Tantrums in Target

Let me set the scene for you. I am standing in one of my "happy places", which happens to be the shoe aisle in Target, checking out their selection of recently marked down shoes, when it happens. For a reason that I can no longer recall (probably due to my subconscience blocking it out of my memory, due to embarrassment) Autumn starts having a melt down.

Now, I am not talking whinning, or even a little crying here and there, Autumn does that all the time. I am talking a full blown, screaming, tears streaming down the face, makes me want to melt into the floor, melt down. The kind of melt down where you find yourself getting sideways glances from teen and college aged girls, hinting that their browsing would be much more enjoyable if your little bundle of joy's ear piercing screams were taken elsewhere (don't worry teen and college aged girls, if you are lucky you will be in my shoes one day). The kind of melt down where you being to notice other mothers quickly wheeling their children away, before they begin to follow suit. The kind of melt down that leaves you completely frozen, unsure of what to do. 

This was the first time I have had to deal with a tantrum of this magnitude and I was completely torn. Do I stay and continue doing what I am doing, ignoring the bad behavior? Do I quickly wheel Autumn out of the store, load up the car and go home with my tail between my legs? I had no idea. 

So I stayed. I tried figuring out what the cause of the tantrum was. No luck. I tried diverting Autumn's attention to juice, or a snack, or her toys we had brought from home. No luck. I tried showing Autumn the amazing pair of gold glitter pumps that Mama has been eyeing since Christmas, which are now half off. No luck. 

Then, like an angel sent from Heaven, a little girl caught Autumn's eye. She was sitting on a bench trying on shoes with her Mom, who was sympathetically giving me that, "Yup, I've been there" look. Autumn said, "Girl!" and the little girl said, "Hi!", and with that our first melt down of 2012 was over. 

I have said it before and I will say it again, there is nothing that makes me feel more inadequate than parenting. Although that great deal on the gold glitter pumps did make me feel better.