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The other day, I wanted to go to the store to use a Target gift card that I received for Christmas. I was curious about why the Stanley Cup was so popular; my wife had bought one and introduced me to it. Since I had nothing specific in mind that I wanted, I began to wonder whether I should buy my wife a larger one. While I was deep in thought about this significant decision, a high-pitched cry broke my concentration.

I looked to my left and then right, and I found the culprit who broke my focus. It was a child with their parent, throwing a tantrum about a toy they couldn't get. It was the cliché way of how parents deal with tantrums. They told their kid to stop, but the kid didn't. The parent started to plead, but the kid still didn't stop.

Then the parent noticed that others had started to watch. That's when the threats came out, and the parent said, 'I'm going to spank you when we get home.' After that, the kid started to settle down. We've all been in the dreaded situation of tantrums 😅. But have you ever made a threat or tried to set up a boundary, and it didn't work? Or have you ever told your child to do one thing, and they had a whole 5-minute fit before doing what you asked?

Some people will say what the lady did was right; some will say she is in the wrong. We won't worry about picking a side. Instead, let's focus on what we can do next time we are in that situation. But before we continue this conversation, please support the sponsor we love today. Here's a quick ad for them.

An explosive tantrum can come out of nowhere, and depending on the day, you might not be expecting it. An essential part of dealing with tantrums is preventative care. Before the mom went into the store, a simple 2-minute talk in the car explaining the goals of going, giving a list to the kid to help them look and making them a part of the shopping process, and discussing things we aren't getting today but can put on the list for next time.

However, this well-thought-out discussion can sometimes be forgotten because we are in a rush or it slipped our minds before going in. So, we're in Target, having a great time, looking at your potential Stanley Cup. Your child is looking around, and something catches their eye. You say no, and the tantrum begins to start. You try to have an open discussion on why it's a no; you listen to their frustration, show empathy, and pull out all the tips and tricks that you learned from GentleParents. But the tantrum still prevails.

What do you do now? Nothing. Let them have their tantrum. Even if it takes 10 minutes, let them have their 10-minute tantrum. Don't cater to their tantrum, and don't get them the thing they want. You've already said no, you've set up a boundary, and you have to stay true to your word. It's okay if your child doesn't like your decision and throws a tantrum.

If you are uncomfortable with people looking, just pick up your child, go back to your car, and sit in there until they calm down. Once they calm down and are ready to have a discussion, you can have the 2-minute talk explaining the goals, what's on the list, and what's not on the list. Then go back inside and continue the discussion.

*Please give a gentle round of applause too…*