Are we normal?

Am I the only person who has ever had a child throw a fit in public? I know that I'm not, but yet, when my child does it, it's all eyes on me. Do the shoppers in the store think I can't hear their comments as I walk past them? I am not deaf, I just have a child screaming because he has not gotten what he asked for.

Yesterday, Brady went into Target with the idea that he was getting a baseball helmet. I did not tell him that we would buy one, he wanted it because he had seen another boy with one earlier in the day. As we walked through the store to get the few items I had on my list, Brady continued to ask for the helmet. I reminded him that we came in to get a few things that we needed and the helmet was not one of them. I avoided the isle that has the baseball gear like the plague. We made it through most of the store and as we were finishing up I said we were going to check out. All hell broke lose. Brady once again asked about the helmet and I responded with a firm "no". He went into full tantrum mode.

I quickly made my way to the front of the store. I could see the older snobby women sneering at me, the younger mom's smiling with a sympathetic and understanding look on their face, the men shaking their heads, and the young children staring. As we were checking out, the checker was looking at Brady then to me then back to Brady waiting to see what I was going to do about him. My child was letting out the most awful blood curdling scream like he had just broken all him limbs and a customer in isle next to me was looking at Brady and then to me in horror. Oh the horror! Gasp! a child is screaming, his mother must have beaten the crap out of him for someone to scream like that. It must be child abuse. Why else would a child scream like that? Certainly one doesn't throw such a fit after being told no! Despite all the dirty looks and staring, I managed to keep a smile on my face while making my way out of the store.

I have never experienced such a shocked reaction to a child throwing a fit in public. When we lived in Utah, no one even gave the screaming child a second look, they could care less. I am pretty sure their first reaction wasn't that the child was beaten either. Here, everyone seems to assume the worst. They look at you with horror, shock, and disgust. I have seen countless times, mothers buying their child whatever it is they asked for after they told them "no" once the child started screaming. If I did that I would be broke.

This is only the second huge outburst I've had with Brady in public, and I am sure it wont be our last. People need to learn that small children, especially in the 2-4 range, throw tantrums in public occasionally and they do it for the attention. Quit giving it to them, ignore it and keep your obviously unappreciated comments to yourselves. Yes, I'm talking to you middle aged women dressed for the ball and dripping in diamonds, I heard you say, "just give him what he wants," I hope your children are the worlds biggest brats. And you, apparently single and without children sir, asking your friend, "what did she do to him?" He was a overly tired 2 year old who just got told "no", a fit fueled by the attention of strangers is just what the doctor ordered.