold be a natural consequence. But once the battle was chosen, we had to stick with it. Tried walking away and got horrible, horrible looks for that. Finally hauled his butt up and out to the car. Knee in the chest to get him in his seat and let him cry himself to sleep on the way home.

Love that you told the Granny she was too old to remember. Old broad had it coming. And the teenager...wtf? How is she in any way, shape or form qualified to make a judgement?

Unknown said...

oh jen. thank you for being honest! so many moms i know act as if they don't get mad at their kids when they act like this. my son who is so like your gomer, did this to me in the waiting room at the doctor's office the other day. i had to sit there and endure the out of nowhere fit for 25 minutes. i ignored, then whispered threats and then started crying. it's so hard to take when they're usually so good. hope your babies have happy birthday celebrations this weekend!!

Jen Piwtpitt said...

Oh no, I said it. They had it coming.

lovetoread600 said...

A friend of mine has a head-strong child and my favorite parenting story I've heard from her is when her daughter wouldn't get out of the pool after swimming lessons were over. My friend pleaded and begged and finally marched into the water fully clothed and grabbed her like a sack of potatoes. She then carried her, soaking wet, out to their car. In January. In Colorado. Needless to say, getting her out of the water hasn't been a problem since! I'm sure she got her fair share of disapproving looks but if I had been there I would have applauded! (and before anyone gets their panties in a wad, no one caught pneumonia)

Anonymous said...

My kids are 8, 6 and 4 and I remember clearly my oldest's first public tantrum. He was THE BEST shopper up until then. He fell asleep in the car seat, stroller, you name it up until about 20 months old. We were walking through the dollar store and I tried to hold his hand. He fell to the floor in the middle of the aisle and started crying. At least the other customer near us was understanding. I don't remember the end of it. I guess it must not have lasted too long since it was over NOTHING.

Happy Birthday to your little ones!

Anonymous said...

When my son (a frequent flier on the tantrum plane at home) was 3, he threw the biggest tantrum on the boardwalk in Ocean City, NJ. The horrible parents that we are, we wouldn't let him play minigolf--again. The tantrum ensued--in front of my in-laws no less. Luckily for me, my husband picked him up and hauled him back to the car. We were NOWHERE near the car, of course. My son slapped my husband upside the head a couple times, and I walked about 3 steps behind trying to fade into the background--but not so far that my husband would think that I had deserted him. Once back to the car, my son continued his tantrum for at least another 15 minutes. The 3 of us were sitting inside on a hot summer day, sweat dripping out of every pore while this tantrum continued. He finally calmed down, so we could continue waiting for the in-laws (who we told to stay as long as they liked) outside. Of course, they took their time. At the time, I was really annoyed with them. How dare they desert us? But, really, why would they have wanted to be anywhere near us with that happening? Luckily, that was, I think, the last real tantrum he had--he ended with a doozy!

Blissfully Discontented said...

Oh LAWD ahmighty...this took me back to those days fast! We had a similar experience in Kohls. To this day I'm convinced my face is still posted in their security room. These kids know when we are vulnerable...and we can't win when it comes to the spectators. I feel you, momma!

Iam N. Idiot said...

I don't know you, but I'm so impressed with how well you handled that. A lot of perfectly strong, confident men would have been rendered comotose under those conditions. Parenting is highly underappreciated. Bravo.

Susan R. said...

When my daughter was around 2, she threw a massive fit at the mall. As I was dragging her to the car, she tried to bite me. I yelled at her so loudly that people on the upper and lower level stopped and took a look. I got ready for the back lash from my mom because she usually got onto me for discipling her (she hates seeing her grandkids getting in trouble), but she didn't say a word to me. In fact, she told the woman that tsked me to mind her own business and that if one of her kids had tried to bite her, she would've popped them in the mouth.

Samantha B said...

