Did/do your kids have tantrums or meltdowns in public?

[paigevz]

Well, I have two sons, so I voted the "yes, 2-4" for current son, though he also had them before age 2. He's only had one since turning 4, and yep, it was at Disney.

My other son NEVER had one tantrum..............at home or in public. Seriously.

 

[petrymom]

Our kids have breakdowns frequently. I wouldn't say tantrums, but definitely "I am not enjoying myself and you won't either then" 'tudes!!!!

My DD6 had one MAJOR tantrum about a year ago. It was my mom, me, DD6 and DN1. WELL, DD thought that the cart stroller at Kohls should be hers and I refused to push a double stroller around the store when she is WAY too big to us one.

She screamed and cried and hit and punched and kicked and even tried to tip the stroller over. I tried to remain calm and continue shopping but it was just to much. The whole tantrum was probably about 15 minutes long, but it felt like hours to me. Needless to say, we finally left and sat in the car while my mom finished her shopping.

She has never done this again since and had never done it before that day. Still don't know why even, but what I CAN tell you is: On that day I knew why some species eat their young!!!!!!!!

 

[Miller1412]

DD and DS rarely have tantrums, but they have reached what I call the "point of no return". Usually it is after they are in trouble and it's like they lose their minds and freak out. I'm sure for them it is hysteria brought on by extreme frustration and fatigue from the crying they've already been doing.

Of course...their mother has been known to "freak out" in moments of extreme frustration too... Guess the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.

By the way...I don't freak out at them, it's usually at DH...that man could try the patience of Mother Theresa.

 

[redshoes]

I have two boys and it seems that the tantrums came on pretty strong in the 2 to 4 year old window. With my boys it seemed that they threw the biggest fits when they were struggling to figure out how to tie words with their thoughts and needs. My youngest is much more verbal at 2.5 than my oldest was so he doesn't have as many tantrums.
My oldest DS had the mother of all tantrums on a vacation to California. It was on a tour bus ride back from Sea World. We made the mistake as first time parents of figuring that we would push him all day long with no nap and no real down time and he would sleep on the bus ride home. We got on the bus got settled in and he started to scream, he screamed and screamed. It was all our fault, we forced and pushed him so hard that he was so tired he just couldn't relax. We now refer to all other tantrums on the Sea World bus trip sliding scale.

 

[arielsleepingbeauty]

I have two daughters ages 4 and 6. When my 4 year old is overtired, doesn't matter where we are, anything could set her off. She will fall to the floor and start crying. She won't scream or kick or anything. I don't like to use being tired as an excuse for a meltdown, but at least it's the only time that i have to deal with that extreme behavior. My 6 year old, luckily, has never done anything like that. Now i have just jinxed myself, I know it!

 

[cardaway]

I would say not all because some children show signs it is going to happen, the parents or guardians recognize it, and get them out before it can get to that level.

I would say all have likely had to deal with the situation at some level, which could mean getting them out while it's still at the crying or resisting level.

 

[U2_rocks]

I would say not all because some children show signs it is going to happen, the parents or guardians recognize it, and get them out before it can get to that level.

I would say all have likely had to deal with the situation at some level, which could mean getting them out while it's still at the crying or resisting level.

I have to agree with this. Many times I have headed off what could have been a tantrum if I'd let it escalate. Sometimes it's knowing when to call it a day and get the kid home to a good dinner and bed. Sometimes it's a matter of distraction or redirection. Sometimes I'll admit it's been a strongly worded warning (which they know to heed b/c I mean what I say). I have also been known to just hug the child, and it's amazing what a hug can do! My middle DD will stop all fussing, whining and pouting if I just hug her!

One thing I have never (or almost never) done is to resort to bribery - that can get really sticky.

 

[goofy's friends]

See my first 2 were a breeze, this last one, oy ve. He could drive the Pope to commit a mortal sin.

Do you live at my house???? You are describing it to a T!!!!!!!!

 

[Cool-Beans]

No, but the youngest is 12!

I had two that went through a short time when they had tantrums. Funny enough, both right after they turned three. I ignored them and it went away. There were a couple times the kid had to be taken away in public, but I was pretty careful about where I took them and when.

The other would just kneel down, give me a mad look, and then put his head on the groud. That was his tantrum!

Different kids, different personalities.

 

[3princesses+aprince]

My oldest 2 DDs were angels, I could have voted no tantrums for them.

But... I had a third DD. She has tantrums , she is a little over 2, so I voted for the 2-4 range because the tantrums have been blooming lately.
She's really not that bad, I hear of far worse, but seeing how the first two didnt' take lovely public tantrums at all, it's different for me. I see how different her personality is. She is much tougher to deal with when she is mad or upset than the first two. I really think I spoiled her the most, so that could have something to do with it too. Oh well pretty soon she'll be wanting to sleep over a friend's house and i'd want to bring back a tantrum in the mall episode any day.

