Misbehavior in Public Places: Rules and Discipline
Touching Things That Shouldn’t Be Touched
- Example
Grabbing food off the shelves in the grocery store.
- The rule
“Don’t touch anything without my permission, because everything here belongs to the store and some things can break.”
- Discipline technique
Mainly, distract your child on arrival by getting her a snack, such as animal cookies.
- Keep her involved by giving her safe foods to carry or having her push the grocery cart.
- If she’s sitting in the grocery cart seat, hand her foods to place in the basket.
- Talk with your child as you shop so that she feels involved.
- Avoid taking your 2-year-old to a store with lots of breakables, such as a glass shop.
- Praise
Praise your child for helping.
Having a Temper Tantrum in a Public Place
- Example
Often children have temper tantrums when they are not given a toy or candy at the store after they beg for it.
- The rule
“We buy only food at the grocery store, not toys.”
- Discipline technique
Ignore your child and remain firm. If your child is having a temper tantrum in a safe place, walk on and he will stand up and follow you. If your child is near breakable objects or is a reckless child, take him outside for time-out. If he is annoying other people (as in a restaurant or church), take him outside.
- Model
No yelling or tantrums in the store.
Running Away from the Parent in a Store
- The rule
“Stay close to me in the store so you won’t get lost.”
- Discipline technique
Time-out. First try putting your child in the grocery cart for 2 or 3 minutes if she doesn’t stay near you. If she won’t stay in the grocery cart, take her outside and put her in time-out facing the wall of the building or sitting inside your car while you stand by. Consider buying a harness and bringing it with you to the store. Harness your child only if she wanders off. Remove it every 5 minutes, giving her a chance to prove that she can control herself in a public setting. As a last resort, leave your child at home with a sitter and be sure to tell her before you go to the grocery store that she can’t come this time because she didn’t stay near you.
- Praise
Praise your child for following you through the store.
Last modified: 2002-03-06
Last reviewed: 2014-06-10