When I was a mommy of 1, my daughter threw a fit at the grocery store. Full cart and full blown temper tantrum. I left the cart where it was and took her straight home, she never did it again.
Middle child threw a fit in Walmart because I wouldn't buy underwear that matched his flip flops. He never did get the underwear or flip flops.
Third (and last child) the devils spawn... threw a king size tantrum because I wouldn't buy a big jar of Kraft Miracle Whip. That one was on the floor, kicking, screaming, head banging. Threats didn't even calm him down. And the looks from the "perfect" parents turned my stomach... Managed to get that one on video that I aptly named Instant Birth Control.

Cabin77 said...

I may have sent you this link before. Buddy pulled something like that in Wal-Mart once. Yeah, Wal-Mart. Let's just be a cliche, shall we? http://cabin77.blogspot.com/2011/08/fit-to-end-all-fits.html

MamaBall said...

I don't recall the first time our Drama Queen pitched a fit, but I DO remember the time she did it when my father-in-law was trying to get her into her carseat and she did the arch-back thing. He kept talking and telling her to sit down, sit in the seat, sit down... and he finally turned to me and said "What do I do?" I leaned in, said "You WILL sit down" and literally did the knee-in-the-gut thing with enough pressure to keep her in the seat long enough to fasten the belts. I got out of the car and my FIL was visibly sweating. Parenting is not for sissies!!

Anonymous said...

Ok, my first comment here - and that is because when I got to the last line I nearly choked on the snack I was enjoying while reading your blog, because I started to laugh so hard. And, for the first time I forced my HUBS to read a girly blog entry, because you explained the public meltdown so so perfectly.
Rock on Jen!

Unknown said...

Just when I get slightly bored with your posts you throw one like this in there....HILARIOUS. My first child (of 3) has by far been my most difficult....he started full blown tantrums at 8 mos by banging his head on floors/walls/concrete patios, whatever he thought would get him the most attention, when he didnt get what he wanted. At 2 he had figured out how to unbuckle his car seat halfway so not only would i deal with the arching back, then I would have to stop the car mid trip to rebuckle him....i actually parked in the police dept parking lot one time and threatened to get a police officer to come 'take him to jail' for not staying buckled...I think that was the last time i had that battle. :-)

Anonymous said...

I used to think it was funny to unbuckle myself when I was little...until my mom whipped my butt on the side of the interstate one day...never did that again.

Anonymous said...

Amazing! You are my hero!

Will in Atlanta said...

I'm a father to a 3yr old boy and a 2yr old girl. If I had whined like your hubs about my wife leaving for an hour by herself i can assure you there would have been more than a screaming toddler in danger of being hurt. Hell, when we're all upstairs and realize we need somthing from the store it becomes a sprint worthy of Olympic time trials to see who gets to the garage first.

A Girl Named Sue said...

Glad I'm not the only one!
So how long were you able to hang on to the cool (totally faked), casual facial expression of a mom that is taking the Public Fit aaall in stride?
I still don't think I've mastered that but I keep trying!

Anonymous said...

Jen, he was TWO! You're head wasn't screwed on right because you had a two year old and infant. You're wring on this one...but at least you're honest.

TNMom said...

Our biggie was in Target a couple months ago. Both were just being crazy town. Yadda, yadda, yadda....once it got the the full blown screaming fit stage I left the cart, with roughly 20 items in it, sitting right in the produce section (sorry Target workers, had to be done) and went home. Well, this caused the other (non fit thrower) to scream like a banshee all the way out, because we were leaving her pair of boots that she was getting. I was calm-ish (red face), but I got some DIRTY looks. I had to do the knee to the chest for car seat insertion...they both screamed all the way home and I told them, maybe not so calmly, how that was unacceptable behavior. Yeah, good times.
I can say that I am SOOOOO happy I no longer have to carry all that crap when we go out!! One thing behind us....
Great post Jenn, happy birthday to your babies! Devan

Sherri Spichiger said...

