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.