AS PART OF TheJournal.ie’s weekly Family Magazine, we’ve created a space for parents to share their views. A place where mums and dads can share their experiences, lessons learned, and even mistakes along the way.
When a full-on kid meltdown arrives, there’s no stopping it, no matter where you are or how many people are watching.
Knowing that you’re not the only one to have carried your toddler bodily out of a wedding ceremony/packed restaurant/birthday party can make the struggle a little easier to bear, though. With that in mind, this week we asked our panel of parents…
Where’s the most awkward or embarrassing place your child has thrown a tantrum?
Here’s a selection of the most impressive performances they recalled…
On the floor of the supermarket bread aisle: Daniel was three at the time, and we were out shopping. He wanted a bread roll, but none of the bread rolls on offer met with his high standards and all hell broke loose. He sat on the floor and refused to move, screaming so loud that people thought he’d been badly hurt! I eventually managed to convince him that they did indeed have the perfect bread roll, which just so happened to be the very first one he had refused.
– Ken Hyland
Getting into the car, regardless of location: Charlie (1) can put up quite a fight as a car passenger when he wants to. Given his size and strength it can be a real stress on my back – as well as my nerves.
– Kait Quinn
During take-off on a flight to Florida: Ellie Mae (4) gave her most memorable performance on the plane to Florida, for our first ever family holiday together. She couldn’t understand that she had to stay sitting with her seatbelt on for takeoff. No amount of talking to her was working, I was nearly pinning her down to keep her in her seat. She screamed and screamed, and I ended up walking up and down the aisle for hours trying to soothe her. I was horrified, everybody was staring at me and whispering.
The stewardess could see that I was upset as well and got me an empty seat at the back of the plane, where she eventually cried herself to sleep in my arms. I spent the whole holiday worrying about the return flight – but she slept the whole way home.
– Denise Cumiskey
Cycling through a tiny village in Mayo: Last summer on holidays in Mayo, we went for a cycle, with Cliodhna (1) in the bike trailer. We had a great cycle and a stop for lunch, but due to tiredness and hunger, she started screaming crying the last five minutes of the ride… just as we were cycling through the village. As it was such a sunny day, half the village was sitting outside having their lunch and we looked like the world’s worst parents having a relaxed cycle while our child screamed in the back!
– Ríona Flood
Leaving a birthday party after a feed of sweets and jellies: The one that sticks out was at a birthday party in a school hall a few months ago. The food on offer was all brightly coloured sweets and lollies. He doesn’t get those at home (a treat is usually chocolate or popcorn) and ends up with the equivalent of a hangover afterwards.
When it was time to go home, he had a complete and utter meltdown. It got to the point where I had to physically pick him up and carry him out, kicking and screaming. I eventually got him to the car and he just screamed the whole way home. Now when I take him to a party, I have some small snacks like chocolate buttons or “healthy” crisps in my bag for him to eat.
– Olly Keegan
On the pavement outside the local bakery: The worst one was quite recently with our youngest. He didn’t get his own way, and the protest started in the fruit and veg shop, continued into the bakers, followed by a long sit down while screaming on a damp pavement. This continued all the way back to the car and for the 20 minute journey home.
– Ross Boxshall
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