Dear sweet Jesus, nothing makes me angrier than when some know-it-all asshat makes a judgmental comment about how I am parenting my child! Especially since my oldest son has Asperger's Syndrome and occasionally just melts down for no apparent reason. There have been times when I took the high road and just didn't reply to their comments, but I'll admit--those times have not been numerous. I remember telling one lady that unless she had a Ph.D in dealing with Autistic kids and had written a number one best-selling book about it, then she could STFU and shove her asinine comments where the sun don't shine. The horrified look on her face almost made me laugh hysterically. I'm sure she still tells that story to her garden-party friends.

Maria said...

I don't have kids so don't have any tantrum experience of my own, but I do vividly remember my mother enforcing her policy of "You embarrass me, I'll embarrass you." when my younger sister threw a fit one day. I don't remember what my mother did, just that we were both sufficiently mortified to not throw a (public) fit again!

Kari said...

Oh my God, I'm dying! My kids have definitely done this to me numerous times and it's the worst! I always start sweating and I try so hard not to yell and look as if I have everything totally under control. I don't think the act is fooling anyone!

skooter8 said...

This story just made my morning. Sorry you had to go through that but I've been there. I am only laughing because my boys are now 19 and 13 and those days seem easy in comparison to what our older one has put us through in his teens. I love your response to the grandma and teenager in line. You Rock!!!

Amanda said...

Have you ever ordered anything online and had it in your hands immediately? Online shopping is for when you can wait, which isn't always the case.

Let me guess... you don't have kids.

Amanda said...

Yes, and I'll bet my hand will hurt when I smack you! Come here you little... LOL

trytobeoriginal said...

Really? How many of these fits like that have you had to deal with? I know for a fact that I caved once. JUST ONCE. And for five months every time we went to the store, my daughter pitched another one. But since I never caved again, she has quit pitching fits like that (in public at least) and acts like an angel every time we go to the store, without ever getting a reward other than getting to go to the store with me.

Anonymous said...

My DD (5) threw her first public tantrum last December. We were in Kroger and she threw a fit because she couldn't have cookies! Threw herself on the floor screaming and flopping around. I completely ignored her (mostly everyone else did too, since we are in that store a lot and know she's generally well behaved)! My FIL happened to be in store and once I told him why she was acting like that he stepped over her and continued shopping! Lol that pissed her off even more! By the time we go walking out the door (after she tried abandoning her coat) the employees were hiding laughs and smiles behind their hands at her because she was just so dramatic about it all. She knows now that throwing fits will get her nothing!

Maura said...

My 3 yr old does this allll the time (despite my not giving in...for some reason it hasn't clicked with him like some other kids mentioned). a memorable one was him thrashing on the floor of babies/toys R us because i wouldn't get a candy or bouncy ball from the little machine at the exit (why would they put that there? i'm sure i'm not the first person to barely get the kid out of the store). then as i dragged him by the arm to the parking lot he pulled away and bonked his head on the sidewalk. i swore DCFS was going to run after me. we sat on the ground with him screaming and me checking him for injury. EMBARASSING. thank god my 5 month old is an angel so far or i'd really rip my hair out!

Anonymous said...

Best thing about getting older: I have successfully blocked out all memories of temper-tantrum throwing children, age will do that. Now I look back, and think my children were angels (which I am told they definately were not,lol)

Lauren said...

After taking away Gomer's toys, I'd take away The Hubs' too!!! Can't handle his own kids for an hour--on home turf?? I remember before I had kids how annoyed I'd be when I heard kids throwing fits, but karma has sufficiently bit me in the ass with my two kiddos. We've all been there--you did great, Jenn!

Marcella said...

I don't have kids yet...but are child-size travel straight-jackets legal in the US? I may need this someday.

AYo said...

The fear of pumping in a restroom was what got me over public Breastfeeding (with a cover). Props to you for telling granny what was up. Baby needed tights and Gomer needed to get checked. Please forward me a prescription for Xanax and a dose of courage for my turn in old navy.