 

[Planogirl]

Our son had a few just before he turned two. When it happened I took him out of wherever we were and put him in the car and waited for him to stop. Or if no car was available I just took him to a quiet private spot and let him make himself tired. I never made a comment while it was happening but made it clear that I disapproved when he was done.

Luckily, it wasn't much of an issue in his case. I know that some kids are way more volatile though.

 

[isyne4u]

My oldest had them all the time and we left more than one place because of his tantrums. More than anything I always felt like the worst parent in the world when a 2 or 3 year old would get me to the point that I was ready to meltdown too!!

The baby starts to throw tantrums but i shove a pacifier in his mouth and it shuts him up. Guess I gotta get rid of that thing before he leaves for college!!

 

[fabumouse]

On that day I knew why some species eat their young!!!!!!!!

DD's first tantrum was at 8 months old. They were super bad when she was around 2 years: throwing her head back and whacking it on the wall and just spiraling out of control. Now at 5, it's very rare, but almost ALWAYS takes me by surprise. It's not lack of food, or overtired, or over stimulation, it's just like a switch turns off and she's not able to cope with small disappointments or frustrations. Something as small as me not understanding the plot line of a story she's telling can just push her over the edge and she feels like the world is conspiring against her.

And it matters not a whit where we are when the mood hits, she loses control equally at home and in public.

With that said, she went for 9 days at WDW with nothing more than a few whines. And that is deeply, heartfeltly, appreciated.

 

[Lisa_Belle]

My DD has a Dr. Jekkyl/Mr. Hyde personality. She is either as sweet as roses or as horrid as the thorns. I had to pick "other" simply because she has had them at EVERY age from 2 to (almost)5. Once I even thought she was going to get me arrested. Some mother with her three perfectly behaved children standing in a line right beside her threatened to call the cops because mine was behaving so badly. She was screaming at the top of her lungs "I WANT TO GO TO TOYS R US." Needless to say, we scurried home. I often wonder why on earth I ever wanted her to talk?

 

[MushyMushy]

My DD has a Dr. Jekkyl/Mr. Hyde personality. She is either as sweet as roses or as horrid as the thorns. I had to pick "other" simply because she has had them at EVERY age from 2 to (almost)5. Once I even thought she was going to get me arrested. Some mother with her three perfectly behaved children standing in a line right beside her threatened to call the cops because mine was behaving so badly. She was screaming at the top of her lungs "I WANT TO GO TO TOYS R US." Needless to say, we scurried home. I often wonder why on earth I ever wanted her to talk?

What???? Are you serious -- what did she want to see happen? You should have told her to go ahead and call the police, because maybe if they locked up either you or your DD, maybe you'd get some peace and quiet for a while.

 

[Dina]

I could not agree more- I have 5 autistic son - so we have meltdowns everywhere. I get so upset with people who stare and make comments- I have had a guy come up to me while my son is freaking out and say "You know if you spank him he would not do that" .... He did get a few choice words from me...

My oldest son has autism and my youngest is now believed to be on the spectrum, so yes we have had them-- lots of them. I do hate when people stare, and then make judgements that its because I must give them everything they want blah blah blah. You wouldn't believe the things people say to me, or the way they shake their heads at us, etc. Having children with autism has taught me how rude and judgemental people are in general (even family at times)-- its very upsetting. I love when people tell me that they're children don't have tantrums because they knew how to parent their children, and discipline and not spoil them blah blah--- no, they were just lucky.

My personal favorite is when my 3yo has them, and I scoop him up to leave wherever we are, and he starts screaming "help!" (because he hates to be held). I swear one of these days I'm going to see a police car tailing my car, because someone is going to think I'm kidnapping this child.

I will say though, that I don't think we've had a meltdown yet in WDW (except maybe the first trip, when we didn't yet know my oldest had autism, and we tried to take him in Playhouse Disney and he freaked out). Anyway, now we go at their pace, and go with the flow-- and they're always great in Disney-- guess that's why we go there all the time now.

 

[snowwite]

If we were in public and DD started to throw a fit, one of us would take her out to the car and put her in her carseat until she calmed down (I learned to always carry a book with me). That way, the rest of the family wasn't punished and she learned very quickly to behave in public because she did NOT want to go sit in her carseat.

Good idea.Mine are now teens but my sis has toddlers so I will share w/her.

 

[luckywife]

I have 2 DS's. The first one was a handful at home and in public. Not sure what age it stopped but it couldn't have been soon enough for me.

Our 2nd DS, who is 3, is the complete opposite! He gets upset sometimes but it's nothing major, definitely no tantrum to speak of.

 

[Bob Slydell]

DS1 has had one or two in public that I can recall -- one of them in the middle of a department store with my DW that was so bad that she called me to come pick him up before she strangled him. I think he was 2 or 3 at the time.

Normally, though, his tantrums are limited to home. Once out of the house, he's usually pretty well behaved.

 

[fanofdisney]

Flame if you will, but I find it hard to believe those who say "no, not at all". As in never. I just don't buy it that a child never had a tantrum!