AYo said...

Amazon prime saves lives ladies.

AYo said...

Wow. Anonymous. What a pussy you are. You've obviously successfully raised children to not be assholes. Oh wait. Apple doesn't fall far from the tree. How is denying a tantruming child of object of their tantrum bad parenting. You're an idiot.

Stressin' Mommy said...

Mine happened at a Cracker Barrel and I will probably never forget it as long as I live. We were moving from Kansas City to NC (I worked in Lenexa so I was actually pretty close to where you live, too bad we never met). My husband was driving a Uhaul in front of me, I was in the car following with two kids aged 10 months and 2 years. It was a week before Christmas and about three hours away from our destination. We made the fateful decision to stop at Cracker Barrel. Back in my days before kids, I used to love strolling around their little store and was thinking I might be able to do a little browsing. My husband took the little guy and I got my two year old. For NO REASON the second we crossed the threshold my two year old started shrieking so loud it sounded inhuman. It was like a record screeched as the entire store turned to stare at me and about half had their mouths hanging open. I immediately turned and walked back outside thinking I could get him to stop. NOPE, he continued to scream like Linda Blair in the Exorcist and now everyone on their way in to the restaurant stared at us. I have never been so embarrassed in my life. I was at a total loss. I applaud your handling of the situation. I couldn't figure out what to do, at least you were able to manage it :)

Anonymous said...

This.Is.Awesome.

Not that he threw a fit - but how clearly you remember it so many years later. Isn't it weird how much one event makes such a strong memory.....

My spawn are awesome fit throwers...and I'm not one to give in. We're both as stubborn as a nail. Makes for some fun times....fun times....

Anonymous said...

My "kid" is 21. I'm past that particular stage. But an older woman did something for me once that I am now passing along to others.

My kid was having a tantrum in a store and this gray haired women walked up, stood over him, and quietly told him she worked for SANTA and if that tantrum continued, she'd have to tell Santa about it. Stopped the tantrum immediately.

Now I'M THE GRAY HAIRED woman who works for Santa. So beware, kiddies.

Anonymous said...

Yes!!! Amazon Prime and their Amazon Mom subscriptions saves lives. I no longer have to take my toddler and baby to Target to buy diapers, wipes, bottle liners, etc. Also takes care of 75% of my Christmas list. It brings tears of joy to my eyes just thinking about it.

Missy Smith said...

The FIRST time my (at that time) boyfriend met my son was (I thought) going to be the last time I ever see him.
We went to Pizza Hut for the "meeting" of my 8 year old boy and my boyfriend. We ordered pizza... small pepperoni for my son and a medium supreme for us. All was going good..they were getting along and then BOOM...the pizza came. All of the sudden my son threw himself back, started screaming and crying and throwing a HUGE fit....WTF??? I calmed him down enough to hear him say, "Your pizza is bigger than mine"......oh, hell no. He continued screaming and scooted himself under the table. He did stop crying but then all of the sudden the table started to "lift" off the ground and then slam down...ugggggg. I was livid. We finally got out of there and went to Best Buy to look at a refrigerator I wanted to get. My son took it upon himself to throw another fit because I wouldn't buy him a Harry Potter computer game.....ohhhhh, shit. That was it. I was livid. After we dropped my boyfriend (now husband) off at his car at Pizza Hut I turned to my son in the back seat and he stared me down. I thought for sure that my bf would never call me again...but he stuck it out. My son to this day remembers that night as well as I do. But still, he is not embarrassed, and I still am! Kids are possessed at times, I swear!

Anonymous said...

This happened to me in Walmart once, and I ended up telling an old lady to fuck off.

Did I Just Say That Out Loud? said...

Ah yes....my child was 4 or 5 the first time she pulled that crap, after I informed her she didn't need the toy she "had to have" at the local Walmart no less. It was a sight...she threw herself on the floor, kicked, beat her hands...the whole nine yards. I gave her a 3 count to either get up and act respectfully or get up and follow me to the car. She chose to continue shopping and was appropriate until we got to the hair accessories aisle where she informed me that I didn't "need" the package of clips that I was purchasing in a tone you only expect to hear from a 16 year old. I promptly threw myself on the floor and re-enacted her earlier tantrum. Parents within a 4 aisle radius came to watch and be amused...my daughter....MORTIFIED. I have not had problems taking her shopping since.

Unknown said...

I have to remember that for swim lessons this weekend with my 4 and 3 yrs olds.

Anonymous said...

I didn't experience an major hissy until my 3rd child at age 6. We were at Justice, looking at all the tacky crap when my daughter spies a Victorious cd. She starts asking for if - I told her no, since she already has all the songs on iTunes. Yes, she loves iTunes and makes playlists with such musical geniuses as Katy Perry, victorious, etc. At least she hate Justin bieber since her brothers told her he sucks. Anyhoo...she absolutely loses her mind. She grabbed the cd and started running to the door. I had to chase her and pry the cd from her hands. I had her under my arm as she is screaming and out the cd on the rack. I carry her out as she is pulling things off the rack and throwing them. I get halfway down the mall when I put her down. She starts to run back. I yelled at her at the top of my lungs to sit down. She knew I meant buSiness and didn't move. I told her Justice has her on videotape and the lady said we could never go back in. To this day, a year later, she still walks by that store with her head down thinking every Justice employee saw her freak out on videotape!!

Anonymous said...

I am still traumatized by a fit my dear daughter threw when she was 3 years old. She is now 11. I took her and her baby brother to Safeway to buy dinner. We were staying with my sister until we could find an apartment as we transitioned from out of state - needless to say, times were stressful - and she was totally keyed in. I didn't even make it past putting the baby in the cart at the front entrance when her fit began. It was insane. I knew not to even attempt to shop, but I had to fine a way to carry the baby and drag my screaming child out and back to the car. The stares and "helpful" comments from others were not going over well. As I dragged her across the parking lot a man in a truck stopped, hung his head out the window and LAUGHED. He called out gleefully "I remember those days!" I wanted to kill him. Ass. Then I tried to get her in the carseat and we all know how that went. I was in tears and shaking. No cell phone, and my husband was at a job interview anyway. So I drove "home" with her screaming bloody murder.

Unknown said...

I just had this experience with my third (also a saintly child) only we were in the waiting room of an eye doctor. One guy finally asked if I wanted him to push the stroller around the office while I say on my butt and waited. Never before have I contained my composure so strongly in a high stress situation but God must have been with me. My response was "Unfortunately it won't help more than my standing here rocking him, but thank you for offering" I even managed it without a smart ass tone!
Thanks for bringing the humor back -glad to know it's common for for a calm, laid back child to suddenly need an exorcism!

Unknown said...

You are so lucky! My daughter started her tantrums at exactly 11 months...She would start a tantrum over just about anything. If I gave her a berry bar that had a crack in it, or if I tried to put socks on her, you name it. Sometimes the tantrums last for over twenty minutes. (she gets sent to her room to cry.) Luckily most of these incidents occur at home, but I recall a few happening in public, and being beaten and kicked by her as I was carrying her out of the store. She used to have at least one tantrum a day, now she has one about once or twice a month.

Wodentoad said...

My little one was in a book store, tired, grumpy, you know the deal, when he started up. Not his first, but by far the worst.

Old woman turns to my husband in a snit and says "Children like that should be left AT HOME!"

Hubby, who did not miss a beat, replied: "Old bats like you should be kept in poorly managed nursing homes."

I'm a happily married woman.

Unknown said...

I'm mad that I missed this post originally as I just started coming to the blog but this is truly priceless!!1 Everytime I see a parent carrying their Thrashing child, almost always cause they can't have what they want, I nod my head in appreciation!! You deserve a medal for this!!

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